Robert Bollinger Invests in the Future of Design Education

For Robert Bollinger (CFA 1989), giving back to Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design is about more than supporting students. It's about investing in the kind of opportunity that changed his own life and remaining an active part of the community that helped shape it.

During his recent time as Innovator-in-Residence at the School of Design, Bollinger spent hours talking with students, sitting in on classes and observing studio critiques. Again and again, he heard students express an interest that felt familiar.

"Five or six students said, 'Oh, I want to be car designers' or 'I want my own car company,'" Bollinger recalled. "I was like, I have a lot to tell you about that."

Those conversations sparked an idea that has grown into a significant investment in the future of design education at Carnegie Mellon. Through a generous multi-year commitment, Bollinger is establishing two new initiatives within the School of Design: the Robert Bollinger Scholarship, an endowed merit scholarship for undergraduate product design students, and the Bollinger Mobility Studio Fund, which will support mobility and transportation-focused projects within the curriculum. Together, the two funds are designed to create opportunities for students interested in this area of design while recognizing exceptional achievement.

For Bollinger, the initiative is deeply personal.

"When I was in high school, I was going to apply to Pitt and Penn State and be an engineer to become a car engineer," he said. "But I liked drawing cars. At the last minute, I said, 'No, I want to be a designer.'"

Instead of pursuing engineering, he applied to Carnegie Mellon.

Read the rest of the story on the Fall 2026 Edition of the CFA Magazine