Groundbreaking Purdue and Navy Test Pilot school partnership begins to produce new Boilermaker alumni

To say the soon-to-be Purdue graduates recognized in a ceremony June 13 were not exactly your usual Purdue graduates is an understatement. Outside class, they spend their time working with some of the most sophisticated aircraft in the world. Some of them did their coursework on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean. 

These Purdue graduates also graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) in the ceremony at the Navy’s Patuxent River Naval Air Station, home of the test pilot school. 

The graduating class represents the first full flowering of a groundbreaking agreement Purdue and the Navy announced in 2023. 

“This partnership is truly unlike any other; rarely do we see two institutions with a shared legacy of excellence in aerospace, engineering, space and national service coming together to explore such an innovative approach toward partnering and learning,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, Purdue senior vice president for partnerships and online, who spoke at the ceremony 

So far, the program has included two classes of 67 students from the USNTPS with two more classes of 69 students working on their degrees now. 

“TPS is very proud of the exceptional hard work and innovative thinking that went into the establishment and strengthening of this relationship,” said Cmdr. Travis Hartman, commanding officer, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. “We are excited to have found a like-minded institution to truly partner with as we work together to advance the knowledge and technologies that will keep democracy and free markets strong and protected throughout the 21st century.” 

Under the agreement, Purdue provides institutional accreditation for some courses in the intensive curriculum taken by students at the USNTPS. That’s so the Navy courses can count towards Purdue graduate degrees, including master’s degrees and Purdue’s Doctor of Technology degree. USNTPS students also take online courses from the Purdue College of Engineering and the Purdue Polytechnic Institute to complete their Purdue degrees. 

In addition, the agreement makes it possible for qualified students from Purdue’s College of Engineering and Polytechnic Institute to take courses for credit from USNTPS instructors, who train Navy test pilots, flight officers, engineers and industry and foreign partners in state-of-the art test and evaluation techniques for aircraft and aircraft systems. 

Getting the partnership off the ground took some doing, not the least of which was aligning Purdue’s schedule for people who have to fly when they can fly and do classwork when they can’t fly, and who may be flying off (and studying on) a ship at sea with no internet connection, said John Fassnacht, principal managing director, online administration, for Purdue’s College of Engineering and Polytechnic Institute. 

Moreover, Purdue created a new major in developmental testing and innovation for its Master of Science in engineering technology program, to meet the needs of the USNTPS. Some of the Navy students also are completing Purdue’s aerospace engineering or interdisciplinary engineering master’s degrees. 

“What makes this partnership truly remarkable is the strong collaboration behind it all,” Peroulis said. “Faculty and staff from both Purdue and USNTPS have worked hand-in-hand to design a program that integrates seamlessly with the demanding training and schedules of the test pilot school.” 

Officially, the graduates don’t receive their Purdue diplomas until Purdue’s summer graduation ceremony in August. They will be deployed around the world by then, but Peroulis was able to hand them their diploma folders at the USNTPS June graduation ceremony. The diplomas will ship out to them later this summer. 

In addition to Peroulis and Fassnacht, Kelvin Gumbs, executive director for military educational and strategic partnerships, Steve Elliott, Purdue Polytechnic associate dean for academic programs, and retired Vice Adm. Kendall Card, a member of Purdue’s online learning military advisory board, were on hand to congratulate the new Purdue alumni. 

Gumbs said the success of the USNTPS program has attracted attention from other military services interested in exploring similar educational partnership agreements.