February 17, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue student-athletes met with great success in the classroom during the fall semester, surpassing the general student population in a number of major academic categories.
Out of 467 student-athletes, the Boilermakers had 105 (22.5 percent) earn Semester Honors, while the general student body had 21.4 percent receive Semester Honors. A total of 80 Boilermakers (17.1 percent) made the Dean's List, compared to the student body's 14.7 percent. Nearly a quarter (24.2 percent) of Purdue student-athletes achieved Semester Honors, Dean's List or both, compared to 23.1 percent in the general student population. Thirty-nine Boilermakers recorded perfect 4.0 grade point averages last semester. Over 200 student-athletes earned GPA's 3.00 or higher.
Boilermaker student-athletes earned a semester GPA of 2.79, while the student body posted a 2.76 semester GPA. The student-athletes have a higher cumulative grade point average, as well (2.84-2.82).
"One of the goals set forth by the athletic department is that our student-athletes achieve at least the same or higher cumulative GPA of the general student body," Academic Services Director Sue Aufderheide says. "It is our hope that we will continually surpass the general student body; it is not an expectation."
Aufderheide points to the Academic Learning Center and other academic resources as major reasons for the success of the Boilermaker student-athletes.
"The academic support programs we have in place for our student-athletes - study table, computer lab, tutoring, mentoring, career development programs, and our life skills program - help our student-athletes become the best they can be academically," Aufderheide says. "We're happy to say that the majority of our student-athletes have found the tools we are providing and are utilizing those that fit their needs."
In addition to those resources, Aufderheide believes the desire to succeed on the field of play and in the classroom is a trait inherent in most Boilermakers.
"The coaches and administrative staff have continued to set high expectations for their student-athletes in both the athletic and academic arenas," Aufderheide says. "In addition, Purdue's academic standards for admittance ensure that the student-athletes coming to Purdue have strong academic backgrounds. Most of these student-athletes are used to exceeding in academics as well as athletics."