(Westville, IN) - Purdue Northwest had a big fundraising day.

This time of year, many institutions host an annual Day of Giving to raise money. That day was Wednesday for Purdue University.

Purdue Northwest ranked fourth among the 73 Purdue entities soliciting funds. The Westville and Hammond campuses raked in a combined $900,000 from more than 1,240 donations over 24 hours. School officials say the participation rate among donors increased 51% from last year. Athletics alone took in nearly $230,000, accounting for about 60% of donations.

The money is used to support student scholarships, academic programs, athletics, student organizations and other strategic initiatives.