Michigan State University’s Broad College Business Pavilion, now in its second year of construction, received a $500,000 gift from Executive MBA, or EMBA, alumnus Frank Yang.
The Yang family’s gift to the Business Pavilion, slated to open fall 2019, will support one of four flexible classrooms in the facility.
“Frank Yang’s gift for the Business Pavilion is a testament to his belief in our commitment to provide the best possible student experience to every Broad Spartan,” said Sanjay Gupta, the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean. “We are very proud to have someone of Frank’s stature associated with this project. This investment in our students will fundamentally transform the Broad student experience.”
Yang, president of automotive supplier INCODEL Michigan LLC in Romulus, Mich., says the Broad College ignited his passion for entrepreneurship.
“The EMBA program at MSU means a lot to me,” Yang said. “The vibrant college culture, strong branding, and networking associated with MSU made a very big impact on me.”
Yang’s gift was developed out of the professional relationship with Lucy Maillette, the college’s current director of new academic initiatives and former EMBA director.
“She and some EMBA faculty are among the essential mentors in my career and life,” Yang said.
The flexible classroom funded by Yang, which will be known as the INCODEL Michigan classroom, will be customizable for multiple uses, and amplifies the Pavilion’s mission to be a place of engagement and team-building for students, faculty, alumni and employers.
The state-of-the-art $62 million facility will span 100,000 square feet and serve undergraduate and graduate students, and house career services, an entrepreneurship lab and modernized classrooms.
“This building is not just a space to enhance the student experience. It goes far beyond this,” Gupta said. “The new Business Pavilion is a symbol, a point of pride and a statement made toward teaching and learning, while ultimately allowing students to achieve Spartan goals and dreams.”
Yang joined the EMBA program after leaving a full-time job, determined to start his own business.
“The first step of my business plan was to apply for the EMBA program at MSU,” he said.
Originally from China, Yang earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, and an master’s in engineering from Wayne State University. The EMBA program offered Yang an opportunity to share ideas, test business concepts and travel. During his time in the EMBA program, Yang logged many trips to China, Europe and Brazil, building his business along the way. Since graduating, his global career includes roles in international shipping, the steel industry and as a global automotive supplier.