September 26, 2007

Purdue names Intercollegiate Athletics endowed scholarship program for Grobens

Jeanne and Dick Groben
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Longtime John Purdue Club members, the Grobens first became involved in the program by endowing a scholarship for the football program after being inspired by brothers G. Robert "Bull" and John Durham and their Durham Challenge in 2006.

"Jeanne and I just want to help student-athletes get their degrees at Purdue," Dick Groben said. "And, even though we feel that Purdue's academics should get all the recognition, that's not the way it works. Athletics puts our entire university in the national spotlight, and supporting athletics is our way of showing the university just how much we care and appreciate all they have to offer.

"Initially, Jeanne and I wanted to establish our scholarship to show others that regular people can really make a difference in a student-athlete's life if they put their mind to it. But then we started thinking that maybe we hadn't done enough to help encourage others to step up and give, so that led us to make our second gift to name the scholarship program.

"I spent a career in sales and marketing after receiving my degree from Purdue, and if putting our story out there helps the athletics department to encourage others to give like we did, then we have done our job. Anyone who has the means to endow a scholarship should do it. Until they do, they have no idea how personally gratifying it can be to help others, especially Boilermaker student-athletes."

Purdue President France A. Córdova said, "Mr. and Mrs. Groben set a wonderful example for all Boilermaker sports fans and Purdue donors. They understand that competitive athletics play an important role in the life of the university, but they put academics first. Their generosity will help ensure that we can continue to provide the support our student-athletes need."

Dick Groben, a 1950 Purdue graduate in chemical engineering, is the holder of two patents and spent his sales and marketing career in the field of chemical engineering as a vice president with Pfizer Chemical and as founder and part owner of Microlife Technics. Jeanne Groben raised three children and is an accomplished writer and humorist, having been published in the "Wall Street Journal" and Reader's Digest. Both of the Grobens are from Evansville, Ind.

The Groben Society has been created to recognize those who share the Grobens' vision by investing in the leadership qualities built through the student-athlete experience.

"Securing a solid foundation through building a strong scholarship endowment is among the athletics department's greatest priorities," said Morgan J. Burke, director of intercollegiate athletics at Purdue. "By lending their names to our endowed scholarship program, Dick and Jeanne have truly put their mark on Purdue athletics, and we are sincerely grateful for their vote of confidence in our ability to look toward the future."

In 1995-96, the Purdue Athletics Endowment stood at $11.1 million. Ten years later, the endowment grew to $25.2 million and subsequently reached $34.2 million in 2006-07. With more than $3.6 million in new endowed scholarship funds recently pledged through the Durham Challenge, the value of the endowment will grow to approximately $38 million in the next few years. Each year, the interest from this endowment funds a percentage of the department's total annual scholarship costs, which currently approach $7 million.

The $1 million Durham Challenge encouraged John Purdue Club members to either fully endow an athletic scholarship or set up a life membership in the John Purdue Club, which also supports scholarships. The funds brought in are the equivalent of approximately 15 fully endowed scholarships.

Today, 88 of the athletics department's scholarships are endowed. That number has grown from just 45 in 2002.

Writer: Tom Schott, (765) 494-3145, tschott@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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