A former graduate received recognition for his efforts to bring students together.

Dennis Spice, who earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Eastern in 1978, was one of three recipients of the EIU Foundation Outstanding Member award for 2012.

Spice said he created the Spice Entrepreneurship Fund in 2002 to help unify the educational endeavors of students in the School of Business and the School of Technology.

“What’s happening today is annually there is an outside speaker brought in where students from both schools are invited to learn more about entrepreneurship,” he said. 

The fund also supports entrepreneurial projects between the two schools.

Spice said students of the two schools could mutually benefit from studying each other’s discipline.

“One of the things I believe is that you can come out of the School of Technology with some great ideas on how to start a company, but you may not understand business well enough to do that,” he said. “I also thought it was important for the business students to interface with the folks in the School of Technology where they might be able to see how ideas culminate.” 

Spice gained experience in starting a business in 1995 when he began the Institutional Advisors consulting firm.

He said students who are interested in opening a company should look into it as soon as possible.

“You can create great technology companies if you start thinking about that early enough in your college career,” he said. “I think they see that happening today in the U.S. I’m just hoping we can make some of those things happen at EIU.”

Christina Donsbach, the director of philanthropy, recommended Spice to receive the award.

She said she nominated Spice because he has dedicated a substantial amount of his time to Eastern by serving on numerous advisory boards.

“I’ve been here for two years and known him from the get-go and saw how dedicated and how much he gives back to Eastern, and I really wanted to do something honoring him,” she said.

Spice has served on the EIU Foundation board of directors, the Alumni Association board of directors and the School of Business advisory board.

He also contributed to the development of the School of Technology advisory board and the School of Continuing Education general studies degree alumni board.

Spice said the School of Continuing Education board meets twice per year and generates advice for the dean on how to promote their programs both in and out of state.

Donsbach said it is important to give recognition to those who contribute to the success of the university.

“I think it’s wonderful that we have alums that are so gracious and so generous to not only give their service and time, but also financial support for the institution,” she said. “So to be able to give something back to them is just kind of icing on the cake and helps that relationship.”

Stephanie Markham can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].