American University alumnus and entrepreneur Michael G. Rosenberg (Kogod ‘81) has provided a gift to permanently endow the Kogod School of Business’s student venture capital fund. Operated through the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship, the fund expands opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in entrepreneurship and early-stage investing.
In recognition of the Rosenberg family’s commitment, the fund is now named the Michael G. Rosenberg & Family Eagle Venture Seed Fund. Through the fund, students will learn how to evaluate potential investments, make investment decisions, and manage early-stage venture investments, gaining firsthand experience with the processes entrepreneurs and investors navigate in the real world.
For Rosenberg, the investment in student entrepreneurship reflects an experience that began during his own time at American University. In 1979, while an undergraduate living on campus, Rosenberg founded the company that would later become PIM Brands with just $150.
Today, PIM Brands generates nearly $1 billion in global revenues and has grown into a major producer of confections, snacks, and consumer health products. Its iconic portfolio includes the diverse Welch’s Fruit Snacks line of products, Sun-Maid Chocolate Raisins, Sour Jacks candy, and a range of other iconic brands sold across the world.
“One of the things we love most about this gift is what it represents,” shared Angelina Lombardo and Charles Herman, Student Directors of the fund. “Michael Rosenberg began his entrepreneurial journey at American University, built an incredible company, and is now giving back by investing in students taking their own first steps. As students who helped launch the Eagle Venture Seed Fund, it’s especially meaningful to see that cycle come full circle. We’re incredibly grateful for his generosity and for the opportunity to strengthen the fund so future generations of students can build on what we started.”
The endowed fund is designed to create that kind of hands-on learning experience for future generations of Kogod students. A portion of the fund may be used for direct investments in early-stage companies as part of the student learning experience, as well as programming and operations that support the fund.
Returns generated through investments will be reinvested in the fund, allowing its resources—and its potential impact on students—to grow over time. The fund will also support education and scholarships in entrepreneurship and venture capital.
“The Rosenberg family’s gift to the Eagle Venture Seed Fund is transformational. When we launched the program 20 months ago, we had three goals: to create meaningful experiential learning opportunities for our students; to generate financial returns through student-led investments that can be reinvested in the program; and to become a place where venture capital firms actively seek out EVSF students for internships and full-time analyst roles. This generous support will accelerate our progress toward all three,” said Tommy White, Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship Senior Fellow and faculty advisor to the Michael G. Rosenberg & Family Eagle Venture Seed Fund.
Rosenberg has remained closely connected to the business and entrepreneurial communities throughout his career. He is a former chairman of the National Confectioners Association and serves on several industry, educational, and philanthropic boards. His many career honors include induction into the Candy Hall of Fame and receipt of the confectionery industry’s Kettle Award as well as the Paul J. Rogers Award for contributions and leadership in the movie theatre industry.
In 2025, Rosenberg was inducted into the Kogod Business and Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, which recognizes American University alumni whose careers embody the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit Kogod seeks to foster in its students.
The Michael G. Rosenberg & Family Eagle Venture Seed Fund builds on that legacy by creating a permanent source of support for experiential entrepreneurship and venture capital education at Kogod.
For more than 70 years, American University's Kogod School of Business has redefined what business education looks like—preparing future business leaders to thrive in careers on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, at nonprofits and in government agencies, in startups and at Fortune 500 companies. With a strong focus on AI, Kogod ensures graduates harness technology’s potential to solve real-world business challenges, earning Kogod recognition from Poets & Quants as Best in Class for Artificial Intelligence. Kogod’s approach to learning fosters the entrepreneurial mindset and provides students with the skills, resources, and mentorship they need to succeed in any industry.