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Purdue ‘compliment guys’ can’t give enough of a good thing

Nice guys on campus spread kind words to weary passersby

By Jodi S Cohen
March 13, 2009

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Along a central walkway on Purdue University’s campus, two students are on a crusade to make people happy.

To a passing guy dressed in Purdue sweats they say, “Love your school spirit.”

To the woman carrying the trendy black bag: “Very nice purse.” “It’s very large.”

And for the student who ran past them in knee-high leather boots: “I like your hustle.” “I like your boots, too.”

Tired of people being so down in the dumps amid the worst economy in decades, sophomores Cameron Brown and Brett Westcott—better known as the “Compliment Guys”—have taken it upon themselves to cheer up the campus.

From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. every Wednesday, they stand outside the chemistry building in the shadow of the university’s Bell Tower with their “Free Compliments” sign. They’re there in the rain. In the snow. And this week when the windchill made it feel like 10 degrees.

They come across as fashion commentators, stand-up comedians and guys you’d invite to your keg party.

“People ask us if we are part of a frat or if it’s a psychology experiment,” Brown said. “We are here for no other reason than we like to give compliments.”

At a time when students are struggling to afford tuition, graduating seniors can’t get jobs, and organic chemistry exams are as unpleasant as ever, it seems almost unbelievable that Brown and Westcott could be genuinely upbeat. They’ve been asked, skeptically, over and over, why they’re doing it.

“I honestly can’t tell you what drove me to give people free compliments,” said Westcott, 19, a civil engineering student from southwest suburban Plainfield. “Just overall, making people’s day is really satisfying. … Not enough people do nice things anymore.”

The duo fire off the compliments so quickly that an attempt to count a minute’s worth was unsuccessful. There were at least 40. They liked headphones. Bikes. Gloves, earmuffs and scarves. A floral backpack. And even a lanyard.

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