WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Honoring the life and legacy of the late Leroy Keyes has become an important rallying point for Purdue Athletics and the John Purdue Club, with more than $300,000 raised toward a goal of $2 million. With support from the Keyes family, two fundraising initiatives have been launched to commemorate Keyes' lasting impact on Boilermakers around the world as well as to honor Keyes' many contributions as an All-American and longtime administrator.
Both the creation of the Leroy Keyes Athletics Leadership Fellowship and the naming of the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in Keyes' honor have received notable support from Purdue Football alumni, helping bring these concepts to reality.
Among the notable alumni, former Purdue Football standout, Super Bowl Champion and pro bowler Cliff Avril ('04 – '07) has been proud to be involved in this effort.
"It's an honor to be a part of this initiative," said Avril. "We understand, as a family, what Mr. Keyes stood for and what he's created for athletes like myself. I wanted to be a part of it and keep the legacy and mission he wanted for Purdue University going."
Following the annual Mollenkopf-Keyes Classic golf tournament, which provided a unique opportunity to honor Keyes' impact, and in the spirit of diversity and inclusion celebrated throughout Black History Month, the John Purdue Club is placing a renewed emphasis on guiding these important initiatives to the finish line. Proceeds from last week's Mollenkopf-Keyes Classic were directed toward this effort.
Recognizing the impact Keyes also had as a coach, Purdue Football alumnus and current Vice President at Walmart, Warren "Ike" Moore felt compelled to be a part of contributing to his legacy.
"Aneasha and I are honored to play a role in creating a fellowship with Purdue Athletics focusing on helping underrepresented minorities build advanced skills and experiences for successful careers in intercollegiate athletics," said Moore. "Our hope is that this fellowship will inspire other Big Ten Conference and Power Five universities to create fellowships of their own, with the end goal of there being more African Americans and people of color in athletic director positions across these conferences."
Purdue Football alumnus and former teammate of Keyes, Don Kiepert has also displayed his generosity and passion for honoring Keyes.
"He had a value system that touched anyone who met him, and inspired many athletes and students he worked with to excel at whatever he or she wanted to become," said Kiepert. "I am fortunate to have been Leroy's teammate and friend, and I am proud to be able to support the creation of the Leroy Keyes Athletics Leadership Fellowship."
The Leroy Keyes Athletics Leadership Fellowship is intended to provide unique opportunities for future minority leaders to launch their careers in intercollegiate athletics and further their education at a world-class university. The program will be focused on building the foundation for strategic thinking and transformational leadership in athletics, designed to advance skills and prepare fellows for attaining a permanent role within athletics.
After a successful year of raising more than $18 million for the More Than A Game Campaign, now is the time to ensure continued focus on the mission of driving Purdue Athletics forward. The opportunity to commemorate Keyes' impact with initiatives that will provide development and education for the leaders of the future will truly to speak to the value of his legacy.
Donors and fans interested in honoring Leroy can make a gift by donating online or by calling the John Purdue club at 765.494.2582.
Both the creation of the Leroy Keyes Athletics Leadership Fellowship and the naming of the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in Keyes' honor have received notable support from Purdue Football alumni, helping bring these concepts to reality.
Among the notable alumni, former Purdue Football standout, Super Bowl Champion and pro bowler Cliff Avril ('04 – '07) has been proud to be involved in this effort.
"It's an honor to be a part of this initiative," said Avril. "We understand, as a family, what Mr. Keyes stood for and what he's created for athletes like myself. I wanted to be a part of it and keep the legacy and mission he wanted for Purdue University going."
Following the annual Mollenkopf-Keyes Classic golf tournament, which provided a unique opportunity to honor Keyes' impact, and in the spirit of diversity and inclusion celebrated throughout Black History Month, the John Purdue Club is placing a renewed emphasis on guiding these important initiatives to the finish line. Proceeds from last week's Mollenkopf-Keyes Classic were directed toward this effort.
Recognizing the impact Keyes also had as a coach, Purdue Football alumnus and current Vice President at Walmart, Warren "Ike" Moore felt compelled to be a part of contributing to his legacy.
"Aneasha and I are honored to play a role in creating a fellowship with Purdue Athletics focusing on helping underrepresented minorities build advanced skills and experiences for successful careers in intercollegiate athletics," said Moore. "Our hope is that this fellowship will inspire other Big Ten Conference and Power Five universities to create fellowships of their own, with the end goal of there being more African Americans and people of color in athletic director positions across these conferences."
Purdue Football alumnus and former teammate of Keyes, Don Kiepert has also displayed his generosity and passion for honoring Keyes.
"He had a value system that touched anyone who met him, and inspired many athletes and students he worked with to excel at whatever he or she wanted to become," said Kiepert. "I am fortunate to have been Leroy's teammate and friend, and I am proud to be able to support the creation of the Leroy Keyes Athletics Leadership Fellowship."
The Leroy Keyes Athletics Leadership Fellowship is intended to provide unique opportunities for future minority leaders to launch their careers in intercollegiate athletics and further their education at a world-class university. The program will be focused on building the foundation for strategic thinking and transformational leadership in athletics, designed to advance skills and prepare fellows for attaining a permanent role within athletics.
After a successful year of raising more than $18 million for the More Than A Game Campaign, now is the time to ensure continued focus on the mission of driving Purdue Athletics forward. The opportunity to commemorate Keyes' impact with initiatives that will provide development and education for the leaders of the future will truly to speak to the value of his legacy.
Donors and fans interested in honoring Leroy can make a gift by donating online or by calling the John Purdue club at 765.494.2582.