A gift from the Burke family establishes one of the nation’s first named civil engineering graduate programs.

Continuing a Boilermaker family tradition, longtime benefactors Christopher and Susan Burke recently established a named graduate program for the Lyles School of Civil Engineering. The gift for the Christopher B. and Susan S. Burke Graduate Program, one of the nation’s first named CE graduate programs, is part of Ever True: The Campaign for Purdue University.

Securing the Future for the Lyles School

"This gift allows us to be confident in funding and to explore innovations," says Rao S. Govindaraju, the Bowen Engineering Head and Christopher B. and Susan S. Burke Professor of Civil Engineering.

"When we talked with the Burkes, we explained that we cannot foresee the specific needs our school may have in years to come," he says. "The unrestricted nature of their gift will help us meet those future needs."

Govindaraju adds, "One of our constant challenges is attracting high-quality graduate students. It is a positive cycle: The more highly competent graduate students we have, the more attractive our program becomes.  The Burkes' gift will absolutely help us recruit high-caliber grad students. The other important thing is that with this gift we can expect the funding to continue well into the future."

The Burkes' gift is the latest of many they have given to the University and the Lyles School. Their contributions helped establish the Burke Undergraduate Hydraulic Laboratory, the Christopher and Susan Burke  Hydraulics and Hydrology Laboratory, a named professorship held by Govindaraju, and the Civil Engineering Center for Applications of UAS for a Sustainable Environment.

The Family Tradition

Both Susan and Chris Burke are Purdue graduates. Chris received a bachelor's degree in 1977, a master's degree in 1979 and a doctorate in 1983 — all in civil engineering — as well as an honorary doctorate from Purdue in 2010. Susan earned a bachelor's degree in speech and hearing in 1978. Three of their four children attended Purdue.

In fact, four generations of their family have received 38 degrees at Purdue, Burke says. And the tide of gold and black keeps coming from the Burkes.

"Four family members are at Purdue now, plus another one who started his freshman year in the fall. The group that's there now are nieces and nephews. My cousin's children are in the next group," Chris says. "Our connection to the University, and particularly to the Lyles School, spans many years and reflects the loyalty our family has to the University."

He says, "Our story begins at Purdue. I was in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and Susan was in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, which were directly across the street from each other. That’s how we met."

Granting Opportunities

He credits his education at Purdue with helping him in his successful career. He started Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd., a Chicago-based consulting, engineering and surveying firm, in 1986. The company  provides services for many high-profile projects and employs more than 200 people, 78 of them licensed civil engineers.

"Purdue provided so many great opportunities. For example, when I was a graduate teaching assistant, I wrote a drainage manual for the state of Indiana," he says. "I loved that teaching experience so much that I still teach today, at the University of Illinois at Chicago."

Susan, too, speaks enthusiastically about her student years. "When I was there, four of my siblings were there at the same time," she says. "And most of my sisters also were in Kappa Alpha Theta. That was such a special time. I met great people, and it certainly helped me grow into my career."

For his part, Govindaraju, the Lyles School head, is grateful for the Burkes’ continuing generosity. "We’re thrilled and very appreciative of the support they have given over the years, to Purdue University in general and the Lyles School of Civil Engineering in particular," he says. "Their gifts help make our program more visible and bring us even more recognition."