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$4M pledged to UNLV’s Lee Business School

The dean of UNLV’s Lee Business School is hoping a $4 million pledge will make the school’s Center for Entrepreneurship competitive regionally and nationally.

With a pledge of $3 million from Dennis Troesh and a $1 million donation from the Charles Koch Foundation, the school will advance its efforts to conduct, teach and share research on entrepreneurship and innovation.

“This transformative gift aligns perfectly with our strategic plan,” said Brent Hathaway, dean of the school. “It provides us with the resources we need to propel the center forward. It provides for greater student engagement, more faculty research and community development opportunities.”

Hathaway said the school has seen increased demands from students across all majors on campus expressing desires to start firms. Expanding offerings at the center has been a goal for the past four years, he said.

Research will focus on three themes: entrepreneurial culture, risk and innovation, and entrepreneurs in society.

“Businesses must innovate to stay competitive, and the Center for Entrepreneurship offers the industry vital research and business development services to stay ahead of trends, and it is training professionals who will be equipped to lead the workforce of tomorrow,” Troesh said in a statement.

The money from the combined pledge will be dispersed over five years beginning July 1. The center will recruit a research director, tenure-track professors, graduate research fellows and a program coordinator. It also will bring guest speakers to campus, support student case competitions and host conferences to benefit students, faculty, and community.

It’s the second largest gift in the school’s history, second only to the $15 million contribution from the Lee family, the school’s namesake.

Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.

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