The Mitch Daniels School of Business equips the next generation of business heroes through five strategic pillars: academic prowess, transformational student experience, integration of STEM and business, freedom and capitalism, powered by business partnerships. Students learn to merge technology, business and the humanities to gain cutting-edge insights and make ethically sound decisions, and executive education programs in Indianapolis offer working professionals growth opportunities without career disruption. Backed by a legacy of persistence, the Daniels School drives victories through impactful experiential learning opportunities, world-renowned faculty research and teaching expertise, and programs and centers of excellence that move business knowledge forward.
Building on its strengths with excellence at scale, the Daniels School prepares graduates to conquer global challenges and drive purposeful progress. Through STEM-infused, interdisciplinary learning, the Daniels School community leads with integrity and determination. It doesn’t just shape careers — it transforms the future of business.
According to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, around 75% of all licensed CPAs reached retirement age by 2019. To help refill the CPA pipeline, the Daniels School allows students to enter the Accounting Pathway Program as early as their sophomore year, giving them direct entry to the one-year master’s in accounting program, a vital step in preparing for the CPA exam.
As one of the world’s leading STEM-focused universities, Purdue empowers business students to become tomorrow’s heroes — visionary founders and bold leaders ready to drive real-world victories. The Daniels School has a legacy of groundbreaking research and graduates who skillfully blend data and instinct to stay ahead of the curve. Emphasizing free markets and capitalism, the school reinforces how ethical, profitable businesses can be forces for good. Through the Cornerstone for Business program, students explore transformative texts that uncover the “why” of business, while an annual symposium of thought leaders inspires critical thinking. In the fall of 2025, the Daniels School welcomed its first Integrated Business and Engineering cohort in Indianapolis. With access to industry giants like Cummins and Rolls-Royce, and a setting near the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, students are primed to build connections, land top internships and chart their path to future business victories.
Dramatic increases in enrollment necessitate a large, modern facility. The new 164,000-square-foot facility will contain flexible student project spaces for new curriculum and innovation labs to support new initiatives in business analytics, real estate finance and emerging financial technologies. Naming opportunities in the new building will offer high visibility and prestigious spaces to attract the best students; provide space for connections between students, alumni and industry; and showcase what being a leader is all about.
Daniels School faculty are masters in their current fields but are also able to see and steer toward what’s next. They bring real-world experience to provide exceptional teaching to an ever-growing student body. Funding for academic chairs, which help recruit and retain top faculty talent, is a key component to raise the school’s profile nationally and internationally.
Competition for top students is intense. Scholarships allow students from across all business majors to focus on their coursework and exclusive co-curricular activities. Additionally, students can work closely with faculty and world-renowned research centers, making the most of their time on campus.
The Daniels School has been able to recruit top faculty talent to shape the research and education expertise of the reimagined school, supported by competitive funding packages and endowments. Together, these world-renowned researchers will shape the future of business education and attract top student talent to Purdue.
The Daniels School recently welcomed dream hire Gwendolyn Lee, a leading researcher of the transformative impact of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Lee, formerly the Chester C. Holloway Professor for Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, is a top scholar of disruptions and interdependencies in complex adaptive systems. Her interests include strategic management; industry evolution and disruption; organizational adaptation, value creation, appropriation, and innovation; and digital platforms. She will especially help our Strategic Management Department anchor its research, recruiting and teaching in technology commercialization and innovation management branding.
