The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University celebrates its 15th birthday today (May 1) as it optimistically looks forward to its future.
In 2000, MFRI was created with funding from the Department of Defense, and its original mission was largely research-based. Since then, it has expanded to include outreach, thanks in part to increased funding from the Department of Defense, and funding from Lilly Endowment Inc., Sesame Workshop and others.
In its first 15 years, MFRI has engaged Purdue University faculty, staff and students in research, evaluation, outreach and events that have changed communities throughout and beyond Indiana in support of military and veteran families.
In addition it has:
- changed the face of higher education for student service members and veterans;
- launched, compiled, contributed to and disseminated research about military families that has engaged scholarls from around the world;
- influenced state and national programs, policies and practices affecting military and veteran families; and
- brought change to the systems that support military and veteran families by building new ways to support military children dealing with deployment and reintegration.
On April 25, MFRI joined the Center for Families in celebrating the two organizations' anniversaries — MFRI's 15th and the Center for Families' 20th. The organizations will continue their anniversary celebrations throughout the year with a number of other engagement opportunities.