Purdue launches 5-year, $4 billion campaign

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — On Saturday (Feb. 15), Purdue University President Mung Chiang announced the launch of Victories & Heroes: Your Campaign for Purdue. The goal of the fundraising campaign — the largest in the university’s history — is $4 billion raised by early 2030.

Chiang made the announcement during the President’s Council Annual Dinner at the Purdue for Life Foundation’s Annual Week in Naples, Florida. This year’s events were well attended by about 600 alumni, university leaders and trustees.

“From the Wabash River to the face of the moon, Boilermakers have made positive impact across generations. As American higher education goes through a transformative time, our university is uniquely positioned for excellence at scale,” Chiang said. “This comprehensive campaign, the third in Purdue’s history, will invest in the long-term future of this most consequential public university in the country. We are ever grateful for the philanthropic support from all our Boilermaker alumni and friends.”

This comprehensive campaign will accelerate the growth of Purdue’s endowment while focusing on the university’s four strategic initiatives — its comprehensive urban expansion in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and One Health — as well as Purdue Athletics and other key areas. The financial support will help further amplify successes across the university’s land-grant mission: learning, discovery and engagement. The philanthropic funds raised will support scholarships, professorships, research, facilities and university programs.

The Victories & Heroes theme is inspired by Purdue’s fight song, “Hail Purdue!” The lyrics, written in 1912 by student James Morrison, include a line celebrating “your vict’ries and your heroes.”

Victories & Heroes will build on the success of two previous comprehensive campaigns, including The Campaign for Purdue and Ever True: The Campaign for Purdue University. The Campaign for Purdue was announced by President Martin Jischke in 2002, targeting $1.3 billion; it concluded in 2007 and raised $1.7 billion from 184,000 donors. Ever True was announced by President Mitch Daniels in 2015 and concluded in June 2019, exceeding its goal of $2.019 billion by generating more than $2.5 billion from more than 209,000 donors.

The campaign announcement launches amid ongoing momentum and record-breaking achievements at Purdue:

• Fall enrollment of 58,009 on the university’s main campus (West Lafayette, Indianapolis and online) was driven by record demand and affinity, with West Lafayette having the most selective incoming class to date.
• Purdue is ranked among the top 100 universities in the world, as the No. 1 public university in Indiana and as No. 8 among U.S. public universities, with 31 undergraduate and graduate programs ranked among the nation’s top 10. Purdue also earned recognition as the No. 1 most recognized public university in the U.S. and a Brand That Matters for the fourth straight year.
• Purdue continues its commitment to affordability with a 13th straight year of frozen tuition, saving Boilermaker families more than $1.4 billion since 2013.
• The university broke records for research awards ($647 million), private giving ($621 million) and patents received (201 U.S. patents, top 5 in the U.S.), underscoring Purdue’s mission of excellence and impact.

Before the 2025-30 public phase, the quiet phase of the campaign has been moving forward. Among the leadership gifts already committed to this campaign is Monday’s announcement of a $30 million contribution from Peter (BSEE ’67) and Ann Lambertus to support Purdue’s College of Engineering and invest in the goal of making the college the most consequential engineering program in the country. Also Monday, the School of Mechanical Engineering announced an anonymous gift of $25 million.

A campaign steering committee of alumni and friends of the university will be announced on April 30 during the annual Purdue Day of Giving.

Chiang will travel across the country and around the world in the coming months and years to meet with Boilermakers and share more about the campaign. Stops during the first half of 2025 include Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; New York; Philadelphia; the San Francisco Bay Area; Tokyo; and Washington, D.C.

“I’m inspired and energized to help Purdue take its next giant leap,” said Julie Dussliere, president and CEO of the Purdue for Life Foundation. “With more than 600,000 alumni and loyal supporters standing with us, the momentum behind this campaign will only continue to grow. Every gift, no matter the size, will fuel the campaign and strengthen Purdue by growing our endowment, which provides lasting support, elevates the university’s reputation and expands opportunities for generations to come. Purdue is in the business of building a better world, and I can’t wait to see the incredible impact we’ll achieve together.”

To learn more and participate in Victories & Heroes: Your Campaign for Purdue, visit purdue.edu/campaign.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.

About the Purdue for Life Foundation

The Purdue for Life Foundation helps friends and alumni of Purdue University stay connected, get involved and give back. Created on March 11, 2020, the foundation deepens alumni ties to Purdue, drives and coordinates all alumni-related activities across the Purdue family’s postgraduation lives and works with alumni and friends to garner support for the university. Our organization combines the alumni engagement function of the Purdue Alumni Association and the University Development Office, and it includes President’s Council and the John Purdue Club, as well as alumni lifelong learning programs and on-campus residential opportunities. Learn more at  https://purdueforlife.org/.