University of Oregon Gifted $10 Million for Entrepreneurship, Innovation

• A $10 million gift to the University of Oregon will boost the school's entrepreneurship and innovation efforts.
• The gift comes from the estate of Gerry and Marilyn Cameron, who were longtime supporters of the school.
• Part of the donation will go toward the Oregon Innovation Challenge at the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship, which helps mentor and support student entrepreneurship efforts.
• The gift will also establish the Cameron Entrepreneur in Residence, who will help mentor students at the university.

A $10 million gift to the University of Oregon (UO) is set to help bolster the school's entrepreneurship and innovation efforts.

The high-demand field of entrepreneurship means high-risk, high-reward business opportunities. College entrepreneurship programs focus on helping students make innovative ideas a reality — and preparing students for the difficult task of starting their own ventures.

The University of Oregon offers undergraduate concentrations in entrepreneurship to help students carve their own path in the business world. And the $10 million gift will help bolster the university's efforts in that area.

Oregon's Lundquist College of Business and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact will each benefit from the gift, which was made from the estate of Gerry and Marilyn Cameron, according to a press release. The couple were longtime supporters of the school who previously established scholarships and faculty chairs through their philanthropic efforts for the school.

Part of the donation will go toward the Oregon Innovation Challenge at the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship, which helps mentor and support student entrepreneurship efforts. The gift will also serve to establish the Cameron Entrepreneur in Residence, who will help mentor students at the university.

"This gift is accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Oregon, and I hope it will inspire others to invest in this area of strategic importance to our institution," UO President Karl Scholz said in the release.

"We have always been about innovation at the University of Oregon. It is our legacy and our future. Thank you, Gerry and Marilyn, Sue and Paul, and the Cameron and McDonald families, for making a lasting impact on our students, the university, the state and the world."

Sue McDonald and Paul Cameron, the couple's children, underscored their parents' dedication to the university in the release.

"They loved the University of Oregon and helping its students succeed," McDonald said.

"So, when we were approached about supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, faculty and student startups at the University of Oregon, we felt it was a fantastic way to honor our parents and their passion. For them, there was nothing more important than education. They made it clear to us throughout their lifetimes that this is what they wanted."