At age 28, Purdue Calumet alumnus has job responsibilities of many people twice his age

"The flexibility and convenience of Purdue Calumet allowed me to control my schedule and gain confidence semester to semester."

At age 28, Purdue University Calumet alumnus Peter Novak has job responsibilities of many people twice his age.

As executive director of the City of Hammond's Department of Planning and Development, he oversees a staff of 26 and the functions of planning and zoning, economic development, and community development for Hammond.

Novak, a 2004 Purdue Calumet graduate in accounting and finance, worked in the finance field for six years while taking evening courses before being appointed deputy chief of staff for Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott in January 2004. McDermott named him head of Planning and Development just several months later in October.

"I was able to work a full time job during the day while attending college full time in the evening," Novak said.

His work can range from negotiating agreements that bring retailers such as Home Depot and Cabela's to Hammond or helping coordinate community services such as home rehabilitation loans for residents or education for students.

"The Department of Planning and Development has some of the widest range of city services as any department in city government," Novak said.

For Novak, full time work plus full time college equals success.

"I feel that the experience of working full time while attending college full time has given me the confidence that I can manage a big workload and be successful," Novak said. "The same work ethic and confidence that I put into getting my degree is the same work ethic and confidence that have allowed me to be successful in my job today."

Novak says that he "eased" into college by attending half time, but soon had the self-assurance to increase his course load.

"As I started to excel in my classes I enrolled three-quarter time and eventually ended up attending full time," he said. "The flexibility and convenience of Purdue Calumet allowed me to control my schedule and gain confidence semester to semester."