Purdue University

Founded 1869. Cradle of Astronauts, 27 spacefarers including Neil Armstrong.

Overview

Indiana's land-grant university chose Lafayette after a Tippecanoe County bid, opening with six teachers and 39 students. Its schools count 27 astronauts, Neil Armstrong first on the moon among them, plus Gus Grissom and Drew Feustel of later shuttle and station crews. Purdue operated the first university-owned airport in the United States, from 1930. Engineering enrollment nears 13,000, and the university anchors Indiana's manufacturing research. Amelia Earhart trained for her last flight through Purdue's aviation program. About 50,000 students study system-wide.