10/15/2026
We're to share that a $1M investment has been made in the Leadership Lab by The Toro Company (TTC), strengthening our experiential learning, community-based projects, and the development of values-driven business leaders.
Rick Olson, '10 MBA and CEO of The Toro Company, and other TTC leaders recently toured Marilyn C. Nelson Hall to celebrate the investment.
"By helping develop career-ready graduates and supporting the next generation of leaders and innovators, we're building a stronger future for Minnesota's industries, employers and communities," says Olson.
The Leadership Lab is an innovative co-curricular program combining academic coursework with a 75- to 100-hour experiential learning project supporting a local nonprofit. Since its launch in Spring 2021, the Lab has successfully executed 22 high-impact community projects with more than 13 mission-driven nonprofit organizations. With the Lab's applicant pool having grown 25% year-over-year, TTC's gift will increase student access and enhance its programming.
The program is managed by Lab Director Sarah Wojnicki Smith and Faculty Director Professor Theresa Glomb, who holds The Toro Company-David Lilly Chair in Organizational Behavior. Professor Glomb, a renowned expert on worker well-being, maintains a deep, decade-long relationship with TTC’s executive leadership, global human resources, and business unit teams.