Convocation Recap: Celebrating Our Progress and Looking Ahead

September 2, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Monday’s convocation. As we begin the 2026–27 academic year, one message came through clearly: Purdue Fort Wayne has tremendous momentum, and each of you plays an essential role in moving our university forward.

We celebrated a number of exciting developments in Academic Affairs, including new leadership in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, new majors in Sports Leadership and Sports Management, expanded AI grant initiatives, and continued growth in our Honors Program. We also highlighted several major investments in our learning environment, including the newly renovated Doermer School of Business, the Shaffer Fine Arts Gallery project, and the new Surack–Sweetwater Music Industry Center, which will provide our students with extraordinary opportunities to learn and create in a professional setting.

Our enrollment outlook is also considerably stronger than initially projected. Through remarkable coordination and persistence across the university, we moved from a projected 10% enrollment decline to nearly even with last fall. Retention increased by 2.2% from spring to fall, with more than 88% of students returning and several student populations in our colleges and schools exceeding 90%. Our incoming class includes more students from outside Indiana, while recent high school graduates now represent the largest share of new undergraduates in six years. These results are a testament to the extraordinary work of our faculty, staff, advisors, and enrollment teams, and to the care you show our more than 7,100 students every day.

The student experience continues to grow as well. Trace and Crave are now open, expanding residential and dining opportunities on campus. Our inaugural Club Sports season features 13 competitive sports and more than 300 students, creating new avenues for belonging, engagement, and school spirit. New traditions and upcoming events, including Party at the Pitch, DonFest on September 26, and the Purdue Fort Wayne–Purdue men’s basketball game on October 22 will give our campus and community even more reasons to come together.

We also discussed our commitment to responsible financial stewardship. Last year required difficult decisions as we addressed a budget shortfall of nearly $10 million. Our work now is to build on that discipline by creating the capacity to grow and invest strategically in our students, employees, academic mission, and future. Recent investments in housing, dining, academic facilities, laboratories, the arts, and community partnerships demonstrate what responsible stewardship can make possible.

Philanthropy is adding to that momentum. Our scholarship campaign has already surpassed its $5 million goal, and an $8 million gift from the Chapman family and the Chapman Charitable Trust will fully endow the Chapman Scholars Program. These gifts will expand access, reduce financial burdens, and help talented students complete their degrees while strengthening the workforce and communities of northeast Indiana.

Campus safety remains a shared responsibility. Our full complement of university police officers, partnership with the Allen County High-Tech Crime Unit, new Director of Emergency Preparedness position, and continued threat-assessment training will help us maintain a safe, welcoming, and resilient environment.

Finally, this fall we will begin the next phase of strategic planning as part of our ongoing work with the Higher Learning Commission. This process will give us another opportunity to reflect on how far we have come and determine where Purdue Fort Wayne must go next.

Thank you for your teaching, advising, mentoring, creativity, and dedication. Those record retention rates are more than numbers; they represent students who stayed on track because someone here supported, encouraged, and believed in them.

The energy is here, the momentum is real, and the best is still ahead. It is a great day to be a Mastodon!

Sincerely,

Ron Elsenbaumer, Chancellor