Supporting the TEC 

Why do the College of Engineering and the TEC need my support? 

State funding for higher education accounts for less than 19% of the University’s total budget—a significant decline from the nearly 50% in the early 1980s. Without the support of alumni, corporate partners and friends, the college and its departments cannot continue to provide education, research, and public service at the standard of excellence that is associated with Engineering at Illinois. 

The Technology Entrepreneur Center was created in 1999 to provide the education, experiences, and resources that engineering students need to become successful entrepreneurs through leadership and the creation of new ventures. TEC's courses and co-curricular activities expose students to the complex concepts inherent in the simultaneous processes of technology innovation and market adoption. The TEC also offers on-site and online certificate programs for education and professional development, and hosts outreach activities for students and alumni, such as the Illini-TEC forums, in several major cities. The TEC also hosts the annual Cozad Business Plan Competition, and administers the $30,000 Lemelson-Illinois Student Prize for outstanding innovation.  

Although part of the College of Engineering, the Center is interdisciplinary, having affiliated faculty members from several departments and colleges.  As it expands to provide more experiential learning opportunities for engineering students, and to help the College of Engineering to be as successful and well-known for the successes of its entrepreneurs as it is for its engineers, the TEC needs the help and support of alumni and friends. 

Please refer to the information below to learn more about the online giving opportunities available to Technology Entrepreneur Center alumni and friends. You may give online using a secure University of Illinois server.RC 

There are several opportunities for sponsorship of TEC programs and activities, including: 

• V. Dale Cozad Business Plan Competition
  Awards are donated by supporters of this business plan competition.
  

• Illini-TEC Forum 
  Sponsors of the Illini-TEC Forum are often guest speakers at forum events.
  

• Charm School for Engineers
  Sponsors are exposed to top-notch engineering students enrolled in TEC’s all-day  charm school event. 

• Distinguished Entrepreneur Lecture Series 
  Illustrious entrepreneurs will visit the University of Illinois campus to deliver a lecture on an annual basis.
  

• Innovation Hall of Fame 
  Through the TEC, the College of Engineering will honor one of its remarkable innovators in an annual induction.
  

• Student Entrepreneur Learning Lab (SELL)
  Students can utilize the tools that they need to pursue prototype development in an entrepreneurial environment.
  

For more information about these and other sponsorship opportunities with the Technology Entrepreneur Center, please contact:

Rhiannon Clifton 
Assistant Director 
rclifton@uiuc.edu | (217) 244-4035