Boilermaker Alliance Announces Former Purdue Quarterback Drew Brees to Executive Board
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Boilermaker Alliance, joined by former Purdue quarterback and university alumnus Drew Brees, announced the future expansion of the organization's efforts Thursday.
Brees will join Boilermaker Alliance as the newest member of its executive board, which is in charge of operating the organization's use of name, image and likeness (NIL) of Purdue student-athletes by helping them make an impact in the community through charitable efforts.
"I can't tell you how much I love being a Boilermaker," Brees said during a Thursday press conference. "I have so much pride in that. I can tell you it was the last place I ever thought I would end up, if you would ask the 18-year-old kid from Austin, Texas, back in 1997 where he would end up.
"But it was by far the greatest thing that ever happened to me, was having the chance to come here and be a part of this great university, to be a part of our athletic program, but more importantly, to be a part of this community — the Purdue community and the Purdue network."
Brees — alongside Boilermaker Alliance — will help expand the organization's offerings to not only scholarship players participating in revenue-generating sports, but to all 385 scholarship student-athletes at Purdue University.
"I believe in the mission of Boilermaker Alliance and what we are trying to accomplish in developing character and future leaders amongst our student-athletes. We will empower all 385 of them to make an impact, not just here in West Lafayette, but all over the world,” Brees said in a statement. “Boilermaker Alliance will also provide all our amazing coaches the resources they need to compete for championships. We aim to set the standard so other universities can look to Purdue and model their programs after ours, but also use this as an opportunity to help develop leaders of character and do things the right way."
Boilermaker Alliance started its partnership with student-athletes earlier this year and is connecting them with nonprofit organizations across the country. Brees emphasized the importance of character development, leadership development and financial literacy as college athletics continue to navigate NIL opportunities.
"When you think about the university that you want to be a part of, where you can go and you can play for championships, you can get a world-class education, and you could be the greatest human being and the greatest philanthropist and make a really strong impact in communities," Brees said. "We're gonna be world class in that too."
In addition to its announcement on expansion, Boilermaker Alliance also released the names of individuals who will make up the organization's advisory board. Currently, the names include Akin Ayodele, Raphael Davis, Jim Everett, Nick Hardwick, Robbie Hummel, Matt Light, Cuonzo Martin, Shaun Phillips, Pete Quinn, Bobby Riddell, and Adam Schenk.
Alongside his role as an executive board member, Brees will also chair the organization's advisory board.
Boilermaker Alliance is not associated with Purdue University but was founded by a group of several individuals with a longstanding commitment to the university and its Athletic Department.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.