ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

David Bowker – Director, Office of Future Engineers

The goal was 30,000 applications and we were super excited to be just shy of 35,000 total engineering applications (34,944) once the dust settled. That is a record, an incredible accomplishment, and puts us at the top for engineering demand in the country.  This in an environment where we are starting to see numbers decline in high school graduates and scrutiny increase on the value of a college degree. We were able to take a little bit of a breath and bring in a smaller engineering class of 3,122 across both locations, with our selectivity increasing to around 34%. There are many successes and certainly more challenges ahead as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of higher education.

To learn more about specific enrollment numbers, our increased outreach within the state of Indiana, and specific efforts at Purdue in Indianapolis, please continue perusing through our report. We also have a feature on one of our alumni as well as some of our current engineering students. These students are the biggest reason that we do what we do – we are inspired by these bright, kind, funny, young whippersnappers who go on to make the world a better place!

Please reach out to me if any questions about the report or opportunities for us to collaborate together. Wishing everyone continued health and success for the future!

Marilyn Mangin – Director of Recruitment, Indianapolis

The 2024-2025 has been a busy year for the Office of Future Engineers in Indianapolis. You ask, “what has been happening?” Well, I am both proud and appreciative to share our achievements. As we all know, July 1, 2004, was the official date of the transition from IUPUI to Purdue and what ensued after has been truly defined by collaboration. Collaboration with my College of Engineering colleagues in undergraduate education, most markedly the partnership with the Office of Future Engineers in West Lafayette, my graduate assistant, undergraduate peer counselors as well as many other colleagues across the Indianapolis and West Lafayette locations. 

We worked with intention to build a solid foundation for recruitment and yield efforts as we connected with students, families, and educators to create awareness of opportunities in Indianapolis. Messaging focused heavily on industry connections, experiential learning opportunities, small class sizes and the advantage of direct admission to a student’s engineering major of choice. It was completely a team effort, and we were pleased to welcome 536 new students to the College of Engineering in Indianapolis for the Fall 2024 semester. 

student SPOTLIGHT

Whitney Fung

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana
Major: Motorsports Engineering

Expected graduation date. May 2028

What do you do for fun on and off campus?

I enjoy exploring Indianapolis and discovering new places around the city. On weekends, I like walking along the river, going to small concert venues, and attending Indiana Fever games. I also love visiting nearby state parks for a change of scenery and some time outdoors. On campus, I play on an intramural pickleball team and like attending social events hosted by student organizations as a way to meet new people and unwind after classes.

Why did you choose to come to Purdue?

Growing up in Indiana, I actually never wanted to go to Purdue. I convinced myself I wanted to try something new and be far away from home and people I knew to get “the full college experience.” Fortunately, I also knew I wanted to study Industrial Engineering, and that made Purdue pretty hard to ignore! When it came to my senior year and making final decisions, the choice was so obvious I hardly even know where else I would have gone if not Purdue. I visited and saw that yes I could attend a rigorous and well-respected engineer program, but my life didn’t have to revolve around only engineering. I loved how diverse the student body was in every sense of the word. I loved the energy around Purdue sports. Mostly, I loved that while other schools I toured emphasized how difficult and competitive their engineering programs were, Purdue emphasized collaboration and real-world career preparedness.

How did your time with OFE help prepare you for your career?

Working at OFE helped me realize how much I love the “people” aspect of engineering! As an IE, I knew I was interested in processes and a career helping build and improve them, but working in OFE made me realize how important it is that I’m also centering people in the work I do. At OFE, every prospective student you talk to has a different experience shaping what led them to check out Purdue, and I loved hearing their stories and adapting what information I can give them to best support what they’re looking for. I take that into my work everyday now and it definitely makes me a better employee and person – if you can get along with your construction crews, you can accomplish so much!

What advice would you give to a future engineering student?

An engineering degree can do truly anything. Keep an open mind! I thought my dream job was working as an industrial engineer for an airline, so I got an internship with one…in summer 2020. The world will throw curveballs at you but the foundation of an engineering degree will help you navigate them and give you so many new opportunities you didn’t even think of. Finally, don’t forget how important people are in engineering! It’s easy to get distracted by the tech and the math and the science, but none of it happens without people behind it all.

alumni SPOTLIGHT

Emmalee Severson

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Major: Industrial Engineering
Minor: Management

Graduation Year: 2021