BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Following a national search, Ben Hage has been named director of The Petrick Idea Center at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ, effective June 1.
Currently Director of Innovate Springfield at the University of Illinois Springfield, Hage has more than a decade of experience spanning both startup development and entrepreneurship education.
Construction is proceeding rapidly on the nearly 15,000-square-foot Petrick Idea Center, which is set to open in fall 2026 adjoining IWU's Ames School of Art & Design. The new center will serve as a hub for creativity, interdisciplinary innovation and entrepreneurship, serving students across the campus and the surrounding community.
"I'm excited to welcome Ben to Illinois Wesleyan," said Provost John Miles. "He brings great ideas for advancing the vision for The Petrick Idea Center, to serve the larger community and actively bring together students whose grounding in the liberal arts will provide a springboard for creative problem solving and innovative thinking."
In his current role at Innovate Springfield, Hage leads a comprehensive entrepreneurship ecosystem serving students, faculty, community entrepreneurs and regional stakeholders. Accomplishments have included building curriculum and developing a new academic pathway expanding entrepreneurship integration across university disciplines; creating a comprehensive angel investor training program; and community outreach, including an experiential program serving high school students from regional schools.
"I am thrilled to be joining Illinois Wesleyan," Hage said. "It is an incredible opportunity to lean into a community where the Midwestern ethos meets the high-level critical thinking of a top-tier liberal arts university. When I visited campus, I felt a contagious energy that makes IWU the ideal place for students who want to bridge the gap between a strong liberal arts tradition and entrepreneurship. I am looking forward to the great things we can accomplish together at The Petrick Idea Center."
Hage is completing a doctorate in higher education administration and foundations at Illinois State University, with a dissertation on university-linked venture and angel funds and their impact on startup performance. He earned an MBA from Purdue University Global and a master’s degree in public administration from UIS. His bachelor’s degree is in sociology and criminal justice from Eureka College.
Hage succeeds previous director John Quarton, who retired in the fall of 2025. The Petrick Idea Center will feature fully-equipped makerspaces, an amphitheater for pitches and workshops, startup offices, and numerous collaboration spaces.