Eren and Fatih Ozmen, owners of the global aerospace and national security company Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), recently announced a $1.13 million gift to the University of Nevada, Reno to launch an Aerospace and Defense Academy. The Academy will support the development of a skilled workforce and foster small business growth for the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry. The Academy will be housed under the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business.
“I am thrilled to continue to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in unique ways,” said Eren Ozmen. “Fatih and I have always been committed to paying it forward to the next generation, and establishing this academy to build a formal infrastructure to support future entrepreneurs is a dream come true.”
The Aerospace and Defense Academy will support both workforce and small business development. The Academy will develop resources and business platforms to aid small and woman-owned businesses looking to support the A&D industry. Additionally, the Academy will help build a strong workforce by inspiring new career paths in A&D through programming like high school outreach initiatives and a focused micro-credential program. The three-year pilot program is in development and will include a mix of in-person and virtual classes.
“The Aerospace and Defense Academy will help address the growing workforce gap of skilled individuals in the aerospace and defense industry, as well as develop new, qualified, small businesses to support the Department of Defense,” said Brian Sandoval, president of the University of Nevada, Reno.
The academy also recently appointed Solange Massa as their director. Massa is the founder and CEO of Ecoatoms, a company dedicated to developing biological solutions for the aerospace industry. Massa brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the A&D industry as well as small business support programs.
“As the Director of this new academy, it is my pleasure to contribute to the training of the aerospace and defense workforce of the future,” said Massa. “This new endeavor has the goals of providing new graduates with the necessary tools to succeed in aerospace and defense industries while engaging with our society to promote future STEM workforce development.”
In light of these objectives, Eren Ozmen highlighted the importance of nurturing small businesses within the aerospace and defense sector.
“SNC began as a small business, so we are passionate about reducing barriers for other small businesses to support the aerospace and defense industry,” added Ozmen. “Building a marketplace ecosystem for A&D, small and women-owned businesses and helping them to scale will support a strong A&D industrial base and our country’s national security.”
This gift is the most recent in a decade-long legacy of giving to University of Nevada, Reno by the Ozmens, including establishment of the Ozmen Institute for Global Studies and the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
“We are very thankful to Eren and Fatih Ozmen for their support of the University and the Ozmen Center,” said Mehmet Tosun, director of the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship. “This new academy is a great addition to our existing entrepreneurship programs and we are excited that Solange Massa has joined our Center to lead this unique initiative.”
College of Business Dean Greg Mosier echoed this sentiment, stating, “Aerospace and defense are great industries to build our capacities around and the generous support from Eren and Fatih Ozmen has given us the inspiration and opportunity to launch this unique program which will support both the future workforce and small businesses.”
