GREENVILLE, NC — East Carolina University will create the first School of Entrepreneurship in the region with a $5 million commitment from Raleigh area entrepreneur J. Fielding Miller and his wife Kim Grice Miller, the school said Wednesday.

The new school will serve as a regional hub to prepare East Carolina students to take an “entrepreneurial mindset” into their communities. It is intended to infuse a culture of innovation and leadership, using academic programs, workshops, research, and public-private entrepreneurial partnerships.

Miller, ECU alumnus and co-founder/CEO of CAPTRUST, a financial and investment advisory firm based in Raleigh, will provide the funds for this initiative, to include startup funding, a professorship in entrepreneurship and a matching pool to challenge other ECU alumni to join in supporting the school. Miller graduated from ECU in 1984 with a degree in business marketing. In 2013, the university honored him with the Outstanding Alumni Award.

In a statement, Miller said, “Entrepreneurship gave me the opportunity to achieve independence, the ability to profit from hard work and the capacity to give back in a meaningful way. I hope this gift will encourage other ECU alumni and entrepreneurs to support this effort, and extend the school’s impact even further.”

His companny, CAPTRUST, currently represents $160 billion in client assets, and has 22 offices nationwide. To learn more about m CAPTRUST, visit www.captrustadvisors.com.

East Carolina points out that it s experiencing campus-wide momentum related to its innovation, engagement and economic impact initiatives. In July the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities designated East Carolina as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity campus, placing it alongside universities such as Auburn, Clemson and the University of Maryland.

Dr. Stan Eakins, dean of the College of Business, said in the announcement, “Modern business requires innovation to be successful. It doesn’t matter which industry, or whether it is a start-up or large established firm; competition demands that businesses constantly seek new and better ways to operate and serve their communities. That’s why it’s so critical to instill essential entrepreneurial abilities among our future leaders, and we’re grateful for this bold opportunity to lead the way.”