New York, NY, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a global entrepreneurship education nonprofit, is proud to announce its establishment of the Steve Mariotti Legacy Fund, dedicated to continuing the impactful work of NFTE’s visionary founder. This fund aims to empower young people through entrepreneurship education, ensuring that Mariotti’s mission to ignite the entrepreneurial mindset in underserved youth endures.
“Steve Mariotti, the visionary who founded NFTE in 1987, dreamed of empowering youth from marginalized communities to own their futures, and he used entrepreneurial education to activate that vision,” said NFTE CEO Dr. J.D. LaRock. “A former special education teacher in New York City, Steve was a champion for at-risk students, and his passion for education and entrepreneurship earned him numerous accolades, including induction into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2023. Steve’s legacy lives on through the millions of young entrepreneurs he has uplifted and inspired worldwide.”
To honor Mariotti’s memory, NFTE invites all whose lives were touched by his work to join a virtual celebration of his remarkable legacy on Youth Entrepreneurship Day, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. EST. Participants will have the opportunity to chat about cherished memories and reflect on Steve’s enduring legacy. Visit https://willowise.com/obit/steve-mariotti to register to attend.
In 2023, NFTE began its annual celebration of Youth Entrepreneurship Day to carry on Mariotti’s vision to empower the next generation through entrepreneurship education. “NFTE is a simple idea,” Mariotti once said, “but it will change the world, one entrepreneur at a time.”
NFTE has called upon city, state and national governments to recognize Nov. 15 as Youth Entrepreneurship Day. The call has been answered so far by the cities of Baltimore, San Francisco, and Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as the states of Georgia, Texas, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
Mariotti, known in some circles as the father of youth entrepreneurship, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Oct. 20, 2024, at age 71. The author of “Goodbye Homeboy: How My Students Drove Me Crazy and Inspired a Movement,” was born on Aug. 14, 1953, in Flint, Michigan, and was inspired by his educator parents to create NFTE. Since its founding in 1987, NFTE has reached more than 1.4 million young entrepreneurs worldwide, providing unique learning experiences that empower students to change their life trajectory, explore their passions, and ignite their entrepreneurial mindset to prepare for work or otherwise own their futures.
Gifts to the Steve Mariotti Legacy Fund, supporting initiatives for NFTE alumni and educators, may be made at nfte.com/give.
Event: Virtual Celebration of Steve Mariotti’s Life & Legacy
Date: Nov. 15
Time: 3 p.m. EST
Register: https://willowise.com/obit/steve-mariotti/
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For media inquiries, please contact Angelika Seaman, 603-504-8554, or Denise Berkhalter, APR, 917-281-4362, at [email protected].
About NFTE
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) ignites the entrepreneurial mindset with unique learning experiences that empower students to own their futures. A global nonprofit founded in 1987, NFTE provides high-quality entrepreneurship education to middle school, high school and postsecondary students. NFTE brings the power of entrepreneurship to students, regardless of family income, community resources, special needs, gender identity, race, or ethnicity. NFTE has educated more than a million students, delivering our programs in school, out of school, in-person, online, or through hybrid models. Visit nfte.com to learn more.
About Steve Mariotti Legacy Fund
The Steve Mariotti Legacy Fund honors NFTE Founder Steve Mariotti’s lifelong commitment to entrepreneurship education by empowering NFTE alumni and supporting the organization’s network of Certified Entrepreneurship Teachers around the world. This fund will fuel an array of impactful programs and activities for alumni, such as the Founders Forum, Startup Summer, and involvement in signature NFTE events like the National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge and the Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards Gala—both of which were especially meaningful to Steve. In addition to championing alumni, the Legacy Fund will celebrate the invaluable contributions of NFTE’s dedicated educators.
The Legacy Fund will support teacher training, professional development, and awards initiatives to recognize the passion and commitment of those who bring NFTE’s mission to life. Steve cherished everyone who supported and participated in NFTE—from students, alumni, and teachers to volunteers and staff. Through this Legacy Fund, the NFTE community will continue to carry forward his unwavering belief in the power of entrepreneurship and ownership, ensuring that his legacy inspires future generations to dream big. Every $500 donated fuels a future of one more aspiring young entrepreneur. Gifts to the Steve Mariotti Legacy Fund, supporting initiatives for NFTE alumni and educators, may be made at nfte.com/give.
- Steve Mariotti, Founder of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship