Built for Spartans Advancing Society Through Deep Innovation.
The Owen/Willard Student Entrepreneur Scholarship supports Michigan State University students who are applying entrepreneurship to solve meaningful scientific and engineering challenges. Established in 2024 by Ray Owen and Charissa Willard, this scholarship recognizes students who show motivation, capability, and initiative as they move ideas from concept to impact.
Rooted in deep technology and real-world problem solving, the scholarship reflects a belief that entrepreneurship, paired with technical excellence, can create progress that matters.
Who Should Apply
This scholarship is for students who are actively engaged in venture building and using innovation to address complex technical challenges. Students who meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply. Application deadlines and award details are outlined in the application. Applicants must:
- Be a student in good academic standing at Michigan State University.
- Be a current participant in the Venture Creation Program.
- Demonstrate entrepreneurial engagement and capability in addressing significant scientific or engineering challenges.
- Pursuit of the Minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation (preferred)
- Demonstrated financial need (preferred)
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About the Donor
Ray Owen & Charissa Willard
Ray Owen (BSEE, 1979) and Charissa Willard are longtime technology leaders and partners at Farallon Research, an investment and advisory firm focused on deep technology. Ray’s journey began at Michigan State University, where relationships formed on campus led him to early work in speech recognition—an early application of what is now known as generative AI. That experience launched a career as a systems engineer in Silicon Valley.
Charissa Willard is a cybersecurity architect and software engineer with experience across networking and storage startups. Together, Ray and Charissa bring shared perspectives shaped by decades of building, investing in, and advising technology-driven ventures.
Through the Owen/Willard Student Entrepreneur Scholarship, they are investing in Spartans who use innovation to advance society—supporting students who pair technical rigor with entrepreneurial action.