Purdue University, a public land-grant research institution in West Lafayette, Indiana, was founded in 1869 following a substantial donation from businessman John Purdue, with its inaugural classes held on September 16, 1874. Classified as an "R1: Doctoral University – Very high research activity," Purdue is renowned for its strong focus on science, technology, engineering, and agriculture, notably home to the world's oldest computer science degree-granting department and the United States' first university-owned airport.
As a founding member of the Big Ten Conference, the university enrolls the largest student body in Indiana and one of the largest foreign student populations nationally. Purdue boasts an extraordinary list of affiliated individuals, including 13 Nobel laureates, 27 astronauts, a Turing Award laureate, and numerous Olympic medalists, underscoring its profound impact across diverse fields.