Purdue’s leader of military education is nominated for HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s Kelvin Gumbs, executive director of military educational and strategic partnerships, was nominated for the 2026 HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award. The award recognizes higher education professionals who have found innovative ways to change, grow and support the military-affiliated learners on campuses across the United States.  

In his role at Purdue, Gumbs helps military-affiliated learners advance their career readiness and professional development by connecting them to pathways and educational opportunities online and on campus. He also coordinates partnerships between Purdue University and military organizations.  

“This recognition is incredibly meaningful because this work has always been about creating pathways, opportunities and outcomes for those who serve, especially through intentional partnerships with the military,” Gumbs said. “I am both humbled and proud that our work at Purdue is being recognized as part of a broader national effort to better serve military-affiliated learners and strengthen the relationship between higher education and our nation’s military.” 

During Gumbs’ tenure, Purdue has expanded opportunities for military-affiliated learners by launching new online programs, including the Master of Science in Strategy in Security and Defense Technologies, a fully online master’s degree in national defense, designed and delivered by faculty on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. Purdue also offers an online Strategic Defense Technologies Graduate Certificate.

Gumbs is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school in 2000. He advanced to chief petty officer in 2013 and then to chief warrant officer in 2016. During his years of service, Gumbs traveled the world and served on ships including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, an amphibious command ship, and both strike fighter and reconnaissance squadrons. He also served on staffs at the Pentagon, National Capital Region and a Geographic Combatant Command, among other stations. He retired from the Navy in January 2023. 

“Kelvin’s recognition as a HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award nominee reflects the vision, collaboration and deep commitment he brings to serving our military-connected learners,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, Purdue’s senior vice president for partnerships and online. “Through his leadership and strategic partnerships, he continues to create meaningful educational pathways and strengthen Purdue’s ability to understand and support the unique needs of service members, veterans and their families. We are proud to see his impactful work recognized on a national stage.” 

At Purdue, Gumbs found a supportive environment for doing outreach to military-connected learners. The university has a storied history of supporting service members, beginning at its inception in 1869. Many notable service members have graduated from Purdue, and Purdue currently serves over 500 military-affiliated undergraduates through its ROTC program. Many more military-affiliated learners are served through online programs offered by Purdue University’s West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations and Purdue Global.  

“Purdue has a long and proud legacy of honoring service and recognizing the immense value that military-connected students bring to our campus,” said Bryan Arbic, director of Purdue’s Dorothy Stratton Veteran and Military Success Center. “These individuals arrive with proven leadership, resilience and real-world problem-solving skills. The work Kelvin and our teams do is critical because it’s about matching their dedication with world-class educational opportunities, empowering them to leverage their military experience into successful civilian careers as proud Boilermakers.” 

Purdue holds Indiana’s highest distinction for supporting service members — the Tier 1 Collegiate Purple Star of Indiana Award. The university’s online graduate programs were also ranked by Forbes among the best in the nation for service members in 2026.

According to Arbic, Purdue considers the success of military-affiliated students central to its land-grant mission, which promises to make a world-class education accessible to all. 

“Kelvin’s nomination is a testament to the intentional, mission-driven approach Purdue takes when it comes to our military-connected community,” Arbic said. “It signals to our student veterans and active-duty service members and their families that the university is actively championing their success at the highest levels.”

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a research institution ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States. More than 106,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. As a land-grant university committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free.