Celebrating Innovation and Learning at Felician University

Rutherford, NJ – April 5, 2019 – Felician University’s School of Business and Information Sciences and the Center for Innovation and Professional Studies announces a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the new Lenke Family Innovation Lab (i-Lab) and the School of Business and Information Sciences. The ceremony will be held at Ray’s Place (Room 103) in the Education Commons building on the Rutherford campus on Thursday, April 11 at 5:00 p.m.

The Lenke Family i-Lab is located in Sr. Theresa Mary Martin Hall, a modernized building which houses the School of Business and Information Sciences. It is designed to fit the needs of creative minds and is also home to a trading room where students have a front row view of the stock market each day. The i-Lab is an open, creative space for students and the community to ideate, collaborate, and bring ideas into fruition. There is a computer space and the walls are filled with whiteboard paint, so students can write their ideas all over the walls, see each other’s work, and be active participants in bringing their innovative ideas to life.

The Lenke Family i-lab is available to current students and members of the community who are looking to explore innovation and entrepreneurship at any stage. It will provide the physical and intellectual resources needed to develop and grow as entrepreneurs, including one-to-one advising with industry experts, workshops, and an innovation competition. The cornerstone of the i-Lab is the Incubator Program, which helps students learn about the common challenges and obstacles of starting a business and provides the support and functional guidance needed to make what is often a rocky journey into a smoother one.

Felician University is pleased to announce that David S. Rose will be the keynote speaker at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Mr. Rose is an Inc. 500 CEO, serial entrepreneur and angel investor who has founded or funded over 100 pioneering companies. He has been described by Forbes as “New York’s Archangel,” by Crain’s New York Business as “the father of angel investing in New York,” and by Red Herring magazine as “patriarch of Silicon Alley.” He is the New York Times best-selling author of Angel Investing: The Gust Guide to Making Money and Having Fun Investing in Startups and The Startup Checklist: 25 Steps to a Scalable, High-Growth Business. He will be speaking to the Felician community about entrepreneurship and innovation. Students, faculty, and all attendees will have the incredible opportunity to hear from a man whose extensive experience in entrepreneurship provides invaluable lessons.

Felician University’s School of Business and Information Sciences and the Center for Innovation and Professional Studies is known for its new and innovative learning methods. The Lenke Family i-Lab is the realization of the School’s interest in entrepreneurial thought, innovation, and the expression of student ability. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will celebrate not only the School of Business and Information Sciences and the i-Lab, but all that they represent in their strides towards positive change.

The University will also welcome attendees to a follow-up event on May 17, 2019, which will be a naming ceremony honoring the Lenke Family.

About Felician University

Felician University engages over 2,300 undergraduate, graduate, and adult students through programs in arts & sciences, business, nursing, and education. Universal Franciscan values of social justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity serve as an inclusive foundation for transforming the lives of tomorrow’s leaders. Felician University’s education is ranked 3rd best return on investment for private colleges in New Jersey 2018 by the PayScale.com College ROI Report and is ranked #1 safest college campus in the state by niche.com. To learn more about Felician University, please visit www.felician.edu.