Sept. 11, 2012

VCU School of Business Celebrates 75 Years

School looks back on 75 years of connecting the classroom to the business community

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By Cassie Williams Jones

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business is honoring its 75th anniversary during the 2012-2013 academic year.

To celebrate 75 years of educating business students and serving the regional business community, the school is hosting several events, some of which are open to the public.  For instance, the Thalhimer Executive-in-Residence Forum on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., will feature Frank Blake, CEO and chairman of The Home Depot, Inc., at Snead Hall, 301 W. Main St.  More information and advanced registration are available at http://business.vcu.edu/Thalhimer.html.  Also, a gala will be held on May 4, 2013, at the Jefferson Hotel, and more information will be available closer to that time. 

The School of Business invites its more than 26,000 graduates, including the 77 percent who live in Virginia, to reconnect with their alma mater during the 75th anniversary year.  Alumni can attend a speaker series, a reception honoring retired faculty and a young alumni party.  A new 75th anniversary website (http://75years.business.vcu.edu/) provides event details and invites alumni and friends to share stories about the school’s impact on their lives.

"From our founding in 1937 to meet the demand for managers, buyers and other professionals in the then-growing retail sector in Richmond, the VCU School of Business has worked to keep up with the changing needs of industry in order to best prepare our students to become business leaders,” said Ed Grier, dean of the VCU School of Business. “Today, we are busy forming new international partnerships, incorporating the latest technology and infusing innovation into our curriculum. What has remained constant is the caliber and dedication of the faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni and supporters that have gotten us to this important milestone.”

The School of Business consists of six academic departments. The undergraduate program, ranked in the Top 100 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, offers nine majors with eight tracks, as well as three minors. There are 24 graduate programs offered, including Ph.D., master’s and certificate programs. The part-time MBA program is ranked 51st nationally, and No. 7 for salary increase by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The school is home to 13 centers and institutes, including the da Vinci Center for Innovation, the Virginia Family and Private Business Program and others that foster research and engage the business community.

For more information on the 75th anniversary, visit http://75years.business.vcu.edu/.