campus news

David Eccles School of Business Celebrates Record-Breaking Scholarship Donations at Annual Luncheon

The Eccles School achieved a new milestone this academic year, reaching a total of more than $20 million donated to student scholarships. At a celebratory luncheon held in honor of all scholarship donors and recipients, the school was also pleased to recognize two Distinguished Scholarship Donors: Chris Palacios, who has served as a mentor, donor, and board member for the First Ascent Program; and Wheeler Machinery and the

Campbell Family, who have been contributing to scholarships at the Eccles School for more than 50 years!

“Scholarship support is integral to the success of the Eccles School, and our students,” said Dean Rachel Hayes. “Many of our students wouldn’t be able to attend college without the generous support of our donors. Not only would those students miss out on a college education, but the Eccles School would miss out on their unique perspectives and experiences. Scholarships help increase the diversity of our school, and they allow us to expand our reach and impact to the students and communities that need it most.”

Sorenson Impact Center Releases On-Demand Bootcamp to Disrupt the Status Quo in Entrepreneurship

The Sorenson Impact Center recently debuted Project DEEP, a multi-pronged initiative that aims to accelerate the growth of women and people of color entrepreneurs and equip more intentional investors and decision makers. The on-demand series includes six courses that can be watched online, any time. Topics include:

• Demystifying Entrepreneurship with Kimmy Paluch

• Funding for Growth with Christina Taylor

• Scaling through Systems with Raquel Wilson

• Women Investing for Change with Rose Maizner

• Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Building with Dell Gines

• Designing Economies for People and Planet with SecondMuse

“More and more women and people of color are launching themselves into the world of entrepreneurship. In fact, Black women specifically are the fastest growing demographic of business owners,” said Frederique Irwin, Founder of Her Corner, Inc., and Managing Director at the Sorenson Impact Center. “However, these businesses and others owned by women and people of color, statistically don’t have the same access to funding, networks, and growth opportunities as their white male counterparts. We want to help change this.”

Learn more and access all the courses at www.project-deep.com.

University of Utah Launches Entrepreneur Program for All Alumni

This fall, the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute launched Lassonde for Life, a new program available to all University of Utah alumni who are interested in entrepreneurship. The program offers alumni lifelong support for their entrepreneurial pursuits, by providing resources and support from the top-10 ranked Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business.

Alumni can participate free of charge and from anywhere on the globe to explore entrepreneurship, get help starting a company, grow a company, attend events, make connections, find mentors, and more. The program is provided through a partnership between the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, PIVOT Center, and the university’s Office of Alumni Relations.

“This is a first-of-a-kind program to support all of our graduates who have a business idea or imagine starting one sometime in the future,” said Troy D’Ambrosio, executive director of the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute and an assistant dean at the Eccles School. “We want to help them all become entrepreneurs and follow their dreams, while also helping each other through workshops, mentoring, and other resources.”

Learn more about the program and register at www.lassonde.utah.edu/life.

University of Utah College of Engineering Receives Historic Gift, Renamed as John and Marcia Price College of Engineering

The University of Utah College of Engineering recently announced a historic $50 million gift from the John and Marcia Price Family Foundation that will benefit future students, educational programs, research centers and entrepreneurism, as well as the construction of a new $190 million computing and engineering building on the U campus.

John and Marcia Price are also valued friends and donors of the David Eccles School of Business. Of their $50 million contribution to the College of Engineering, an endowment of $32.5 million will go to student scholarships, teaching labs, educational initiatives, and more.

New Fintech Education Center Launches at the U

A new partnership with the Stena Foundation and founders Steve and Jana Smith will create the Stena Center for Financial Technology at the University of Utah. Total funds up to $65 million over the next 10 years will support the center, including industry-sponsored labs, venture funds, and fintech-focused degrees and certificates, with the goal to bolster the state’s international reputation as a hub for financial technology innovation. The center will also collaborate significantly with academic units on campus to develop programs and degrees, including the David Eccles School of Business, the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, and the S.J. Quinney College of Law.

The center will also host an annual symposium, the fintechXchange, at the University of Utah. The first event was held in January 2023, with speakers including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, University of Utah president Taylor Randall, Finicity founder Steve Smith, and Salt Lake City mayor Erin Mendenhall. ■