New Aerospace & Defense Academy to Launch at the University of Nevada, Reno with $1.13M Gift from Eren & Fatih Ozmen

SPARKS, Nev. (June 13, 2024) - Eren and Fatih Ozmen, owners of the global aerospace and national security company SNC, recently announced a $1.13 million gift to the University of Nevada, Reno to launch an Aerospace and Defense Academy. The Academy will support the development of a skilled workforce and foster small business growth for the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry. The Academy will be housed under the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business.

“I am thrilled to continue to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in unique ways,” said Eren Ozmen. “Fatih and I have always been committed to paying it forward to the next generation, and establishing this academy to build a formal infrastructure to support future entrepreneurs is a dream come true.”

The Aerospace and Defense Academy will support both workforce and small business development. The Academy will develop resources and business platforms to aid small and woman-owned businesses looking that support the A&D industry. Additionally, the Academy will help build a strong workforce by inspiring new career paths in A&D through programming like high school outreach initiatives and a focused micro-credential program. The three-year pilot program is in development and will include a mix of in-person and virtual classes.

“The Aerospace and Defense Academy will help address the growing workforce gap of skilled individuals in the aerospace and defense industry, as well as develop new, qualified, small businesses to support the Department of Defense,” said Brian Sandoval, president of the University of Nevada, Reno.

The academy also recently appointed Solange Massa as their director. Massa is the founder and CEO of Ecoatoms, a company dedicated to developing biological solutions for the aerospace industry. Massa brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the A&D industry as well as small business support programs.

“As the Director of this new academy, it is my pleasure to contribute to the training of the aerospace and defense workforce of the future,” said Massa. “This new endeavor has the goals of providing new graduates with the necessary tools to succeed in aerospace and defense industries while engaging with our society to promote future STEM workforce development.”

In light of these objectives, Eren Ozmen highlighted the importance of nurturing small businesses within the aerospace and defense sector.

“SNC began as a small business, so we are passionate about reducing barriers for other small businesses to support the aerospace and defense industry,” added Ozmen. “Building a marketplace ecosystem for A&D, small and women-owned businesses and helping them to scale will support a strong A&D industrial base and our country’s national security.”

This gift is the most recent in a decade-long legacy of giving to University of Nevada, Reno by the Ozmens, including establishment of the Ozmen Institute for Global Studies and the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

“We are very thankful to Eren and Fatih Ozmen for their support of the University and the Ozmen Center,” said Mehmet Tosun, director of the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship. “This new academy is a great addition to our existing entrepreneurship programs and we are excited that Solange Massa has joined our Center to lead this unique initiative.”

College of Business Dean Greg Mosier echoed this sentiment, stating, “Aerospace and defense are great industries to build our capacities around and the generous support from Eren and Fatih Ozmen has given us the inspiration and opportunity to launch this unique program which will support both the future workforce and small businesses.”

###

About the University of Nevada, Reno

The University of Nevada, Reno is a public research university that is committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. As a Nevada land-grant university founded in 1874, the University serves 21,000 students. The University is a comprehensive, doctoral university, classified as an R1 institution with very high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Additionally, it has attained the prestigious “Carnegie Engaged” classification, reflecting its student and institutional impact on civic engagement and service, fostered by extensive community and statewide collaborations. More than $800 million in advanced labs, residence halls and facilities has been invested on campus since 2009. It is home to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Wolf Pack Athletics, maintains a statewide outreach mission and presence through programs such as the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Small Business Development Center, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Through a commitment to world-improving research, student success and outreach benefiting the communities and businesses of Nevada, the University has impact across the state and around the world. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.

About SNC

SNC is a trusted global leader in aerospace and national security. Our innovative solutions enable connected protection through command, control and communications systems, as well as ISR, cyber, electronic spectrum management, and other high capabilities for national security systems across all domains – sea, land, air, space and cyber. SNC is a next-generation prime at the optimum intersection of commercial, defense and non-traditional contractors. We are one of the only privately owned mid-tier A&D prime contractors and we pride ourselves on our ability to invest early and often to ensure mission success on or ahead of schedule. It’s part of our mission to always stay one step ahead; working on solutions today to solve the problems of tomorrow. Founded in 1963, SNC is owned by Chairwoman Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih Ozmen.