ORANGE: The Shah Happiness Foundation has made a generous gift to establish The Shah Family Endowed Chair in Innovativeness at Chapman University’s George L Argryos College of Business and Economics. This philanthropic initiative aims to stimulate innovation, education, and research at the intersection of high-tech thinking and low-tech industries, a statement said.
The Shah Family Endowed Chair will be instrumental in promoting creative thinking by means of a semester-long course named "Creativity and Innovation - Corporate Entrepreneurship." The endowed chair will also actively participate in service and research projects, looking into the effective integration of high-tech ideas with low-tech sectors.
Recently honored with the Business Excellence Award by Argryos College, Matt Parlow, Chapman’s executive vice president, and chief advancement officer expressed satisfaction with the partnership, stating, “We couldn’t be more pleased that such esteemed business leaders are partnering with Chapman in this endeavor.”
The endowment also includes plans to provide internships to Chapman students, creating a collaborative bridge between academia and industry. These internships will offer hands-on experience, reflecting the transformative journey of the Shahs in the surfacing industry and the founding of their company, M S International, Inc. (MSI).
Henrik Cronqvist, dean of Argryos College, highlighted Manu Shah’s approach at MSI, stating, “What Manu did at MSI was apply high-tech thinking and innovativeness to a low-tech stone industry.” The endowment aims to express the Shah family’s commitment to education, innovation, and social impact.
The Shah Family Endowed Chair will host events with leaders from the community and around the country who have effectively incorporated high-tech ideas into low-tech sectors, giving children priceless educational opportunities. The project will conclude in The Shah Family Awards for Innovativeness, an annual awards programme that will honour innovators in this field.