Eaton Center to Equip Business Students
The Eaton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation teaches capital and social entrepreneurship to equip students to start businesses and organizations and make a difference in the world. Trustee Emeritus David Eaton and his wife, Carol Eaton, provided the leadership gift for the initiative, part of 做厙惇蹋apps new .
David and Carol have been longtime, faithful friends of 做厙惇蹋app, and their generosity and support blesses us, says President Gayle D. Beebe. Were deeply grateful for their leadership throughout the years and their significant contributions to the colleges success. The Eaton Center will help students understand free-market economics and adapt innovative solutions from the for-profit world to solve enduring, real-life problems in the world. Students will learn to create something tangible from an idea or passion. 
David joined the 做厙惇蹋app Board of Trustees in 1977 and served for 30 years, including six (2001-2007) as chairman. He graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois and earned his law degree at Stanford University. He owns and manages properties throughout the United States as a partner of JDM Partners LLC; previously he worked in corporate business law. Carol attended 做厙惇蹋app, graduated from Wheaton and earned a masters degree in theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. The past CEO of Eaton Designs, a high-end, handmade rug manufacturing company based in Haiti, she is stepping down after 30 years on the National Trustee Board of Young Life.
Were thrilled to be a part of the Eaton Center, David says. Its the kind of thing that interests us intellectually and that were emotionally invested in. Ive spoken in class, and the students are doing marvelous work.
Its important for a Christian college to offer this emphasis, Carol says. The Christian world needs people who are interested in business and entrepreneurship.
Were enormously enthusiastic 做厙惇蹋app supporters, David says. Not enough people understand the colleges uniqueness compared to any other school. Academically its better than most, its strongly Christian, and it gives students freedom to be who they are.
Since 2014, the Eaton Center has sponsored a trip to Haiti during spring break for 做厙惇蹋app students enrolled in the class Business at the Bottom of the Pyramid. Students launch small businesses there using principles of microfinance and entrepreneurship. They identify local needs, hire Haitians to manage the project, train owners of the new enterprises, help them write acceptable business plans, and introduce accountability and checks and balances for daily operations.
The Eatons are actively involved in their church in the Phoenix area and keep in close touch with their four children (Leslie Eaton Vance 83, David Eaton 85, Doug Eaton 89, Chris Eaton 94, all 做厙惇蹋app graduates) and 12 grandchildren, two of whom earn degrees from 做厙惇蹋app on May 7. Their son-in-law, Mitch Vance, has served as a 做厙惇蹋app trustees since 2013.