Victories & Heroes
Read about our Victories & Heroes
News & StoriesRead about our Victories & Heroes
News & StoriesAbout 40 years ago, I arrived at Purdue’s College of Agriculture to pursue my Ph.D. in the area of soil and water engineering in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. After earning my doctorate, I was honored to accept a faculty position.
I knew right away that I had arrived at a special place. The level of Purdue’s scholarship and research was globally recognized. Faculty were deeply committed to students and to the practice of teaching. Our students had a level of dedication to their education that was inspiring. I also soon learned students’ commitment turned quickly into alumni accomplishments.
The Victories and Heroes campaign captures my experience in Purdue Agriculture. Every day we collaborate with or benefit from the work of faculty, staff and students who make this an extraordinary place: people like Professor Emeritus Bob Thompson, alumna Halee Fisher and students like Reagan Koester and Ian Rimer, whose victories inspire and inform us.
We all follow in the footsteps of Purdue pioneers like the college’s first female full professor, entomologist Virginia Ferris, who plowed the way for the rest of us.
I invite you to join my wife, Andrea, and myself in making a gift to secure and support the future victories and heroes of Purdue Agriculture.
Ever grateful,
Bernie Engel
Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture
Stories
Stories
Mark Russell has been a guiding force in Purdue Agriculture for almost 50 years, where he has been dedicated to empowering others to discover their potential. His impact continues through an endowment to help students “grow and go."
Read MoreGlobally Renowned Programs
Purdue is home to the #3 Agriculture program in the U.S.
Purdue is home to the #6 Agriculture program in the world.
Purdue is home to the #1 Agricultural and Biological Engineering graduate program.
Globally Renowned Programs
Purdue is home to the #3 Agriculture program in the U.S.
QS World University Rankings 2025
Purdue is home to the #6 Agriculture program in the world.
QS World University Rankings 2025
Purdue is home to the #1 Agricultural and Biological Engineering graduate program.
U.S. News & World Report 2025
FUNDING PRIORITIES
Physical Space
Purdue Agriculture is transforming agricultural research spaces into hubs of innovation. Strategic investments in farms, greenhouses and new facilities — including a modern plant science building and a dedicated turf science center — will empower groundbreaking discoveries. Upgraded labs and classrooms will cultivate collaboration and equip future leaders to tackle global food and sustainability challenges.
Faculty Support
By recruiting top faculty, supporting faculty leaders through professorships and funding research endowments, lab upgrades and student researchers, Purdue Agriculture is cultivating a thriving community of innovators. These investments fuel discovery, elevate education and ensure leadership in solving the industry’s most pressing global challenges.
Student Support
The demand for agriculture graduates in the workplace is strong, and scholarships are a vital tool for supporting students. Funding experiential learning opportunities in the classroom and in the field will also ensure that agriculture students have enriched experiences that develop them as the next generation of leaders in their fields.
Victories & Heroes
For some people at Purdue, he is known as a horse expert, a respected colleague who listens, a...
Growing up in Greenwood, Indiana, Ian Rimer was the quintessential outdoor kid, spending most of...
Sam and Kelly Williams, alumni of Purdue’s agricultural economics program, are hometown...
Reagan Koester was 30 minutes into the eight-hour drive from her internship in Iowa to her...
A generous gift from the Young Family will drive food innovation at Purdue University over the...
Shortly after Neil Armstrong died on Aug. 25, 2012, Chuyan Chen noticed a lone white flower next...
Contact Us
If you're interested in exploring ways to celebrate Purdue Agriculture's victories and heroes, please contact our team.