It’s a great time to be a Boilermaker!

Our campus is filled with 40,000 eager students who have arrived with their dreams for the start of a new academic year. Our “All-American” Marching Band is playing “Hail Purdue” as they prepare for our first home football game September 11. Soccer has already started. And our red brick buildings are filled with excitement as our world-class faculty advances its teaching and research.

It’s going to be a wonderful fall with President’s Council brunches and tailgates before home football games; our Family Day Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, September 18; a Purdue Foundation Development Council meeting Friday, September 24; Homecoming on Saturday, October 16; and our President’s Council Annual Weekend including Back to Class sessions Friday and Saturday, November 12-13.

We will also have a Celebration Week November 15-19 featuring new facilities and programs.

Thanks to all our donors for their continued, incredible support. Purdue has once again completed a successful fiscal year of fundraising. In 2009-2010 our net production exceeded $200 million for the ninth consecutive year and gift production passed $200 for the first time in six years.

Giving by Purdue faculty, staff and retirees reached its highest point in seven years, nearly $11 million. That is a 20 percent increase over 2009 and it shows that the people who are most familiar with Purdue support the University, our strategic plan and the vision of our President.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

I would also like to acknowledge our development staff. This is a wonderful group of people who are dedicated to Purdue.

In addition, President France Cόrdova’s leadership has been a key to our success along with the support and generosity of our Board of Trustees. This is a true team effort.

Finally, I want to thank the President, our Board and all of you for the wonderful opportunity to serve as Interim Vice President of University Development. It has been among the greatest experiences of my professional life.

I know I speak for everyone at the University in saying we are excited to be soon working with our new Vice President for Development Lisa Calvert. She arrives September 13 and comes to Purdue with nearly 25 years of university development experience, most recently serving as Vice President for University Relations at Creighton University.

Lisa has served in national leadership roles to determine and create innovative new development practices. We will all enjoy getting to know her better in the months ahead.

Thank you all, and Hail Purdue!

Robin G. Bellinger
Interim Vice President For Development