March 5, 2025
At Utah Valley University’s Woodbury School of Business, the Baugh Entrepreneurship Institute stands as a beacon of opportunity and innovation. With a clear commitment to empowering students and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit, the institute has become a catalytic force both on campus and across Utah.
In February, a ribbon-cutting ceremony honored UVU alumni Chelsea and Casey Baugh for their recent donation, which will strengthen the institute’s long-term impact on student entrepreneurs and Utah’s business community.
“The Baugh’s contribution is game-changing for us,” Institute director Seth Jenson said during the event. “These programs are helping our students monetize their art to the tune of tens of thousands in just one semester.”
Since its founding, the institute has been a trailblazer in supporting student-run businesses. Nearly half of its participants are women, and a staggering 80% of student alumni have gone on to launch businesses in Utah, making a lasting contribution to the state’s economy.
By supporting and enhancing key programs, such as for-credit courses, the donation enables students to create revenue-generating businesses in collaboration with industry experts and gain practical entrepreneurial skills outside the classroom.
Hunter Anderton, a student and institute participant who went from working in a warehouse to operating his own profitable business in six months, shared how the center gave him critical resources to launch his company, relating it to skydiving.
“I’ve heard entrepreneurship posed as an opportunity to jump out of an airplane and get the privilege of building your parachute while you fall,” Anderton said. “Now, I would pose that entrepreneurship with the Baugh Institute is more like a skydiving simulator; you get all the thrill of falling without the risk of splatting.”
The Baughs’ support also reflects their belief in Utah’s business-friendly environment and UVU’s unique role at the heart of the local economy. Casey Baugh emphasized that the university’s culture of innovation and opportunity was a natural fit for their investment.
“I love Utah County. We love what it’s about, we love the culture, we love the entrepreneurial spirit; there’s just good people here,” Baugh said. “UVU is right at the center of where everything’s happening. It’s this beautiful perpetual cycle, and we’re so honored to be right in the middle of it.”
As UVU continues to grow as a hub for student innovation, its leaders hope this gift will inspire additional partnerships, expanding opportunities for students to transform their entrepreneurial visions into reality.
The information in this article is current as of the publishing date and is intended for informational purposes only. This article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal, tax, or business advice. Any resources and organizations mentioned, unless an entity of or a partner of the state of Utah, are not formally endorsed by the Startup State Initiative or state of Utah.
Photo courtesy of the UVU Baugh Entrepreneurship Institute