“Having obtained a Purdue engineering degree, I feel particularly close to the College of Engineering, so I earmarked the gift to be used specifically by the dean of engineering,” Snodgrass says. “We structured the gift this way because it was very simple to set up — literally just adding a paragraph to our living trust.”

Will and Terry Snodgrass

After 23 years at McDonnell Douglas/Boeing, Snodgrass left his position as senior manager with the company to manage his personal stock portfolio full time.

“I have always loved learning about business and trying to figure out what makes a strong business model,” Snodgrass says. “Soon after graduating from Purdue, I started learning about and investing in the stock market, which has been a constant passion of mine.”

Now living in Rancho Mirage, Calif., Snodgrass remembers his time at Purdue as challenging and gratifying: “I enjoyed the day-to-day campus life and friendships, and I still keep in touch with several friends 30 years later, which seems hard to believe! Mechanical Engineering is a demanding major. I formed some strong bonds, and enjoyed the camaraderie.

“Purdue helps make the world a better place. It helps develop strong members of the workforce and achieves world-class research accomplishments. We want to help ensure Purdue remains at the forefront.”