Purdue University

Overview

Purdue University West Lafayette, established in 1869, is a public, land-grant research institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The university serves as the flagship campus of the Purdue University system, which also includes four other campuses across the state. The main campus spans 2,468 acres and offers a variety of academic programs, enrolling 37,101 undergraduates (as of fall 2021). Purdue follows a semester-based academic calendar.

Purdue’s vibrant campus life includes Greek organizations, a range of performance groups like the “All American” Marching Band, and two symphony orchestras. Its athletic teams, the Boilermakers, compete in the Division I Big Ten Conference, with particular prominence in men’s and women’s basketball. The Boilermaker Special, a railroad locomotive maintained by the student-led Purdue Reamer Club, serves as the university’s mascot. While campus housing is not mandatory, about one-third of undergraduates live on campus.

The university is composed of 13 colleges and schools, offering both undergraduate and graduate programs. Among its top-ranked schools are the College of Engineering, Krannert School of Management, and the College of Pharmacy. Purdue is especially renowned for its School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, dubbed the "Cradle of Astronauts." Notable alumni include Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, and legendary basketball coach John Wooden. A popular tradition at Purdue is students running through any of the five campus fountains to mark the beginning or end of their university journey.