DUBUQUE, Iowa — The University of Dubuque is embarking on a transformative chapter for its business curriculum, fueled by a multi-million dollar contribution from the Robert W. Plaster Foundation. The university announced this week that its business school will be rebranded as the Robert W. Plaster School of Business, a move that coincides with the institution’s ongoing efforts to integrate physical infrastructure with modern, collaborative learning models.
The substantial donation serves as a cornerstone for the university’s $150 million “Momentum Campaign.” While the financial details of the “seven-figure” gift remain specific to the foundation’s investment in campus infrastructure, the partnership marks a significant milestone in the school’s goal to prepare students for a rapidly evolving economic landscape that increasingly demands a blend of technical skill and entrepreneurial agility.
## A Centralized Hub for Innovation
The Robert W. Plaster School of Business will find its new home on the third floor of the Chlapaty Center for Innovation, an 87,000-square-foot facility currently under construction. With a scheduled opening in fall 2027, the center is being designed as an interdisciplinary powerhouse, moving beyond traditional lecture halls to foster a hands-on environment.
The facility will be equipped with advanced technological resources, including 2D and 3D printing, digital media studios, photography suites, and specialized workshops for prototyping. By housing the business school within this high-tech environment, the university aims to bridge the gap between creative conceptualization and commercial viability. This layout allows students in engineering, media, and business to interact in shared spaces, mirroring the cross-functional teams found in modern tech startups and established corporate innovation labs.
## Leveraging Technology and Human Ingenuity
In the modern business climate, success is increasingly defined by the ability to utilize digital tools and artificial intelligence to bring products to market. Joe Bormann, director of the Chlapaty Center, emphasized that the proximity of business faculty to students working on physical prototypes is a strategic design choice. By embedding the business school inside a hub of innovation, the university is creating an ecosystem where students can refine the “business of innovation”—learning how to navigate market entry, intellectual property, and product scaling in real-time.
The classrooms and collaboration suites within the new school are being designed with maximum flexibility. These spaces are intended to host visiting industry professionals and mentors, facilitating a hybrid learning model that connects the classroom directly to the demands of the global market. This approach reflects a broader trend in higher education where physical campus spaces are being re-engineered to act as accelerators for student-led ventures.
## Honoring a Legacy of Free Enterprise
The school’s new name honors the late Robert W. Plaster, a self-made entrepreneur who founded Empire Gas Corporation in 1963. His life story, which saw him build over 500 companies after overcoming significant childhood hardships, aligns with the university’s mission to foster grit and independence in its student body.
The foundation established in his name has long focused on supporting capital projects that promote education and free enterprise. Dolly Clement, president of the foundation, noted that the goal of the partnership is to see students inspired to pursue new ideas and embrace the tools of modern entrepreneurship.
As the university moves toward the 2027 opening of the Chlapaty Center, the integration of the Plaster School of Business highlights a commitment to modernizing the collegiate experience. By blending traditional business acumen with the cutting-edge facilities required for a digital-first economy, the University of Dubuque is positioning itself to be a competitive incubator for the next generation of business leaders and technological innovators.
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