Purdue Athletics nears campaign goal

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Purdue University Athletics says it is close to reaching the end zone for its More Than A Game campaign. The university says it has raised $15 million of its $18 million goal for the campaign, which was created to offset a budget shortfall caused by the pandemic.

Purdue launched the campaign in August. The university says the athletics department set a new record during the Purdue Day of Giving with more than $9.1 million raised, nearly doubling the previous record set in 2017.

“The Purdue family has fought for our student-athletes like never before. In true Boilermaker fashion, when the going got tough, we got to work to support our family,” said Tim House, senior associate athletics director and assistant vice president for development. “Now, we have a chance to hit a goal that many thought was unattainable when we launched this campaign last summer.”

The university says Purdue Athletics is one of only a handful of NCAA Division I athletics departments that is completely self-sustaining. When the campaign was launched, Purdue said the goal was to avoid drastic changes including athletic program eliminations and job cuts.

Purdue University says those who donated during the Purdue Day of Giving also support the John Purdue Club scholarship fund and the Leroy Keyes Hall of Fame and Diversity Fellowship.