$10 Million Gift Establishes Cornwall School of Business and Leadership at Taylor University

Ken and Virginia Cornwall

Taylor University today announced a new $10 million gift from Ken and Virginia Cornwall—their third contribution to the school’s $500 million Life to the Full campaign, one of the largest fundraising initiatives ever for a Christian college. 

This gift allows the University to establish the Cornwall School of Business and Leadership for Taylor’s largest academic department, and it marks a total of $295 million in gifts and commitments for the campaign announced in April.

“Taylor University is a special place for me and my family, and we feel personally invested in its success,” said Ken Cornwall, founder of the Atlanta-based ProSet/ProVent Systems. “This is an institution truly centered on Christ and focused on students. We believe Taylor’s dedication to providing a world class, whole-person Christian education is what will equip our young people to truly bring positive change to the world.”

ProSet/ProVent Systems began manufacturing innovative plumbing products in the early 1980s. Ken Cornwall holds over fifty patents, and his worldwide customers included major hotels, entertainment venues like Disney World, professional sports stadiums, and the Department of Defense. He was recognized with an honorary Doctor of Business in 2014 by President Eugene Habecker and President Emeritus Jay Kesler for his contributions to the manufacturing industry and his commitment to a biblically anchored and Christ-centered life.

“Faithful and joyful givers like Ken and Virginia are a blessing to the entire Taylor community,” said Dr. Michael Lindsay, University president. “The Cornwall family continues to model overflowing generosity that reflects their family’s significant investment in Christian higher education and the next generation of students. They have blessed Taylor in significant ways across our entire campus, and we are so grateful.”

The Cornwall School of Business and Leadership will be home to Taylor’s thriving undergraduate business program as well as two recently launched graduate degrees in leadership—a one-year, residential Master of Arts in Leadership and a Ph.D. in Leadership offered online with concentrations in both educational and organizational leadership. Both graduate programs begin inaugural cohorts this fall. The School will also house Taylor’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) which currently allows any Taylor student, regardless of major, to earn a minor or certificate in innovation and entrepreneurship.  Additionally, the gift will fund the development of a master’s degree in Global Leadership, leveraging Taylor’s extensive network of global partners.

Dr. Jody Hirschy, professor of marketing and current chair of Taylor’s business program, has been named Dean of the Cornwall School of Business and Leadership. Dr. Amy Stucky will serve as the new chair of Taylor’s undergraduate business department. The Cornwall School of Business and Leadership represents the latest substantive outcome of Taylor Thrives, the University’s five-year strategic plan.

This latest contribution from the Cornwall family is one of five gifts of $10 million or more already received in the Life to the Full campaign and represents the family’s third multi-million-dollar gift to the campaign. In 2022, they donated $3 million to help fund the construction of the Horne Academic Center where their gift will have a multiplicative effect, enabling Taylor to prepare students to impact the world for Christ through film and media and develop the next generation of faithful entrepreneurs. In 2023, the Cornwalls donated $5 million to support the construction of Habecker Hall, the renovation of Stillman Fieldhouse, and the renovation of Nussbaum Science Center for nursing.   

For more information on the Life to the Full Campaign, visit www.taylor.edu/campaign.

Dr. Jody Hirschy, now the Dean of the Cornwall School of Business and Leadership, with Ken and Virginia Cornwall.