Purdue University will receive $50 million to name an undergraduate institute after Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business as the Bruce White Undergraduate Institute.
Bruce White
White — who died Jan. 19 — was the founder and chairman of White Lodging, a former Purdue board member and a longtime university benefactor. The $50 million commitment comes from The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation and is the largest monetary contribution to date to Purdue’s School of Management/Business.
“The White Family Foundation has long been a truly dedicated partner in helping Purdue achieve excellence at scale. Being named after Bruce White, one of the most prominent boilermakers our university has ever known, is especially meaningful to us,” said Purdue President Dr. Mung Chiang. “This gift ensures that Purdue will educate exceptional undergraduate business students who will create and grow competitive businesses in a technology-driven free market economy.”
The White Family Foundation is a strong supporter of the university. Earlier in April 2022, it committed $20.8 million to the Dean V. White Real Estate Finance Program and began talks to transform the School of Management into a business school.
“Bruce was a wonderful husband, father and friend,” said Beth White, Bruce’s wife. “He was successful in his personal and business life because he was himself in all situations. Integrity was not just a word for Bruce; it was basic. His values were matched by a huge desire to constantly improve in all aspects of life, to never accept the status quo and to have the courage to ask tough questions – even of himself. When such a leader emerges, things become dynamic. Everyone is inspired to give their best and the journey to perfection begins. Our family is very honored and pleased to know that the values and qualities that Bruce lived by will be instilled and replicated in future generations of leaders who will begin at the Bruce White Undergraduate Institute.”
