$100,000 Wilmot Gift Enhances Entrepreneurship Opportunities at SU
SALISBURY, MD---Upon reflecting on his time at Salisbury University, Mike Wilmot ’82 credits perseverance, networking, and the rigorous courses in the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business as the pillars of his entrepreneurial success.
“SU was my foundation to starting and sustaining a successful business,” he said. “There’s so much that goes into a business, and I’d advise every student to excel in the financial courses, never lose your passion even when it gets hard, and build a knowledgeable and trustworthy community around yourself because you can’t do it alone.”
Over 40 years later, he and his wife, Kathy, are supporting students embarking on their own dreams of becoming successful business owners through a $100,000 gift to SU’s Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship.
“The Wilmots are incomparable mentors for SU business students,” said Jason Curtin ’98, SU vice president of advancement and executive director of the SU Foundation, Inc. “We are so appreciative for their support and mentorship of the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
Wilmot started Wilmot Modular Structures in 1989 and has earned more than 30 awards from the Modular Building Institute. He also is a recipient of The Daily Record’s Icon Honors, Smart CEO, and Circle of Excellence awards.
“I’m amazed at the expansion of course offerings and programs available to students,” said Wilmot. “From sales and marketing to the fast-paced pitch competitions, what an outstanding thing to teach young people and have them apply what they’ve learned in real-world scenarios.”
The Wilmots served as judges during SU’s fall Idea Factory student competition, during which students pitch their business idea posters to a panel of industry leaders.
“These students are inspiring and they will be able to go on with a greater understanding of pushing themselves out of their comfort zones, be willing to make sacrifices, and that will translate to generating more opportunities, employees, and capital in the long-run,” Wilmot said.
The entrepreneurship center and its programs serve as SU’s downtown hub for innovation, ideas, and entrepreneurial development. Students and community members benefit the center’s makerspace, a wet lab geared toward science startups, an ecosystem partners’ office, and a shared co-working space for SU student entrepreneurs and winners of the University’s Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Shore Hatchery and student entrepreneurship competitions.
For more information about SU and opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours, visit the SU website.