The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship capitalizes on the rising strength of the greater Greenville area and the Upstate as a force of economic opportunity. Through CLEARLY FURMAN, donor support can transform the institute’s integral part in The Furman Advantage, enabling it to build the kind of partnerships that help students become tomorrow’s leaders through work with faculty, community and business innovators.
We can develop influential new academic and community programs. We can create conferences, develop speaker series, build exciting development partnerships and lift up student ideas with impact-oriented pitch competitions.
Driving forward institute programs in a range of areas—economic development, venture capital, investment banking, private equity and more—donors to this campaign will make this institute a critical part of our region’s burgeoning economic might, expand Furman’s impact in every direction and inspire new generations of Furman students to turn their ideas and talent into positive change and societal benefit.
This endowed fund will provide permanent support to ensure the institute has the human and operating resources to develop and implement programming that is fully integrated with faculty and the academic program, and in partnership with the Greenville and broader community.
- Goal: $10,000,000
This endowed fund will support personnel, operating and physical space needs for a center of excellence within the institute that is externally focused on connecting Furman to the Greater Greenville business and entrepreneurship community. The center will solidify the university’s leadership position in the local and regional ecosystem, and provide support for economic development through workshops and certificate programs for the community, as well as co-working space and collaboration rooms to foster networking, mentoring and access ecosystem resources.
- Goal: $3,000,000
This endowed fund supports the Director’s ability to lead the effort to develop community partnerships, work interdisciplinarily to integrate the program with the academic departments, and promote the program to prospective students, collaborators, sponsors and local and regional innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Goal: $3,000,000
A summer intensive boot camp designed for non-business majors to master the foundations of business and fundamentals of driving organizational innovation. This endowed fund support scholarships to the program, marketing and programming expenses to deliver programming annually for up to 40 students.
- Goal: $1,000,000
This endowed fund supports the annual program where entrepreneurial students can pitch their ideas to a panel of experts for funding and mentorship support. Funding supports naming of program, annual pitch competition awards, program delivery and ongoing space and mentoring support for finalists.
- Goal: $1,000,000
Funding supports equipping sophomore and junior students from any discipline with the in-demand skills needed to accelerate careers in investment banking, venture capital and private equity. Program includes mentorship, coaching, skills training and apprenticeship with Venture South for up to 15 students per academic year.
- Goal: COMPLETE
Funding supports naming of program, communication studies faculty stipends, three student intern producers, and equipment. The Class E Podcast spotlights innovators, disruptors, business leaders and entrepreneurs in the Furman network. Funding inspires campus community and Furman network with eight episodes per semester with 1,000+ listeners and growing.
- Goal: $500,000
Renovation of existing on-campus space to house the institute.
- Goal: COMPLETE
Guided by our strengths as a university, focused on learning experiences that empower students to achieve their most inspiring ambitions, we will do more than meet our mission and advance Furman’s reputation for excellence. As we become a national model for higher education, we will, through our graduates, influence action and ideas across the 21st century.
