Student Agencies Inc. (SAI) has announced it will make a $25,000 gift to the university toward undergraduate scholarships.

The gift will be split between the Student Agencies Endowment Fund and the Student Agencies Cornell Tradition Fellowship, which together have paid nearly $100,000 in scholarship support since their inception.

"Given some of the pressure the university is feeling and the stated need for help with scholarship aid, we felt it was important to do our part to help our fellow students," said Fiona Yu '11, president of SAI.

Student Agencies Foundation Inc. is a non-profit whose mission is to support the educational pursuits of Cornell students interested in business and entrepreneurship. The foundation is the parent organization of SAI, America's oldest student run corporation, and of eLab, a Cornell student-focused business accelerator whose mission is to empower Cornell student entrepreneurs to start and grow their own businesses.

SAI, which started as a student-run laundry business in 1894, today operates Big Red Shipping and Storage, Hired Hands Moving Company, Campus Promotions, the Cornellian Yearbook, SAI Properties and Collegetown Student Services. The company employs more than 250 Cornell students and pays more than $350,000 in wages to Cornell students each year.

SAI offers undergraduates the opportunity to run real businesses that are sufficiently complex to offer a rich "hands on" learning experience, said Dan Kathan, SAI's CEO and mentor-in-residence. Students are given full profit and loss responsibility, and their compensation is directly tied to their results. Students take advantage of a "mini-MBA" program and coaching from experienced business executives and entrepreneurs, and they are supported by a diverse, accomplished board of directors who serve as mentors and advisers.

"Our student managers learn the blocking and tackling of running a real business and serving real customers," Kathan said. "This differentiates them in a competitive job market and builds a set of skills and a level of confidence and resilience that positions them well for whatever career or entrepreneurial venture they choose."

Notable SAI alumni include Frank Gannett '1898, founder of Gannett Company, Inc. and owner of USA Today; Willis Carrier '53, founder of Carrier Corp.; Kevin McGovern '70, chairman and CEO of McGovern Capital LLC; and Tom Ward '81, managing director of the Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at the Hotel School. The Pillsbury Institute has also been a lead supporter.

Kathy Hovis is a writer/editor for Entrepreneurship@Cornell.