Gift from Allison and Rick Magnuson ’79 highlights $36 million in support, pioneering ideas.

(Photo by Eli Burakian ’00)

Building on a rapidly expanding network of alumni, students, and faculty who want to launch business ventures and social enterprises, Dartmouth is establishing a center for entrepreneurship, with a lead gift from Allison and Rick Magnuson ’79, President Phil Hanlon ’77 announced on May 2.

The Magnusons have pledged $20 million toward the creation of the center, part of an overall $40 million investment to infuse entrepreneurship across the Dartmouth campus through endowed funding.

In addition to the Magnusons’ gift, the College has received 16 gifts of $1 million from a group of alumni leaders in technology, venture capital, and private equity—creating the Dartmouth Founders Circle and bringing gifts and commitments for the center to $36 million.

The new center, to be named the Magnuson Family Center for Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth College, will be a dynamic hub for faculty, student, and alumni connected to any department or school at Dartmouth. It will be located in a new, state-of-the-art building on the west end of campus, along with computer science and engineering programs and also near the Tuck School of Business.

Announced as part of The Call to Lead, Dartmouth’s $3 billion campaign, the center’s fundamental mission will be to:

• Attract more entrepreneurially minded students and faculty;
• Offer students a robust mix of co-curricular programs to develop their business; skills, as well as providing programs for faculty and alumni;
• Expand the diversity of new venture ideas across the campus;
• Increase the placement of students in internship positions; and
• Contribute to solving complex world problems