WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A former governor of Indiana and university president will serve as the interim president of Purdue University starting in July.

Mitch Daniels was appointed as the interim president of the university during a public session of the Purdue University Board of Trustees on Monday. Daniels previously served as the 12th president of Purdue University and as the 49th governor of Indiana.

Daniels, who is the university’s president emeritus and the chair of the board of the Purdue Research Foundation, will succeed Mung Chiang in the position. Chiang will become the president of Northwestern University in Evanston in July.

“We are extremely grateful to President Emeritus Daniels for his willingness to continue his long and successful service to Purdue University in a role with which he is very familiar,” Gary Lehman, the chair of the Purdue University Board of Trustees, said in a news release from the university. “We look forward to working with Mitch and the executive team in leading Purdue to even greater heights as it continues to impact lives through its land-grant mission and the persistent pursuit of excellence in higher education.”

Officials stated that Daniels will serve as interim president until the university identifies a successor for Chiang. The release said a national search is expected to be launched in the coming weeks.

“President Chiang has led Purdue forward in a host of important ways, and it’s essential that the momentum he has generated be maintained,” Daniels said. “If the board believes that recalling me to active duty temporarily can help in this respect, no one as devoted to this institution as I am could say anything but yes.”

Daniels’ appointment will be effective on July 1, according to university officials.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Felix Rosenqvist won the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Rosenqvist passed David Malukas on the final straightaway to win his first career Indianapolis 500.

After the narrow win, Rosenqvist described the out-of-body experience it was to win the Indianapolis 500 in front of over 350,000 people.

“I’m still not able to take it in,” Rosenqvist said. “I need another month or week. It’s been such a crazy month for me. That finish, man, I can’t get over that finish. It’s so unbelievable how close it was, I feel like any of the four of us could’ve won it. It just worked out perfectly.”

This year’s Indy 500 ended on a one-lap restart. The green flag waved on lap 199, and chaos ensued for the final 2.5-mile sprint.

Marcus Armstrong opened the final lap with the lead before David Malukas passed Armstrong coming out of Turn 1. As they headed to Turn 4, Rosenqvist made his move and passed Malukas on the final straight away to mark the closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history. Rosenqvist beat Malukas to the finish line by a mere 0.023 seconds.

Rosenqvist shared how much of a whirlwind the final lap was for him.

“That last lap, I just stayed flat on the outside, and I was like, at this point, I’m just going to go all in,” Rosenqvist said. “It just worked out, I had a little tow off with Dave in the last corner, and it’s enough to take me over the line. It was pretty gnarly. I’ve never tried it around here, but I did, and it worked for the whole lap. I just hung around the outside flat.”

Rosenqvist added more on how exhilarating the last lap felt.

“I think, honestly, if I replayed it a million times, it wouldn’t have ended up the same,” Rosenqvist said. “Everything was just 10 out of 10, and it’s no better feeling to win this race, like that, during a month where I had a baby sixteen days ago. Incredible.”

This year’s Indianapolis 500 had the most lead changes in the race’s 110-year history, with 70.

With millions of Americans expected to hit the road for the holiday weekend, Indiana State Police are prepared for the uptick.

The weekend coincides the Indiana State Police’s Click It or Ticket Campaign, something Sergeant Ted Bohner says gives them more resources.

“It gives federally funded overtime to put troopers that can work some overtime at the end of their shift, beginning their shift, or on a day off, just to put some extra, extra eyes and cars on the road to make sure everybody’s safe,” Bohner said.

With construction ongoing, Bohner says they will continue to have a heavy prescense on US-31 with the Indy 500 taking place.

But says drivers need to pay attention to construction zones as well.

“Watch for those signs, they’re all going to be marked ahead of time, and just pay attention for maybe a different traffic pattern, definitely a reduced speed limit in those areas, and you know, just navigate it safely, you know, without distractions,” Bohner said.

Bohner also saying it’s important to prioritize safety during Memorial Day celebrations to protect yourself and others.

“There’s going to be a lot of parties, a lot of cookouts, that type of thing, and a lot of times some drinking is involved in that, so we just want people to make the smart choice and drive sober, and if they need a way home, either use the tried and true method of a designated driver, a cab or ride share, and or any other means just to get home safely,” Bohner said.

Bohner says the department wants to emphasize driving the speed limit, wearing a seatbelt if you are traveling and to never drive under the influence.