Collat School of Business News
![Kenny Wolfe with his wife Toni and Kristen Craig.](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/Kenny-Wolfe-Kristen-Craig.jpg)
Collat alumnus names endowed scholarship for Industrial Distribution advisor
Collat alumnus and Lighting Solutions President Kenny Wolfe has donated $30,000 to create the Lighting Solutions Kristen Craig Endowed Scholarship in Industrial Distribution (ID) to honor Collat ID advisor Kristen Craig for her mentorship and dedication to student success within the Charles and Patsy Collat ID Program.
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UAB establishes NSF Innovation Corps site to Further innovation and commercialization
The National Science Foundation has designated the University of Alabama at Birmingham as an Innovation Corps Site opens a new website to strengthen local innovation and foster the engagement of student, staff, faculty and researcher teams in transitioning technology concepts into the marketplace.
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Business grad is first alumnus to give $1M to Collat
UAB alumnus Chad Hagwood is one of Birmingham's top commercial real estate finance professionals, so it's no surprise that he's especially over-the-moon about this aspect of the new Collat School of Business building: Location, location, location.
![Architect's rendering of the new Collat building.](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/collat_iie_rendering.jpeg)
UAB breaks ground for new Collat School of Business and Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship building
UAB officials and Birmingham business leaders broke ground today for the new building that will house the Collat School of Business and Bill L. Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship opens a new website.
Community leaders including Charles Collat, Mayer Electric chairman emeritus, Ed Aldag of Medical Properties Trust, and Billy Harbert of BL Harbert International were in attendance to help shovel the first pile of dirt at the site, ceremoniously kicking off construction of the project, which is expected to officially begin Dec. 19, lasting 18 months.
"We're excited today," said Eric Jack, Ph.D., dean of the Collat School of Business. "We believe that, when completed, this state-of-the-art facility will truly allow us to transform what we do at UAB. This new building, where business students can meet with others from across campus to collaborate, will enhance students' ability to participate in hands-on work on intellectual property owned by the university, to write business plans, to start companies — what a wonderful, bold idea that we can use to help contribute to creating an innovative Birmingham community."
Read more at UAB News opens a new website![](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/Kathryn-McGriff-news-preview.jpg)
MPH/MBA student spotlight: Kathryn McGriff
When Kathryn McGriff was in high school, she and a group of friends made a bet to climb a rock wall in their local gym. Kathryn tackled the bet and climbed the wall.
![Preliminary rendering of the new building's interior.](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/new_collat_int.jpeg)
Lead gift of $1 million from Medical Properties Trust to support new building for UAB's Collat School of Business
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. opens a new website has donated $1 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham to serve as a lead gift in funding a new state-of-the-art building for the Collat School of Business and the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship opens a new website.
![Group shot of Collat faculty.](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/old-faculty-shot-news-preview.jpg)
Collat School of Business sets impressive example
The faculty and staff of the Collat School of Business have displayed a standard of giving that is exactly what The Campaign for UAB is all about, working together to make UAB the best.
![Dr. Eric Jack, PhD (Dean, School of Business) and Charles Collat (donor)](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/charles-collat-dr-jack.jpg)
Radio interview with Charles Collat about why they give to UAB
Charles Collat interviewed during half-time at the UAB vs. Northwestern State game on September 21, 2013.
![Dr. Watts shaking hands with Charles Collat at the naming of the school.](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/collat-naming-2013.jpg)
Proudly named the Collat School of Business
The UAB School of Business is named for longtime supporters Charles and Patsy Collat in recognition of their $25 million in gifts and pledges to the school.
![Charles and Patsy Collat with a portrait of Mayer Electric Founder Ben Weil, Patsy's father.](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/Collats-with-painting.jpeg)
Board acknowledges $25 million gift, approves naming as UAB's Collat School of Business
The UAB School of Business will be named for longtime supporters Charles and Patsy Collat in recognition of their $25 million in gifts and pledges to the school.
![Meredith Burbank.](/business/home/images/photos/news/pre-2020/Meredith-Burbank.jpg)
Students Poised to Compete for Top Firms
Accounting student Meredith Burbank scored five offers from top firms, including two from the Big Four, during the highly competitive spring internship recruitment season for accounting. Plus, she already has a summer internship lined up with HealthSouth.