Every year, Sierra Nevada Corporation throws holiday parties and hosts year-end meetings in its locations nationwide, but to comply with gathering limits and to protect the health and safety of its employees, this year’s parties and meetings were canceled. Nonetheless, the aerospace and national security company based in Sparks, Nev. found a way to embrace the giving spirit of the season by redirecting their holiday party funds to support a variety of nonprofits. Employees voted on what organizations they would like to support, and because SNC has so many Nevada engineering alumni working there, the College received 179 votes / $17,900.

“Paying it forward has been among our core values since the very beginning,” said Eren Ozmen, chairwoman, president and owner of SNC. “Many communities are struggling during these challenging times. We are proud that our employees are so eager to support the nonprofits in their communities as they step up to meet the needs around them.”

At SNC, the philanthropic spirit starts at the top. Owners Eren Ozmen ’85 MBA, ’16 (Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters) and Fatih Ozmen ’81 M.S. (electrical engineering), ’16 (Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters) have supported a wide range of initiatives and scholarships across campus, including the Ozmen Center for Global Studies and the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship. Their contributions include gifts to the College of Engineering in support of its capstone courses, which allow seniors to showcase new ideas and products, and they were key contributors to the William N. Pennington Engineering Building. As a result of their support, the Ozmens are listed as Philanthropists and Sierra Nevada Corporation is listed as a Silver Benefactor in the University’s Honor Court.

“Sierra Nevada Corporation’s contribution to the aerospace industry cannot be overstated. Located just a few miles from campus, they are a stellar example of what is possible when you combine ingenuity, hard work and dedication with a degree in engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno,” College of Engineering Dean Manos Maragakis said. “They support our graduates, and this gift is yet another example of their generosity in ensuring our campus continues to excel.”

To commemorate the gift, on November 23, Director of Engineering at SNC Greg Hitchcock ’99 (mechanical engineering), ’02 M.S. joined College of Engineering Dean Manos Maragakis for a virtual check presentation.

“To Eren Ozmen, Fatih Ozmen and the extraordinary members of the SNC team, thank you,” Dean Maragakis said. “In supporting our students today, you strengthen our engineering community for years to come.”