CU receives more than $3M to enhance property rights program

Shay Castle
Daily Camera

A new University of Colorado program has received more than $3 million to enhance undergraduate curriculum offerings in property rights at the Leeds School of Business.

The new Hernando de Soto Capital Markets Program received an endowment of just over $2 million and an additional $1.2 million three-year operating support agreement from alumni William and Jane Reynolds of W.W. Reynolds.

The program, named after the Peruvian economist, will explore the history and efficacy of different approaches to property rights across formal and informal global markets.

"At the heart of the Hernando de Soto Program is an entrepreneurial mindset, giving students not only historical context, but also a framework for innovative thinking," said CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. "It's exciting to see alumni give back in a way that will deeply impact the academic experiences of students, as well as the expertise and prowess of students in their careers."

Part of the de Soto program will include the Leeds School's redesigned World of Business course, required for first-year students, beginning this fall.

The de Soto program also will include the development of an international experience for students; a new scholarship coordinated with the Leeds School's Center for Education on Social Responsibility; and a newly hired scholar.