Trump admin cancels $35 million Purdue college prep program in DEI crackdown

Purdue University will abruptly end a statewide initiative to help more than 13,000 low-income students go to college after it was targeted in the Trump administration’s campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Trump administration canceled a $34.9 million federal grant to Purdue University for GEAR UP, a federally funded program to boost college readiness and access. It provides after-school, mentoring and college-prep programs in 10 districts across the state. It will shut down Tuesday.

The grant was awarded last year and expected to continue through 2031, according to a 2024 press release from Purdue’s College of Education. It was the sixth-largest federal grant in university history, the release said. 

In a Sept. 12 termination letter, the U.S. Education Department said Purdue’s grant application conflicted with federal civil rights law and the department’s policy of “prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education.” 

Federal officials cited sections of Purdue’s application that promised DEI training for hiring managers, professional development in “culturally responsive teaching” and the integration of social and emotional learning in STEM instruction.

The Education Department wrote that the Purdue program was “inconsistent with, and no longer effectuates, the best interest of the Federal Government” and described elements of the proposal as an “inappropriate use of federal funds.”

Purdue could have appealed the termination but the university did not file it, according to multiple sources who spoke with WFYI on the condition of anonymity. 

Purdue did not respond to multiple requests for comment last week and Monday.

GEAR UP is a federal initiative Congress created in 1998. The program awards competitive, multi-year grants to states and universities to prepare low-income students for college. It focuses on teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Under the Biden administration, the 2024 grant application asked for details on DEI priorities in hiring and training processes. 

But since then, Republican state and federal leaders have moved to end DEI practices. In January, Gov. Mike Braun ordered state agencies to eliminate all DEI initiatives. In February, the U.S. Department of Education instructed K-12 schools and universities to cease using “race as a factor in admissions, financial aid, hiring, training, and other institutional programming.”

The end of Indiana’s grant is part of a broader rollback. The Education Department has canceled at least nine GEAR UP grants this year, including four in Ohio and one in New Hampshire, according to Education Week. 

It’s a rare example of Indiana finding itself on the wrong side of the Trump administration. Just two months ago, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon met with Gov. Mike Braun at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. During the visit, McMahon said Indiana was doing “exactly what the President’s goals are,” according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

‘Significant role in supporting students’

Indiana GEAR UP began in 2016, and it served more than 13,000 students and 3,000 educators, according to the 2024 press release from Purdue. In that release, Purdue described GEAR UP as playing a “significant role in supporting students and educators across the state.”

GEAR UP followed students from seventh grade through their first year of college. About 97% of participating students graduated from high school, compared with 87% of low-income students statewide, and participants enrolled in college at higher rates than comparison groups than their peers, according to the release.

Much of the effort focused on supporting students in the 21st Century Scholars program, which helps cover college tuition for eligible low-income families. Students are required to maintain a 2.5 GPA, earn at least a Core 40 high school diploma and avoid involvement in the juvenile justice system.

The program began in partnership with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.

The now-terminated grant would have expanded services to roughly 14,300 students in 28 schools this year.

It’s unclear how many Purdue staff will be terminated due to the loss of funding. The program’s website lists ten staff in the main office and 12 regional directors. 

GEAR UP state director Terron Phillips did not respond to a request for comment.

Districts respond

GEAR UP operated in districts across the state — including in Indianapolis, Gary, Lafayette, Muncie and Clark County. 

They included MSD of Warren Township Schools in Marion County, where the program supported more than 700 students at four schools. 

 “Without GEAR UP, our students will miss out on critical access to postsecondary exploration, structured academic support, and individualized connections that kept their college and career pathways front and center,” said Laura Butgereit, Warren’s director of college and career readiness.

Indianapolis Public Schools, which participated in the program, said it was “surprised by the sudden and early conclusion” of GEAR UP. 

“The program has successfully prepared students for college and careers, provided financial aid guidance, and expanded STEM exposure,” the statement continued. 

Other GEAR UP programs continue to operate throughout the country. The Education Department announced the latest round of awards last week.

Eric Weddle is WFYI's education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle.