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12/04/2023 - Shah Family Endows Chair in Innovativeness in the Chapman University’s Argyros College of Business and Economics

12/04/2023

ORANGE, CALIF. (PRWEB)

The Shah Family Endowed Chair will be a catalyst in promoting innovative thinking through a dedicated full-semester course titled Creativity and Innovation—Corporate Entrepreneurship. This unique educational endeavor will provide students with direct exposure to advanced technology in traditional sectors, equipping them with the essential skills and innovative mindset required for success in these industries.

In addition to its educational mission, the Shah Family Endowed Chair will actively engage in research and service activities, exploring the successful application of high-tech thinking to low-tech industries. Research areas will include employment trends, job satisfaction, and the impact of technology on traditional sectors.

The endowment also includes plans to offer internships to Chapman students, fostering a collaborative bridge between academia and industry. These internships will provide students with hands-on experience, mirroring the Shahs’ transformative journey in the surfacing industry and the founding of their company, M S International, Inc. (MSI).

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The Shah Family Endowed Chair will host events featuring local and national leaders who have successfully applied high-tech thinking to low-tech industries, providing students with invaluable opportunities to learn from their experiences. The initiative will culminate in an annual awards program, The Shah Family Awards for Innovativeness, recognizing leaders in this domain.

The Shah Family Endowed Chair in Innovativeness has a mission to share research findings, case studies and best practices nationally. The ultimate goal is to prepare the next generation of innovative low-tech industry leaders and entrepreneurs equipped with the skills to adapt and thrive.

The Shah Family expresses their deep commitment to education, innovation, and social impact through this endowment. This initiative aligns with their longstanding dedication to making dreams a reality and their significant impact through the Shah Happiness Foundation.

In addition to the endowed chair, the Shah Family recently had a room named after them in Beckman Hall, titled the Shah Happiness Room for Innovativeness.

About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university located in Southern California. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution and offers personalized education to more than 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Based in the City of Orange, Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. In 2019, the university opened its 11th college, Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering, in its newest facility, Keck Center for Science and Engineering.

About M S International, Inc. (MSI)
Founded in 1975, MSI is a leading supplier of flooring, countertop, wall tile, and hardscaping products in North America. Headquartered in Orange, California, MSI maintains over 45 state-of-the-art showrooms and distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada, with domestically sourced products for Q™ Premium Natural Quartz in Latta, South Carolina, and Premium LVT in Cartersville, Georgia. MSI's product assortment includes an extensive offering of quartz, LVT, tile, natural stone, and glass products imported from over 37 countries on six continents.

For more information about MSI's philanthropic efforts, please visit https://www.msisurfaces.com/corporate/charitable-trust.aspx.