The Dean’s Leadership Circle (DLC) Grant Initiative offers students, staff and faculty the chance to secure up to $10,000 in funding for innovative projects ranging from stock market simulators that teach students investment literacy to faculty research leveraging AI to analyze patterns of fraud.
Grant finalists must pitch their ideas at the annual DLC Grant Pitch Competition in April to an esteemed judging panel and an audience of 100+ alumni, students, staff, faculty, DLC members and industry partners.
By supporting the DLC Grant Initiative, you invest directly in Merage School talent at all levels advancing programs focused on talent pipeline development, career preparedness, inclusive learning, and building industry connections.
In just three years since its launch, the DLC Grant Initiative has grown from awarding $15,800 to $56,000 per grant cycle – 100% supported by gifts of all sizes. With your help, we can continue increasing our impact on our most visionary students, staff and faculty seeking to change the future landscape of business.
Hear directly from our grantees:
What was your favorite part of the DLC Grant Pitch process?
“I enjoyed being able to do a formal pitch in front of accomplished professionals. I feel that prepared me for my career and presentations in the future.”
– Lauren Delgado, Marketing Association, 2023 Student Grantee
“My favorite part of the process was being able to pitch alongside our entire community from undergraduates to faculty, from PhD students to staff, and doing this in front of our DLC membership. It was valuable to hear about all the great ideas that are emerging from our own talent pool and to see these ideas come to reality for our team. The DLC grant allowed us to provide a world-class experience to our 50 worthy SIEML students.”
– Lisa Shulman, Summer Institute for Emerging Leaders (SIEML), 2023 Staff Grantee
| Rank | State | Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CA | 20 |
| 2 | PA | 1 |
| 3 | AA | 0 |
