Entrepreneurial Journey
The Harkey Match invites alumni to inspire student innovators across campus.
John D. Harkey, BBA ’83, grew up in Central Texas in a family that shared and fostered his entrepreneurial spirit. Harkey recalls his father telling him, “You have the freedom to explore and be creative if you control your destiny by being captain of your ship.” Harkey followed his father’s advice, becoming a private investor, philanthropist, and chief executive in the public and private sectors.
In 2021, Harkey took action to give other young captains the same opportunity. The Harkey Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies was established in 2021 by a naming gift from Harkey and his wife, Peni Barfield. The donation was stipulated as a one-to-one match, the Harkey Match, for other donors and, to date, has raised $3.5 million of the $10 million match. Blair and Bubba Moffett, BBA ’91, and family; Carol and Ronnie Goldman, BBA ’64; and Ben Friedman participated in the match.
The Harkey Institute provides entrepreneurship teaching, mentoring, and support for undergraduate students of all majors on campus. Signature
programs of the Harkey Institute include the Entrepreneurship Minor, the Blair and Bubba Moffett Family Summer Entrepreneurship Academy, the Entrepreneurship-in-Residence Mentor Program (which grew from four to 35 mentors during the spring of 2023), the Longhorn Investment Seed Fund, and many more to come.
The minor launched in 2018 with fewer than 80 students and only one faculty member. With the additional financial support from the Harkey
Match, it is now the fastest-growing minor on campus, boasting more than 750 students from over 150 majors and features 50-plus electives.
The Harkey Institute has created a campuswide epicenter to support undergraduate student innovators. Taking inspiration from Michael Dell’s entrepreneurial activities as an undergrad in his dorm room, the institute has established an undergraduate entrepreneurship Living, Learning, Community initiative at Jester Center. Participants begin the year with a readymade support network of fellow entrepreneurial students, mentors, and custom programming.
Alums and other supporters of entrepreneurship can engage with students through speaking opportunities, mentoring, and competition judging. Matching opportunities are available for all institute investments of $500,000 or more in endowed funding. Specific naming recognition opportunities remain at the $1 million-plus level.
— David Wenger
Take Action
Learn more about contributing to the Harkey Match.
development@mccombs.utexas.edu
This story appeared in the Fall 2023 issue of McCombs magazine.
