TERRE HAUTE – Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has announced a transformative $10 million gift from alumnus Niles Noblitt and his wife, Nancy, to establish the Noblitt Entrepreneurship Program (NEP), a newly endowed initiative focused on fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and business-focused opportunities for students.
The announcement was made during the college’s annual Sawmill Society weekend, a gathering of entrepreneurial alumni and students who network and mentor while learning more about the next generation of innovators at Rose-Hulman, according to a provided news release.
The NEP will provide students with education and hands-on experiences working with faculty on experiences related to entrepreneurship and the principles of the free market. Through this initiative, students will gain valuable insights into turning ideas into real-world solutions, reinforcing the problem-solving mindset that Rose-Hulman instills in its graduates.
Niles Noblitt — the former Board of Trustees chair who earned a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering from Rose-Hulman in 1973 and was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering in 1996 — credits his Rose-Hulman education with shaping his problem-solving approach, a skill that played a key role in his success as a co-founder of Biomet Inc., a Warsaw-based biomedical device company now known as Zimmer Biomet.
Noblitt was inducted into the Indiana Academy in 2022 for his achievements and contributions to the state.
"This remarkable gift from Niles and Nancy aligns perfectly with Rose-Hulman’s Advancing by Design strategic plan, which prioritizes innovation, discovery, and entrepreneurship," said Rose-Hulman President Robert A. Coons. "We are deeply grateful for the Noblitts’ continued support and commitment to empowering our students with the knowledge and skills to drive meaningful change in the world. Their continued generosity and vision will ensure that future generations of students have access to resources, mentorship, and experiences that encourage entrepreneurial thinking and innovation."
As a natural extension of Rose-Hulman’s Innovation Grove project, the NEP will create a new endowed position, the Noblitt Family Endowed Chair for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, that will focus a newly hired faculty member on coordinating the many opportunities for students, faculty and alumni to connect, and build opportunities for collaboration within a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment.
“Attending Rose-Hulman was a life-changing experience for me, and it may not have been possible without the scholarships that supported my education,” said Niles Noblitt. “My time at Rose-Hulman instilled in me a problem-solving mindset that has been invaluable throughout my career. Nancy and I want to ensure that future generations of students have the same opportunities I did — to dream big, take risks, and turn ideas into reality. We’re excited to support a program that will inspire innovation and entrepreneurship for years to come.”
The Noblitts have been longstanding supporters of Rose-Hulman, previously contributing $10 million to launch the Noblitt Scholars Program, a first-of-its-kind college-based merit and leadership scholars program designed to transform the world’s most gifted STEM students into future science and industry leaders. Their ongoing generosity underscores their dedication to strengthening Rose-Hulman’s mission of preparing students for impact-driven careers.