USD Magazine Summer 2019

TORERO  NEWS

Ron Fowler, former chair of USD’s Board of Trustees, has long been a champion of USD’s Changemaker mission. He and his wife, Alexis, recently gave $2.6 million to USD to promote entrepreneurship.

F o w l e r g i f t w i l l i n s p i r e a g e n e r a t i o n o f s t u d e n t s [ v i s i o n a r y ] MAKING A DIFFERENCE

School of Entrepreneurship. Patricia Márquez, dean of USD’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, says Ron Fowler is a lifelong visionary whose gift will inspire an entire genera- tion of students. She believes it will start a worldwide move- ment in which students apply their knowledge in innovative ways to solve humanity’s most challenging problems with a vast array of tools, technologies and opportunities. “This gift means students around the world can roll up their sleeves and build what needs to be built,” Márquez says. “It will expand the movement be- yond just USD and the University of St. Thomas, and inspire stu- dents to shape a better world.” The balance of the gift will be used to establish the Fowler Business Concept Challenge at USD, similar to a program already offered at the University of St. Thomas. In the case of both the Fowler Business Concept Challenge and the Fowler Global Social Innova- tion Challenge, great work at one university is being replicated at another, therefore propelling so- cial innovation on both campuses. “That’s Ron Fowler’s great vision,”Márquez says. “If one uni- versity can do so much, imagine what 20 or 30 or 100 universities from around the world can do. The Fowlers are making this possible with their generosity.”

LUIS GARCIA

by Krystn Shrieve

F

as the Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge.

tion, not just at USD, but also at my own alma mater.” The Social Innovation Chal- lenge was established in 2011. It was renamed the Global Social Innovation Challenge in 2018 and will now bear the Fowler name. This year, the challenge is expected to award more than $50,000 in seed funding to the winning propos- als, presented by student teams from 12 countries on six conti- nents. The Fowlers’ gift will also help the University of St. Thom- as in St. Paul, Minnesota to es- tablish a similar program in its

ormer USD Board of Trust- ees Chair Ron Fowler and his wife, Alexis, recently

“I’ve always been a champion of USD’s Changemaker mission,” says Ron Fowler, who was serving as chair of USD’s Board of Trustees when the university became the first university on the West Coast designated as an Ashoka Changemaker Campus. “It’s been an honor to witness the countless ways USD has made a difference in the community, across the nation and around the world. And now I’m proud to bol- ster that spirit of social innova-

gave $2.6 million to USD to pro- mote entrepreneurship endeav- ors through a new partnership between the University of San Diego and his alma mater, the University of St. Thomas. In addi- tion, Ron and Alexis have encour- aged USD to establish a match- ing challenge to double the gift and double its impact. The majority of the gift, $2.5 million, will support social innovation at USD through what will now be known worldwide

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