Jim and Connie ALderson with their grandson. Photo courtesy of Aldersons.
College of Business Receives Gift
to Fund Entrepreneurship Program
MSU graduate Jim Alderson, ’69 Acct, who garnered international publicity for blowing the whistle on Medicare fraud by one of the nation’s largest commercial hospital chains, and his wife, Connie, have recently made a substantial gift to the MSU College of Business’ Entrepreneurship Program.
Alderson’s gift, the amount of which is undisclosed, will establish the Alderson Program in Entrepreneurship in the college. Rich Semenik, dean of the college, announced the gift at the college’s recent annual scholarship banquet.
The gift will benefit MSU students by providing scholarships, field research grants, curriculum development and specialized course work in programs established in the college’s Entrepreneurship Program.
“The gift is of a magnitude that will put funding for this program on par with some of the most prestigious programs in the country,” Semenik said in announcing the gift.
“My experience in whistle blowing taught me what a good education I had at MSU, and it prepared me to compete at any level,” Alderson said of his reason for endowing the gift. “I want to see that expanded. Equally as important, I think that entrepreneurism is the answer to Montana’s economic problems. If we can teach chemists and engineers to get a patent and then form their companies in Montana, we will be able to create many good paying jobs.”

“Jim and Connie Alderson share our vision for the importance and impact of entrepreneurship education for students in the state of Montana,” Semenik said. “They felt that this sort of training would not only benefit the individual student but the Montana economy, as well. Their generosity will affect students immediately and for generations to come. We are deeply grateful.”

For more information about the Montana State University Foundation, please visit their website at www.montana.edu/foundation.