Students Lydia Lee, Joe Yurchesyn, Director Michael Sanderson and Jada Joseph tour the new Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre under construction
Supporting their deep commitment to student success and educational excellence, Arthur, Sandra and Sarah Irving, along with the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation and Irving Oil, have announced a transformational gift of $5 million to accelerate the expansion of Saint Mary's University's Entrepreneurship Centre. In recognition of this generosity, the space will be named the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.
A concentration of entrepreneurial excellence at Saint Mary’s University, the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, its programs and activities, is unique in the Atlantic region. The centre attracts students from all disciplines, connecting them with professors, researchers and Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, and enables them to explore their entrepreneurial ambitions, develop their skills, and build important relationships.
“We are inspired by Saint Mary University’s deep and caring commitment to their students,” says Sandra Irving, who holds an honorary degree from the university. “We’re very proud to support their work to lead in entrepreneurial education with the development of the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre–a place we hope will spark innovation, inspire collaboration and help to make students’ dreams a reality.”
The state-of-the-art centre will encompass the second floor of the Sobeys Inspiration Hub, designed to be an entrepreneurship and innovation superhighway with traffic in all directions between the Sobey School of Business, as well as the faculties of arts, science and graduate studies. The centre will encompass a range of innovative and collaborative spaces including a digital prototyping lab and a podcasting studio, in support of excellence in student programming including open innovation, the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program and world-class competitions.
“At Irving Oil, we are proud to support a diverse network of students, where they will have access to mentorship from business experts, innovative technology and educational opportunities to help them realize their full potential,” says Irving Oil President Ian Whitcomb. “Saint Mary’s University is renowned for educational excellence and developing young business minds that support the region’s talent pool.”
“This generous gift from the Arthur L. Irving family, the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation, and Irving Oil will expand our student programs, developing the full potential of student entrepreneurs and empowering them to lead change and build a better world,” says Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.
The Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre’s new home is currently under construction and is the centrepiece of the $43-million Sobeys Inspiration Hub, which is slated to open in the fall of 2023.
“My dad is passionate about business, about people–our employees at Irving Oil, our customers,” says Sarah Irving, Executive Vice President of Irving Oil. “The Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre recognizes his life’s work to create opportunities in Atlantic Canada and inspire others to do the same. Thank you to Saint Mary’s University for this very special honour in his name–to long inspire our entrepreneurial leaders of tomorrow.”
The provincial, national and international networks and connections that the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre fosters will benefit Saint Mary’s University, the community and the Atlantic Region. The young entrepreneurs who bring their energy and ideas to the marketplace will be contributing to a robust and innovative economy for the entire region.
“We are deeply grateful for the enriched student experience and enhanced programming enabled by the deep generosity of the Irving family,” says Entrepreneurship Centre Director Michael Sanderson. “Their belief in the mission of the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, their commitment to student scholarship and entrepreneurship, and their generosity enable us to enhance Saint Mary’s University’s national reputation and international reach as a leader in entrepreneurial education.”