Purdue University Northwest


Purdue University Northwest is a public university with two campuses in Northwest Indiana, one in Hammond and another in Westville. It is part of the Purdue University system and offers more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to approximately 9,400 students with more than 64,000 alumni.

History

Purdue University Northwest was established in 2016. Two Purdue campuses—in Hammond, Indiana and Westville, Indiana—unified to help eliminate administrative duplication, and provide academic excellence to strengthen student education and opportunities.
The unification of Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central was approved by the Higher Learning Commission on March 4, 2016. This officially marked the establishment of Purdue University Northwest. However, Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central each have an important history. With World War II taking place, these two campuses offered technical courses as part of the national defense training program with the federal government. The campuses remained open when the war ended in 1945, offering credited courses. Both campuses were built as a credited university in 1946.

Campuses

Hammond Campus


The Hammond campus is a residential campus covering. It is located from downtown Chicago. The neighborhood campus includes 17 academic and recreational buildings, a fitness center, two apartment-style student housing facilities, the White Lodging Center for Hospitality and Tourism Management, and a Challenger Learning Center. Nearby PNW Hammond facilities include the Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center, the Couple and Family Therapy Center, and Dowling Park, the home of Purdue Northwest baseball, softball, soccer and tennis. A $35 million Bioscience Innovation Building is planned to be constructed beginning summer 2018, opening in 2020, to house state-of-the art instructional and research facilities for nursing, biological sciences and STEM education.

Buildings

Gyte Science Building – In 1951, the Gyte Science Building  originally called the Center Building, was the first building on the Hammond campus. GYTE was named after Millard Gyte, the first director of the Hammond Calumet facility.
E.D Anderson Building – In 1969, the E.D. Anderson Building  was named after the Hammond Chamber of Commerce chairman that offered Purdue the site to build and develop the Calumet campus. ANDR is a three-story, brick structure that contains laboratories, workshops, and faculty offices.
Andrey A. Potter Laboratory Building – In the 1970, the Andrey A. Potter laboratory Building was built and named after a long-term Purdue West Lafayette dean of engineering and advocate of technical education. This structure is 30,000 square feet.
Student-Faculty Library Center – This 155,000 square foot structure is also known as the Student Union and Library building. This building was opened in 1971 and contains the library, a student center, bookstore, offices, and classrooms.
Lawshe Hall – In 1973, Lawshe Hall  was completed to hold the campus’ administration and enrollment management center. LAWS is a 54,000 square foot structure.
Porter Hall – The School City of Hammond of the former Porter Elementary School purchased what is known as Porter Hall in 1980. At first, Porter Hall contained departments and offices. However, in 1991 renovations took placed and now accommodates communication and behavioral science programs.
Donald S. Powers Computer Education Building – In 1989, the Donald S. Powers Computer education Building was built and committed to technological education in Northwest Indiana.
Classroom Office Building – In 1996, Purdue Calumet celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since the campus was continually growing, there was a need for more classrooms and offices. In 1998, the Classroom Office Building was built.

Westville campus



The Westville campus is located on in rural La Porte County along U.S. Highway 421. This location has three academic buildings, a spacious student services and activity center opened in 2015, and a veterinary emergency facility. The grounds of the Westville campus feature an extensive outdoor and indoor art collection, Shakespeare's Garden adjacent to a picturesque pond, tennis courts, an eighteen hole disc golf course, a baseball diamond, and four outdoor basketball courts.

Buildings

Schwarz Hall – In 1967, the first building on the current location was created. Schwarz Hall, previously named the Education building, is 90,000 square feet. In 1968, the east side of the building received an addition and a year later, it was ready for occupancy. In 1984, the building received its current name in honor of Robert F. Schwarz. Schwarz was the first dean of director.
Library-Student Faculty Building – In 1969, the need for a second building on campus was started. March 1975 completed the 100,000 square foot Library-Student-Faculty Building was opened.
North Central Veterinary Emergency Center – May 2002, the North Central Veterinary Emergency Center opened. This center is a 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic that tends to dogs, cats, and small animals within 50 miles.
The James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex – October 16, 2014 saw the opening of the James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex, named in honor of former Chancellor James B. Dworkin. The facility boasts a full-sized gymnasium, fitness facility with indoor running track and spacious conference center. In 2018, the complex hosted the Indiana U.S. Senate debate.

Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest


Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest is a 300-acre, oak preserve of formal gardens, woodlands, wetlands, prairies and hiking trails located near Valparaiso, Indiana. Open year round, the Arboretum offers a wide variety of events and classes for all ages. Officially becoming part of Purdue University Northwest in 2018, Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest provides an enriching, natural habitat for public, educational, conservation and recreational use. Located approximately 25 miles from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and 60 miles southeast of Chicago in Valparaiso, Indiana, Gabis Arboretum offers beautiful vistas, quiet corners and hiking trails to escape into its diverse landscape.

Academics

Purdue University Northwest offers undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 70 areas of study, plus a doctor of nursing practice degree. Purdue Northwest has been recognized among the best regional universities in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.

