Weiner is a history major, member of Beta Theta Pi, and the brother of Michael Weiner ʼ77. He attributes his career satisfaction to lessons learned in Colgate’s Liberal Arts Core Curriculum, particularly courses taught by Harry Emerson Fosdick Professor of Philosophy and Religion Emeritus Jerry Balmuth.
“The genius of Colgate is you truly learn how to learn,” Weiner says. “Professor Balmuth believed every Colgate student has the capacity for self-education and Colgate encourages students to discover the intellectual and analytic skills to embrace complexity. I believe in the adage ‘One’s reach should exceed one’s grasp’ — the essence of the Colgate experience.” He is particularly passionate about ensuring future Colgate students learn the tools a liberal arts education provides — preparation for any career path.
That philosophy is foundational to the Colgate experience, according to Mark S. Siegel University Professor in Religion and Jewish Studies Lesleigh Cushing, provost and dean of the faculty. “In the context of the liberal arts education, a rigorous co-curricular program like TIA encourages students to be intellectually curious and to develop lifelong problem-solving habits,” Cushing says. “Empowered to think critically and creatively, they will be well-prepared for whatever challenges they meet after graduation.”
After his own graduation, Weiner earned an MBA at Columbia University and a law degree at Case Western Reserve University, benefiting from the Socratic teaching method used by Prof. Balmuth and Colgate’s significant academic workload. “It made that first year of law school much less intimidating,” Weiner says.
Like Weiner, Wilson is also an entrepreneur, having co-founded UTime, an automated scheduling app for college students. In this endowed position, Wilson is responsible for supporting and leading hands-on, mentorship-based experiences through which students create businesses, nonprofits, and campus initiatives.
“We are grateful for Howard Weiner’s generosity, which is a testament to the foundation Colgate provided him in his own career,” Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Carolyn Strobel-Larson said. “This endowment is an investment in the future of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation program, which allows students the opportunity to apply their liberal arts education to solving real-world problems and to develop entrepreneurial skills that will serve them for a lifetime.”
