Purdue gets $5M gift from anonymous donor

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University has received a $5 million gift from an anonymous donor that will finance scholarships and efforts to make the school more affordable for students.

University officials say the gift has matching elements that could ultimately provide more than $9 million for students.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels says the anonymous donor's generosity could motivate others to join a push to make the cost of attending Purdue more affordable.

Purdue announced a two-year tuition freeze last year that Daniels is asking the school trustees to extend for a third year.

The $5 million gift includes $3.75 million that will create a Purdue Affordability Scholarship Challenge. That dollar-for-dollar match brings the potential for $7.5 million in new endowed scholarship support.