Tuition

Undergraduate tuition rates for full time students, as of 2019, is approximately $7,813 for in-state students and $17,654 for out-of-state students. Graduate tuition rates of at least 8 credit hours in 2018 are approximately $5,060 for in-state students and $10,798 for out-of-state students.
Incoming, out of state, freshman for the Fall of 2018 will see a decreased tuition rate due to the Reduced Out-of-State Advantage Rate Tuition Program. The R.O.A.R. program will give future Purdue Northwest freshman lower rates due to the Hammond campus’ location close to the Illinois border and the wide range of students who are enrolled from all around the country.
Approximately 63 percent of full-time undergraduates received some kind of need-based financial aid if applied.
As of the Fall of 2018, Purdue University Northwest offers banded tuition. Banded tuition is a single tuition rate within a range of credit hours. Undergrad students with 12 to 18 credit hours will pay the same tuition rate during the semester.

Student Enrollment

In the 2017–2018 academic year, the enrollment at PNW was 9,835 students. Of that:
The university is organized into six colleges and three schools. They include:

NCAA Division II

On September 27, 2016, Purdue University Northwest gained provisional acceptance into the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, starting the 2017–18 athletic year. Purdue Northwest was previously part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, until 2016–17. Starting in 2019–20, the Pride became full time NCAA DII members of the GLIAC.
Men'sWomen's
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Soccer
Tennis
Non-Varsity
Volleyball
Ice Hockey		Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Soccer
Softball
Tennis
Volleyball

Facilities

Both campus locations offer a Fitness Center and Recreation Center. Memberships are free to every current, enrolled student. However, a fee is applied to other memberships, i.e. alumni, public, employee, etc.  The Fitness Center also provides students with Intramural opportunities. With over 40 activities, any student, regardless of skill level and experience, can participate. Also, group exercise classes are available throughout the year for fitness center members.
Another major location is Dowling Park. Dowling Park is an outdoor facility that is home to PNW Pride Athletic Teams and a partnership with the City of Hammond. The complex started to be built on December 9, 2013 and was completed the Fall of 2015.
Other facilities include:
Labors Local 41 Field – Spring of 2015, the field was debuted. It is located in Dowling Park and is the official home of PNW baseball.
Fifth Third Bank Field – Spring of 2015, the field was debuted. It is, also, located in Dowling Park and is the official home of PNW softball.
John Friend Court – This basketball court is located at the Fitness and Recreational Center in Hammond. It is home to the Pride volleyball and women’s and men’s basketball teams.
Paul K. & Barbara Graegin Academic Excellence Center – The center is located in the Hammon Fitness and Recreational building and was funded by Barbra and the late Paul Graegin. The center offers a learning space for student-athletes that include computers, printers, and a place for presentations.
Pepsi Field – Spring of 2015, the field was completed. It was debuted in August 2015. Located in Dowling Park, the field is home of PNW’s men and women’s soccer teams.
H.D. Kesling Gymnasium – Completed in Spring of 2016 and located in the Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex in Westville. The 107,000 square foot facility is home to a gymnasium, athletic offices, locker rooms, and a conference center.
Community Hospital Tennis Complex – Spring of 2016, the complex debuted and located in Dowling Park. It is home of the men and women’s tennis team.
Community Hospital Training Room & Physical Therapy Center – In April 2015, the center opened up. PNW’s partnership with Community Hospital offers physical therapy  and other injury-related services for students, student-athletes, and public members.
Lalaeff & Fischer PNW Golf Training Center – April 27, 2018 was the opening of the training center. The 800-square foot golf center offers five types of synthetic surf, two television screens, and Ground Reaction Force technology.

Community Engagement

Leadership & Economic Development

The Leadership Institute at Purdue Northwest

The Leadership Institute at Purdue Northwest has its roots in the South Shore Leadership Center, founded in 1982 based on a nationwide model for community leadership programs. The Institute provides two signature community leadership development programs. The Leadership Northwest Indiana program exposes a select group of current and emerging leaders to the issues and concerns that affect Northwest Indiana while celebrating its wealth of resources and assets. Since inception, it has provided leadership training for more than 1,000 graduates. The South Shore Leadership Youth for Community Engagement program identifies and encourages young leaders to become change agents and prepares them for involvement in their communities through self-awareness and civic engagement.

The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest

The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest cultivates creativity and innovation as a growth strategy by discovering, encouraging, celebrating and honoring our most innovative people across the seven counties of Northwest Indiana.

Academic centers

Purdue Northwest hosts 20 centers which serve as hubs connecting academic scholarship and applied teaching with outreach to the community, as well as business and industry groups.
The Purdue Northwest Sinai Forum is a panel of 4–6 speakers that provide conversation on important issues in a town hall setting. World-renowned scholars, leaders, dignitaries, artists and personalities have been invited to speak since 1953. Founded by Sylvia and Dr. Milton Bankoff with a mission to enlighten, inspire and entertain, the revered speakers’ series came under the stewardship of PNW in 2006.

Events

Throughout the year, PNW focuses on a number of events. A couple of them being Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebrations and Women’s History Month Events. These events include luncheons, public speakers, movie screenings, and panel discussions. Not only are these events offered to students and staff, they are open to the public. PNW offers free public admission to help with the community engagement in the area.

Notable alumni