(photo courtesy of Purdue University)

Purdue University is remembering its most famous and well-traveled alumnus.  Outside of Purdue’s Hall of Engineering are replica footprints and a statue of the man the building is named after--Neil Armstrong.

Armstrong earned a bachelor's degree from Purdue in aeronautical engineering in 1955 and was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering from Purdue in 1970. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. The fraternity held a memorial service for their fallen brother over the weekend. Chapter President Paul Bloodgood says while most of the current members never met Armstrong, several exchanged emails with him. Bloodgood says that accessibility and those connections point to the man Armstrong truly was.   

"He''ll take the time out of his day to respond to an email, to a 20-something year old. I can't image how many emails he gets, or cards or anything. It just shows how much he cares. It's just really special"

 Armstrong was a long-time supporter of Purdue long after his historic walk on the moon in 1969.   He served as co-chair of a major fundraising campaign with fellow astronaut and Purdue alum Eugene Cernan, the last to set foot on the moon.

The 82-year-old Armstrong died Saturday from complications following heart surgery. The Purdue Student Government will host a memorial service at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Armstrong statue.

Purdue acting president Tim Sands has asked that flags be flown at half-mast in honor of Armstrong.