Purdue Athletics is proud to announce the successful completion of the Forging Ahead campaign, which surpassed its $18.69 million goal. Launched to support strategic investments in recruiting, retention, and student-athlete development, the campaign has helped equip Boilermaker student-athletes with the tools, facilities, and experiences they need to succeed at the highest level—on the field, in the classroom, and in life. From facility enhancements to leadership programming and global engagement opportunities, Forging Ahead has laid a strong foundation for the future of Purdue Athletics.
The campaign involved a comprehensive evaluation of multiple areas impacting departmental culture, including the investment by Purdue Athletics in a partnership with Profile, a behavioral assessment agency owned and operated in West Lafayette. Profile founder and CEO, Chad Brown, is a former Purdue Football student-athlete who also coached alongside legendary Purdue Football head coach Joe Tiller.
“Working with Chad over the years helped me realize that I needed to be more adaptable,” said L. Dick Buell Men’s Basketball Head Coach Matt Painter. “I needed to be more intentional about recruiting players who were not just the most talented guys in the country, but the best fit for Purdue Men’s Basketball. We now require every recruit to take Profile’s assessment to ensure we are achieving that goal and consistently rely on their report throughout their time in our program to hold ourselves accountable in meeting their needs as coaches. When you do that, guys want to stick around.
“Like Chad, I am a proud alum who wants nothing more than to see our Purdue Athletics programs excel. True to Purdue form, Profile has identified a way to put us at the forefront of using data analytics to succeed at a high level, and I want to see all 18 of our programs share in that experience.”
Boilermakers Beyond Borders is an international travel program for Purdue student-athletes and staff that is made possible under the John Purdue Club’s Forging Ahead campaign. The program allows Boilermaker student-athletes to give back and expand their world view through a mission trip benefitting local youth in an underdeveloped country. In May 2024, Purdue traveled to Costa Rica with a humanitarian group called Courts for Kids to build an athletics court for children. Purdue is proud to be the first in the Big Ten to partner with Courts for Kids!
