In 1974, Hillenbrand Biomedical Engineering Center was created. The Center was headed by Dr. Leslie A. Geddes and located in Purdue's A.A. Potter Engineering Center. In 1998, the Hillenbrand Biomedical Engineering Center was elevated in status to the Department of Biomedical Engineering within the College of Engineering at Purdue. George R. Wodicka was the department's founding head. After a generous $10 million donation by Norman Weldon, an alumnus of Purdue, and his family, the department was formally expanded into a school of biomedical engineering. The donation provided for hiring additional faculty, research initiatives and other start-up costs. In honor of Weldon's donation, the school is named the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.