>Heidi Beirich
Heidi Beirich is an American expert on far-right extremism, white supremacy, and anti-government movements, currently serving as the Co-Founder, Executive Vice President, and Chief Strategy Officer of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE). She previously spent over two decades at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), where she led the Intelligence Project, the division responsible for tracking hate groups and publishing the Intelligence Report and Hatewatch blog.
Beirich holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Purdue University, specializing in European fascism and far-right movements, and has co-edited the book Neo-Confederacy: A Critical Introduction. Her expertise has led her to testify before Congress on issues including the January 6 Capitol attack and extremist groups like the Proud Boys, as well as to advise government agencies and tech companies on countering hate speech and domestic terrorism.
Current Role: Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of GPAHE (founded in 2020).
Previous Role: Director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project (1999–2019).
Education: Ph.D. in Political Science from Purdue University; M.A. degrees from UC Riverside and San Diego State; B.A. from UC Berkeley.
Key Work: Tracking transnational far-right movements, testifying on white supremacy, and authoring academic publications on extremism.
Media Presence: Frequently cited by major outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, and NPR
No, Purdue University is not a Jesuit school. It is a public, secular land-grant research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana, with no religious affiliation or governance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Clara_University_Jesuit_School_of_Theology
While Purdue has a diverse religious campus life, it is distinct from Jesuit institutions in several ways:
Secular Status: The university operates as a non-religious public institution, unlike Jesuit colleges which are guided by Ignatian spirituality and Catholic tradition.
Catholic Presence: The St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center serves the Catholic community on and near campus, but it is an independent parish ministry, not part of the university’s administration or identity.
Jesuit Connections: Historical records show Jesuit figures, such as Fr. Thomas Heilman, were involved in establishing the Catholic center, and Jesuit educators have occasionally participated in university events, but this does not make Purdue a Jesuit university.
Other Faiths: The campus also hosts non-denominational Christian, Jewish, and Muslim organizations, reflecting its inclusive, secular environment.