HARIBO, the original inventor of the gummi bear and the world’s leading manufacturer of gummi products, is stepping up to sweeten the college experience for students in Northern Illinois University’s College of Business.
A family-owned business with a century-long heritage, HARIBO’s founder, Hans Riegel, built the company on a foundation of quality and delivering moments of childlike happiness. HARIBO values supporting the communities in which they live and work, and the company recently announced that it will make gifts to the college to support students, faculty and local businesses in a number of ways:
- HARIBO Scholars – The company will support students by funding five partial scholarships within the college each year for the next decade.
- Dean’s Strategic Fund – A significant portion of the gift will be devoted to this fund, which helps cover a variety of needs including: professional development for faculty; sending students to competitions; helping to pay for student study abroad experiences; buying textbooks and computers for students in need; and enhancing alumni outreach.
- IGNITE Program – Operated in conjunction with the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation, HARIBO will support IGNITE, which allows start-ups, local businesses and not-for-profit organizations to easily connect with and hire NIU College of Business students who gain valuable experience while assisting with professional tasks and projects.
- HARIBO Fellows – Funds from the gift will support outstanding faculty.
“All of these efforts will ultimately assist the college in preparing NIU students for the challenges of the global economy” said Dean Balaji Rajagopalan. “For instance, it will help launch new experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students with startups across the world and create new opportunities for them to work for not-for-profits that impact communities thousands of miles from home.”
“This gift will transform lives and have a profound impact on the college as we strengthen alumni relationships, support student needs and invest in strategic projects that will keep the college on the cutting edge,” said Rajagopalan. “It will help ensure that our graduates launch their professional careers ready to engage, adapt and lead in a globalized world from day one, allowing them to transform their lives, communities, and society.”
In fact, the partnership with HARIBO is due in no small part to an NIU alum who has found success in the global marketplace. Wes Saber, a graduate of NIU’s Executive MBA program who serves as Chief Financial Officer for HARIBO, was key to nurturing the relationship that ultimately brought the college and HARIBO together.
In recognition of the gift, the ground-floor atrium of the college of business building, Barsema Hall, will now be known as HARIBO Commons. At a dedication ceremony on Aug. 17, Babatu Short, HARIBO Vice President of Human Resources, explained that HARIBO has a long history of supporting education and community service, and partnering with NIU advances both of those goals.
“That commitment aligns beautifully with NIU, which produces world-class students who not only go on to serve their communities but also make an impact statewide, in the region and – based upon some of the amazing talent created by NIU – the world,” Babatu said. “We are very proud of this partnership, and we are honored to be here today.”
Reshared from NIU Today.
