Missouri S&T Gives $1,000 to Every New Business Student

Every single freshman walking into Missouri S&T's brand new business school this fall is getting a $1,000 scholarship, no strings attached.

The Dennis and Janet Jaggi School of Business welcomed its first class of 45 students this year, and thanks to a massive $12 million donation from the school's namesakes, each one received the Jaggi Disruptor Scholarship. The gift covers students in business and management systems, information science and technology, and economics programs.

"We felt it was important to make a big splash for this inaugural class," says Dr. Sarah Stanley, interim associate director of the Jaggi School of Business. The scholarship aims to build camaraderie and help students feel like pioneers in something meaningful.

The new school represents a bold bet on the future of business education. Missouri S&T is combining its strengths in science, technology, and engineering with traditional business training to create graduates who can lead in an increasingly tech-driven world.

Dean Dr. Jim Sterling says today's students will work with technology like agentic AI, decentralized finance, and advanced enterprise systems that previous generations could barely imagine. The school wants to prepare them not just to use these tools, but to lead with them.

The Ripple Effect

This inaugural class is just the beginning. As the Jaggi School grows, scholarship opportunities will expand, creating more pathways for students who want to bridge business and technology.

Missouri S&T already has a strong track record for return on investment, and the new school extends that reputation to the intersection of business and tech. These 45 students are essentially test pilots for a new model of business education.

In four years, the school hopes these students will enter the workforce ready to make Dennis and Janet Jaggi exceedingly proud. More importantly, they'll be equipped to solve real problems at companies navigating rapid technological change.

Starting college is exciting enough, but starting as part of a founding class with immediate financial support sets an entirely different tone for success.