Purdue University’s Board of Trustees approved renaming the Polytechnic Institute’s School of Construction Management Technology to the Bowen School of Construction in honor of the Bowen family following a $10 million investment supporting the school’s future in Indianapolis.
The gift — made by Robert L. Bowen, Terry L. Bowen, Doug Bowen III and Julie Bowen — will support the expansion of construction education, strengthen industry partnerships and enhance Purdue’s growing presence in Indianapolis as well as bolster the school’s offerings in West Lafayette. Bob Bowen (BS civil engineering ’62) founded Bowen Engineering in 1967, where his son, Doug Bowen (BS business management ’93) is now president and CEO.
A portion of the commitment will support the development of an accredited and expanded construction program based in Indianapolis, including investments in curriculum, lab space, equipment, faculty recruitment and experiential learning opportunities. The remainder of the gift will establish the Bowen School of Construction Endowment at Purdue’s main campus, providing long-term support for industry engagement, student experiences and faculty collaboration.
“This investment directly supports what Purdue Polytechnic does best: preparing students to be industry ready Day 1,” said Daniel Castro, dean of the Polytechnic Institute. “Through hands-on learning, deep industry partnerships and applied research, our construction management students graduate with the skills, experience and confidence employers are looking for. We appreciate the Bowen family’s commitment to accelerate that mission and expands our impact in Indianapolis and beyond.”
The gift will support student recruitment, experiential learning opportunities, lab equipment and software, and faculty recruitment, including hiring a professor of practice with significant industry experience to strengthen and grow the heavy civil construction curriculum. Endowment funds will further support site visits, fieldwork, student competitions, study abroad opportunities, faculty industry externships, internship coordination and targeted marketing efforts.
Mark Zimpfer, head of the Bowen School of Construction, said the gift helps Purdue continue to meet the evolving needs of the construction industry.
“The construction industry is changing rapidly, and our programs must change with it,” Zimpfer said. “This gift allows us to deepen our partnerships with industry, expand real-world learning experiences for students and ensure our curriculum reflects current and emerging practices. It is a transformational investment in our students, faculty and future workforce. We are grateful, humbled and energized.”
The Bowen family said their gift reflects a shared commitment to education, workforce development and industry collaboration.
“Mark, you’ve been a huge part of this, and I want to personally thank you for all your efforts to help us get this first big phase completed. Now the fun really starts. It’ll be exciting to see how we can help scale and grow one of the best programs in the world,” the family said.
The Bowen School of Construction is part of Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute, which offers applied, hands-on education rooted in research and innovation. The school prepares students for careers across commercial, residential and infrastructure construction through experiential learning, industry engagement and technology-driven instruction.
Purdue Polytechnic is one of 10 academic colleges at Purdue University, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in aviation, computing, construction management, engineering technology, technology leadership and technology education. In addition to Purdue University’s main campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, the Polytechnic offers select degree programs in nine Indiana communities.
