When Mitch Daniels became president of Purdue University, the former governor vowed to set politics aside. But his announcement this spring that the institution would return to campus during a pandemic became one of the most politicized and criticized decisions of his career—until many other colleges followed suit. Next month, as 50,000 Purdue students, faculty, and staff come back to West Lafayette, he’s determined to prove he was correct.
Mitch Daniels has been thinking a lot about loneliness lately. The Purdue University president celebrated his 71st birthday this past April standing at the door of his Carmel home, in the gated Laurelwood community. Outside, in the cul-de-sac 20 feet away, his four daughters and seven grandchildren formed a three-car parade and sang “Happy Birthday” to “Papa.” Daniels could only enjoy it from a distance. Weeks later, he delivered one of his trademark commencement speeches, which often read like a piece by David Brooks, the conservative columnist from The New York Times who tends to tackle big sociological trends. This year’s message, presented in a video recording, focused on the importance of relationships.