Union Club Hotel Virtual Tour
In 2018, work began on a $30 million renovation of the historic 182-room Union Club Hotel on Purdue’s campus. This first-class hospitality experience would not have been possible without the generous support of Purdue alumnus and former trustee Bruce White and his wife, Beth, along with the Dean and Barbara White Foundation. This gift allows Purdue to take a “Giant Leap” forward in campus hospitality.
White, who graduated from Purdue in 1975 with a degree in management and served on the Purdue Board of Trustees from 2011-2015, is a leader in entrepreneurial ventures in the world of hospitality as the founder and chief executive officer of White Lodging Services Corp., headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. During his tenure, White Lodging has grown to include more than 170 hotels in 21 states.
White completed the Harvard Graduate School of Business Owner/President Management program and was presented an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in Hospitality Management by Johnson and Wales University. A generous donor to Purdue, White helped establish an endowment fund for future Hospitality and Tourism Management students at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus; and, through the Bruce & Beth White Family Foundation and the Dean & Barbara White Family Foundation, Purdue University Northwest was able to expand and enhance its Hospitality and Tourism Management program, which is now known as the White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Please join President’s Council for a unique 360 degree virtual tour of the newest hotel spaces in the Purdue Memorial Union.
The hotel’s design preserves and celebrates the Purdue Memorial Union’s original space while creating a modern vibe. Below are some of the Purdue-inspired elements.
Vision for Design
The hotel’s design honors the rich history and legacy of Purdue University while celebrating Purdue’s focus on the future. With its streamlined architecture and opened up spaces, the hotel fits seamlessly in the Purdue Memorial Union.
Design Intent
The design’s intent is to partner the existing interior architecture spaces, which preserve and celebrate history, with modern and subtle nods to the design details found in the adjacent Purdue Memorial Union. Artwork selections and patterns acknowledge the University’s legacies of agriculture and engineering.
Design Concept
Through reinvention, preservation, and creation, carefully choreographed environments help bridge the University’s past, present, and future. Visual and tactile experiences capture and celebrate the eight pillars of Purdue: discovery, learning, inclusion, persistence, innovation, respect, balance, and growth. These crafted, layered moments are bold, timeless, and dynamic, much like the indomitable spirit of Purdue and the unique people that comprise it.