I had to give back
When my son was born, he suffered a serious birth injury that required a stint in the NICU. While there, I was amazed by the generosity of strangers who donated time and money to help families they would never meet. They just knew they had to help.
After he was discharged, I knew I had to give back. I began volunteering for one of the charities that supported us.
I have since joined the Daniels School Alumni Board, served on additional panels, and am proud to support the Mitch Daniels School of Business building project. I may never meet all the students who benefit, but that won’t stop me from trying.
The promise of excellence is a magnet. Purdue University should have a world-class, top 10 business school to complement its engineering school. It's a hand-in-glove fit. But wishing doesn't make it so.
To me, the new building is the physical embodiment of a commitment to excellence. Our school will now be a complimentary peer to Purdue’s prestigious engineering school. The best part is that everyone wins: Students will get a world-class education and top-notch employment opportunities, faculty will be able to teach future leaders while pursuing their own passions, alumni will shine due to the burnished reputation of the business school, and business will have a one-stop-shop for talented people that do things the right way. Purdue business means business.
I'm just a regular guy. I don't have millions to give to the school. But the reality is that there are a lot of folks like me. Our modest gifts can add up to enough to improve the trajectory of Daniels School students today and tomorrow.
The Cakora Family
Work hard and stay endlessly curious
Purdue shaped the trajectory of my life, and I see this new facility as a bold step toward redefining business education for the next generation. I wanted to be part of that evolution.
As a student, Purdue taught me to work hard and stay endlessly curious — qualities that became the foundation for my career in private wealth. The combination of technical knowledge and people skills I gained prepared me not just for a job, but for long-term success and fulfillment. I’m someone who believes in growing constantly, and that mindset was sparked on Purdue’s campus.
Beyond academics, Purdue gave me something even more meaningful: it’s where I met my wife, Becky, and built lifelong memories and friendships. That personal connection only deepens my gratitude for everything the university has given me.
I hope this new facility becomes a hub for innovation, leadership, and collaboration — and that it inspires future students to lead with integrity and purpose. If my gift can help others reflect on their own journey and feel moved to give back, then I’m proud to have played a small role in something much bigger than myself.
Michael & Rebecca
Relationships with faculty were life-changing
I was very fortunate during my time at Purdue to have developed a number of meaningful relationships with both professors and administrators. During my junior and senior years I was president of the Industrial Management Student Council, which participated in faculty meetings and served as the student interface to the faculty. I had the opportunity to work very closely with Richard (Dick) Walbaum, who was the assistant dean of undergraduate administration and the person responsible for creating the student council. He was my first true business mentor, and it took me much later in my career to understand how much I had learned from him during this time. Dick was also a personal mentor to me as I tried to navigate the difficult family and financial issues resulting from my father's unexpected passing at the beginning of my junior year.
I was also fortunate to work with Dean John S. Day, who was directly responsible for getting me a scholarship and a loan to attend the Northwestern Kellogg Graduate School of Management upon my graduation from Purdue. These relationships were truly life changing for me, and we hope our gift will in some small way help continue the business school's legacy of leadership development, mentoring and personal support to the undergraduate students of the future.
Mark & Teresa
Inspired by respect for Mitch Daniels
My decision to support this facility project was inspired by a dear friend from the Indiana Statehouse who held deep respect for Mitch Daniels — someone who meant a great deal to me. Beth and I have been fortunate to benefit from strong work ethics and quality educations, even if hers was from the Bloomington school! Giving back felt like the right thing to do.
I hope this facility becomes a place that shapes not only smart business leaders, but also generous and service-minded individuals. The business world has enough greed; my hope is that Purdue graduates will stand out by how they serve others.
Growing up in a single-parent household on welfare, I know what it means to overcome tough circumstances. I hope my story — and this gift — show others that where you come from doesn't limit where you can go.
Nathan & Elizabeth
The future belongs to those who can integrate tech and business
In 1969, during my senior year at Purdue, I had the good fortune of speaking with Dean Emanuel "Em" Weiler of the business school. I had planned to pursue a PhD in marine chemistry, but Dean Weiler convinced me to take a different path. He introduced me to the Krannert MSIA program — designed for science and engineering majors — and challenged me to think differently about how to build a meaningful career.
His message was clear: the future belongs to those who can integrate technical expertise with business acumen. I took his advice and enrolled in the 1971 MSIA class. Surrounded by talented students from across the country and a world-class faculty, I gained the skills to navigate both the technical and commercial sides of business.
That education paid off immediately. After graduation, I joined General Electric, where I worked for Jack Welch — a PhD chemical engineer from the University of Illinois who deeply understood the value of integrating business with technology. It was the perfect environment to apply what I had learned at Purdue. Jack later became renowned CEO and chairman of GE.
Over the years, through leadership roles across multiple industries and now at CHZ Technologies, that integrated foundation has guided every decision.
I’m proud to support the Daniels School because it’s returning to that same core principle. Today’s students face new challenges — AI, big data, global supply chains and leadership dynamics — but the same truth applies: business and technology must go hand-in-hand. The Chuck and Annette Ludwig Family contribution is about preparing the next generation of Boilermakers to lead — in any technical discipline and any market.
Chuck & Annette at the 50th anniversary celebration of the President's Council
Maximizing student learning
As the 30th person in my family to attend Purdue, the university has held a special place in our hearts for literally 100+ years. In particular, the business school was a key cornerstone in preparing me for a career in private equity. The academic rigor, network and reputation Purdue provides are unparalleled. It is inspiring to see the “giant leaps” the Daniels School of Business has taken in recent years, and this building will cement the school’s place among the leading academic institutions domestically and around the world.
When you think about what it takes to foster a world-class learning environment, three things immediately come to mind: an outstanding student body, tenured, devoted faculty and leadership, and a premier physical space. My hope is that the new facility will create a welcoming and technologically advanced environment that gives our students the best possible chance to maximize learning during their time on campus.
I hope others will reflect on the impact Purdue had on them and the alumni who paved the way for that experience, and consider supporting the Daniels School to pay it forward to the next generation.
I believe this facility is the “cherry on top” to let the world know that when students come to Purdue and the Daniels School of Business, they will get an unmatched education in an unmatched learning environment that will lead to an unmatched career as a business leader.
August & Elizabeth
Leaving a legacy for a school transforming to meet the future
I had great professors while studying industrial management at Purdue, including Bill Lewellen in finance. I enjoyed taking courses with him as well as Arnie Cooper in accounting — I never thought I would like accounting. I even ended up marrying an accountant.
I was recruited by ExxonMobil directly out of Purdue as a financial analyst and enjoyed a pretty diverse career. I ended up going back into technical work within manufacturing and eventually took on a myriad of business assignments, including senior management roles.
The university has evolved tremendously over the last 40 years, which inspired my wife and I to support the new building. I think the business school and its academic building are going to be impressive, making us want to leave a legacy at Purdue.
Over the years, I have enjoyed connecting with future business leaders by serving as a mentor, whether by helping Purdue students fine-tune their interviewing skills or fielding their questions regarding his career path. I’ve stayed in touch with some of them through LinkedIn and enjoy seeing how they’ve developed.
Matthew Aguiar
