Purdue Pride is Forever 

What’s more permanent than a tattoo? The answer: Purdue Pride 

Tattooing has been around for thousands of years, becoming symbols of status, identity, religious beliefs and more. Tattoos are a way people share with the outside world what helps define, drive and inspire them. 

See the Boilermakers whose love for Purdue led them to get tattoos that hearken to the university, including depictions of Purdue Pete, the Boilermaker Special, Bell Tower and official Purdue University seal.

Samuel tattoo
Firefighter Samuel Kornicks realistic tattoo of the Boilermaker special. Photo Credit: Purdue University Photo/Rebecca McElhoe
Brittany

A tattoo sleeve full of Purdue memories

Name: Brittany Blackford Graduation year: Fall 2015 Major/area of study: Wildlife; fisheries and aquatic sciences Current career: Small-business owner and Master of Science student at Mississippi State University studying conservation education Meet Brittany, who has a tattoo sleeve dedicated to

Learn More
Purdue tattoo

A Boilermaker Special train tattoo

Name: Samuel KornicksGraduation year: 2015Major/area of study: Double major in political science/law and society with a minor in forensics.Current career: Full-time firefighter/EMT for the city of Lebanon, Indiana Meet the firefighter who is on the Boilermaker Special hype train. 1.

Learn More
Nolan tattoo

A tattoo that is a monument to Purdue’s impact

Name: Nolan SharplessGraduation year: 2021Major/area of study: Computer scienceCurrent career: I am a software engineer. Meet Nolan, whose love for Purdue and its iconic symbols inspired him to permanently mark his body in tribute. 1. Tell us about your Purdue

Learn More

Related Stories

Purdue arch

article | Experience

“Ever Grateful, Ever True” couple tattoo

Name:  Jacie GrantGraduation year: 2016 Major/area of study: Animal sciences Current career: Senior supply chain analyst for Cargill Meet the Boilermaker couple who share a tattoo tribute to Purdue. 1. Tell us about your Purdue tattoo. I have “ever grateful”…
Purdue tattoo

article | Experience

A Purdue tattoo that’s a reminder of home

Name: Beth Black Graduation year: Purdue West Lafayette, 2014, and Purdue Fort Wayne, 2019 Major/Area of Study: Elementary education and Master of Business Administration Current career: Multiunit store manager for Follett Higher Education Meet alumna Beth Black, who dedicated a…
Brittany

article | Experience

A tattoo sleeve full of Purdue memories

Name: Brittany Blackford Graduation year: Fall 2015 Major/area of study: Wildlife; fisheries and aquatic sciences Current career: Small-business owner and Master of Science student at Mississippi State University studying conservation education Meet Brittany, who has a tattoo sleeve dedicated to…
Chyna

article | Experience

A daring Boilermaker tattoo

Name: Chyna Ferguson Graduation year: 2021 Major/area of study: Mass communication Current career: Digital marketing Meet the woman whose co-worker dared her to get a Purdue tattoo — and who went through with it. 1. Tell us about your Purdue…
Purdue boiler train

article | Experience

Meet Logan Cassady and his Purdue train tattoo

Name: Logan Cassady Graduation year: 2019 Major/area of study: Mechanical Engineering Technology Current career: Sales engineer for Ryan Fireprotection As the only person in his family with a tattoo, this Boilermaker knew he wanted a Purdue train tattoo to commemorate…
Tattoo of Michael Davis and Isaak Davis

article | Experience

Starting a new Purdue family tattoo tradition

Name: Michael Davis and Isaak DavisGraduation year: 1992 for dad and 2019 for sonMajor/area of study: Law and society (criminology) for dad; hospitality and tourism management for sonCurrent career: Michael is a retired police officer, currently working in the electric…
Purdue tattoo

article | Experience

A Boilermaker Special train tattoo

Name: Samuel KornicksGraduation year: 2015Major/area of study: Double major in political science/law and society with a minor in forensics.Current career: Full-time firefighter/EMT for the city of Lebanon, Indiana Meet the firefighter who is on the Boilermaker Special hype train. 1….
Gavin's tatto

article | Experience

A Purdue Pete vintage tattoo

Name: Gavin Gordon Purdue connection: I’m a huge fan, and so is my family! Current career: I work in the mental health industry at a hospital, and I’m a former case manager. Meet the Purdue football fan with a vintage-inspired Purdue…
Nolan tattoo

article | Experience

A tattoo that is a monument to Purdue’s impact

Name: Nolan SharplessGraduation year: 2021Major/area of study: Computer scienceCurrent career: I am a software engineer. Meet Nolan, whose love for Purdue and its iconic symbols inspired him to permanently mark his body in tribute. 1. Tell us about your Purdue…

No stories found!