VCU news

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley
Division of University Relations

When the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business opens its doors on January 14 for the spring semester 2008, students will enter Snead Hall, a new building on the Monroe Park Campus Addition.

The university's Board of Visitors has approved naming the new School of Business building in honor of Thomas G. Snead, Jr. and Vickie M. Snead, 1976 graduates of the VCU School of Business and long-time supporters of Virginia Commonwealth University.

"The Sneads have been extraordinarily generous to VCU and have provided leadership not only in helping the School of Business to advance, but also in contributing their resources and time to enhance the future of the entire university," said VCU President Eugene P. Trani.

Tom Snead is the former president and CEO of the Southeast Region for WellPoint, Inc. He also serves on VCU's Board of Visitors, the VCU Health System Board and is chair of the finance committee of the School of Business Foundation. Vickie Snead is a former vice president of Merchandise Planning and Control at Miller & Rhoads Department Store. She is a member of VCU's Alumni board and the VCU Massey Cancer Center Advisory Board. 

"The Snead name on the new building embodies the spirit of the VCU School of Business, which is personal and business success," said Michael Sesnowitz, dean of the Business School. "The Sneads stand for everything to which students should aspire."

Snead Hall is part of a business and engineering complex that includes the new School of Business and an expansion of the School of Engineering. The idea to collocate the schools came from local business leaders who believed business and engineering students should be connected, just as they are in the workplace.

"This amazing new facility is the result of a lot of generous and hard-working people, and so it is extremely humbling to be singled out for the honor of having the building named after the Snead family," said Tom Snead, speaking on behalf of the couple. "As proud alumni of the VCU School of Business, we know the teaching, learning and creativity that happen in this building will have a significant impact on our students and we are excited for their future."

Along with traditional classroom and faculty offices, the 145,000 square-foot, four-story contemporary facility includes a fully functioning capital markets and trading room, collaborative learning rooms, central atrium with a student commons and cafe, career services center, center for corporate education, auditorium, tiered case study classrooms and team-building breakout rooms.

Snead Hall is part of the $228 million Monroe Park Campus Addition, the largest construction project in VCU's history. The residential campus is an 11-acre tract that in addition to Snead Hall, includes an expansion of the VCU School of Engineering, renovation of the historic Central Belting Building for the VCU Adcenter, the first of two residential colleges and a parking garage. The new facilities will allow the schools of business and engineering to expand enrollment by 2,000 students.

The VCU School of Business, now 70 years old, enrolls about 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students from throughout Virginia, the United States and the world.