Foster announces $5.2 million naming gift for CIE
Guest post by Connie Bourassa-Shaw, Director of the Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington Foster School of Business
Artie Buerk
No, I’m not talking about a UW student start-up or any other start-up for that matter. I’m talking about CIE and the vision we developed back in 1997 for creating an entrepreneurship center that not only teaches the essentials of entrepreneurship, but gives students myriad opportunities to follow their passion. Not that long ago, CIE was a start-up.
We developed the core curriculum and added electives that built on that core. We launched the Business Plan Competition in 1998, and we’ve awarded $1.3 million in seed funding to student-led companies, including NanoString, Contour, Gravity Payments, Cadence Biomedical, Impel NeuroPharma, JoeyBra, PatientStream, MicroGreen, etc. We started the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program for incoming freshmen in 2007, began the Environmental Innovation Challenge in 2008, and the Jones Milestones/Foster Accelerator in 2010.
In those early days of creating an entrepreneurship center, I got tremendous assistance and guidance from the CIE Advisory Board, including sage personal advice from Artie Buerk. Artie’s a Husky—practical but not dogmatic, enthusiastic but perceptive. And today the Foster School of Business announced that with a $5.2 million gift, CIE is becoming the Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship.
Naming gifts are the Holy Grail for university centers. It’s the longed-for vote of confidence. It says, I so believe in you that I’m proud to have my name associated with you for decades to come. It says, I’m betting money on your future. It says, I trust the center to do the right thing for students, for the UW, for Seattle.
I just wish you all could see the GIGANTIC smile on my face today. Thank you, Artie, for your belief in the CIE vision. No, I mean, the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship vision.
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Congrats Connie!!! That is fantastic and very well deserved news!
Fantastic news! Congratulations Connie + team & thank you Artie Buerk!
What a smart investment decision made by Artie. The business plan competition was my single most valuable educational experience. It’s great to be assured that others will continue to have these kind of opportunities long into the future. Thank you Connie for achieving this milestone.
Great work Connie and team! The CIE has been one of the reasons for my decisions to attend Foster and I am glad this confirms the belief the business leaders like Artie have on its potential.
Congratulations to Connie, Pam, the entire CIE team, Foster, and UW!! I’m grateful to enjoy the many benefits and opportunities offered through the CIE, now the BCE. My classmates and I look forward to competing in the EIC & BPC this year, two incredible competitions that have lovingly bred successful student-developed technologies and startups. May we all return to Foster and BCE with stories, experiences, and lessons learned to share with the next generation of leaders. Cheers!!
Fantastic news!!! What a wonderful way to support the business community, UW and entrepreneurship. Keep up the fantastic work and looking forward to helping the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship in 2013.
Congratulations, and a big thank you to Mr. Buerk.