- Purdue Polytechnic renamed its Construction Management Technology school the Bowen School of Construction after a $10 million Bowen family gift.
- Funds will expand and launch accredited construction programs in Indianapolis, upgrade West Lafayette offerings, and create an endowment for industry engagement and student experience.
- The move advances Purdue’s workforce-development strategy and deepens ties to construction industry leadership linked to Bowen Engineering.
- The program is ACCE-accredited and requires undergraduates to complete at least 800 hours of real-world construction experience.
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The renaming of Purdue Polytechnic’s School of Construction Management Technology to the Bowen School of Construction marks a significant institutional shift, financially and strategically. On the financial side, the $10 million infusion creates both immediate and long-term benefits: enhancing facilities, enabling faculty expansion, and establishing an endowment to sustain priorities like industry engagement and student experiential learning. This indicates Purdue’s confidence in scaling its construction programs to meet the industry’s evolving demands.
Strategically, the gift aligns with broader trends in higher education philanthropy, where donors linked to industry sectors seek to shape educational output at scale. The Bowen family’s involvement—including ties to Bowen Engineering—illustrates a model where alumni leverage business experience to directly influence workforce pipelines. The focus on Indianapolis also matches Purdue’s urban expansion and dissemination of programs beyond its West Lafayette base.
Academically, the transformation includes growing heavy civil construction curriculum, hiring a professor of practice with significant industry experience, and ensuring students gain hands-on learning and real-world exposure. The program, now named the Bowen School, is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE). Undergraduates are required to complete at least 800 hours of real-world construction experience.
However, several open questions remain. The scale and timeline of the Indianapolis expansion need clarity—specifically, when the accredited full program launches, how enrollment projections will be met, and how industry apprenticeship and experiential models will function in practice. Also, maintaining the quality and relevance of curriculum in rapidly changing sectors—technology, sustainability, infrastructure—presents ongoing risk, especially in balancing industry needs and academic integrity.
Supporting Notes
- Purdue’s Board of Trustees approved the renaming on December 12, 2025, following the $10 million gift from Robert L. Bowen, Terry L. Bowen, Doug Bowen III, and Julie Bowen.
- A portion of the gift will go toward developing an accredited and expanded construction program in Indianapolis, including curriculum, lab space, equipment, faculty recruitment, and experiential learning; the rest establishes an endowment at the West Lafayette campus.
- Bob Bowen (BS civil engineering ’62) founded Bowen Engineering in 1967; Doug Bowen III (BS business management ’93) is current president and CEO of the company.
- Undergraduates in the Bowen School are required to complete a minimum of 800 hours of real-world construction work before graduation.
- The program is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education.
- Leadership will include hiring a professor of practice with significant industry experience to strengthen heavy civil construction curriculum.
- Purdue plans to expand programs and facilities in both Indianapolis and maintain strength in West Lafayette; part of Purdue Polytechnic’s broader strategy of urban expansion and aligning with workforce demand in high-growth fields.