College of Business celebrates 25 years
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The College of Business will hold a reception and night of recognition Friday as part of its 25th anniversary celebration.
Special guests include the current dean’s advisory council, key donors and other special guests and dignitaries of the college and university.
“We’ve been looking ahead for the 25th since the beginning of the calendar year,” said Dan Ryan, director of marketing and alumni relations. “We have a special reception and a brief program. The president will be stopping over, the founding dean will be talking a little bit of the history, and our dean, Labh Hira, will be making some comments about where we go from here.”
Other guests include donors to Campaign Iowa State and the Gerdin Business Building’s construction.
This event is one of several that will occur during the 25th year of the college’s existence.
The college celebrated its official 25th anniversary with a reception July 1. In August, the college invited students to celebrate by handing out birthday cake in the Gerdin lobby.
Throughout the year, speakers will be part of the special 25th anniversary lecture series hosted by the College of Business.
Business classes have been offered at Iowa State since the 1920s, but it wasn’t until 1984 that the school became an official college on campus. The college’s original dean, Charles Handy, was named head of the university’s business programs in 1978 and was part of the group that helped the College of Business become a reality.
“When I joined the college 51 years ago, they had nine faculty and one secretary, and now they are a force on campus that they weren’t years ago. It’s been great to see that happen,” Handy said. “I was dean for five years. The progress was slow at that time. We’ve had some good leadership in the college; Dean Hira is doing a great job.”
In just 25 years, the college has developed into a multi-program college and has firmly grounded itself in the ISU campus.
“It’s a great story,” Ryan said. “We’ve come a long way in a relatively short period of time. We added an MBA program in 1985, got accreditation with the Society to Advance Schools of Business in 1991. This fall we got our first Ph.D. program — that’s a huge step for us.”
Since its conception, the college has been located in several buildings on campus.
The college was part of the College of Science and Humanities in 1959, before moving to Carver Hall 10 years later. The school also spent time in the Industrial Arts Building.
“We occupied the old Industrial Arts Building on the second floor,” Handy said. “The industrial arts shop was on the first floor. When the weather was nice and the windows would open, we would hear the saws down there and smell the wood burning. In the summer, the boards would swell up and it was almost impossible to close the doors. We survived and grew through the years with the one idea in mind: to become a college.”
The College of Business was officially made in 1991 and moved into the Gerdin Business Building, named after Russell and Ann Gerdin, long-time supporters of the college, in 2004.
“The biggest [event] is the construction of the Gerdin Building in the spring of 2004,” Ryan said. “At the time it was the college’s biggest fundraising campaign.”
Now, having been recognized for its achievements by the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship as well as the Princeton Review, Iowa State’s College of Business has become a nationally recognized program and continues to grow. The college currently has its largest number of enrolled students: 3,750.
The college continues to look ahead, specifically to 2034 and to another 25 years of success staying on top of trends and technology.
“I am always excited to get back,” said Handy, who was asked to speak at Friday’s reception. “They had a 10th Anniversary Celebration and I talked for too long. I’ll have to watch it this time. I always enjoy being there, and it will be a nice occasion.”
Special guests include the current dean’s advisory council, key donors and other special guests and dignitaries of the college and university.
“We’ve been looking ahead for the 25th since the beginning of the calendar year,” said Dan Ryan, director of marketing and alumni relations. “We have a special reception and a brief program. The president will be stopping over, the founding dean will be talking a little bit of the history, and our dean, Labh Hira, will be making some comments about where we go from here.”
Other guests include donors to Campaign Iowa State and the Gerdin Business Building’s construction.
This event is one of several that will occur during the 25th year of the college’s existence.
The college celebrated its official 25th anniversary with a reception July 1. In August, the college invited students to celebrate by handing out birthday cake in the Gerdin lobby.
Throughout the year, speakers will be part of the special 25th anniversary lecture series hosted by the College of Business.
Business classes have been offered at Iowa State since the 1920s, but it wasn’t until 1984 that the school became an official college on campus. The college’s original dean, Charles Handy, was named head of the university’s business programs in 1978 and was part of the group that helped the College of Business become a reality.
“When I joined the college 51 years ago, they had nine faculty and one secretary, and now they are a force on campus that they weren’t years ago. It’s been great to see that happen,” Handy said. “I was dean for five years. The progress was slow at that time. We’ve had some good leadership in the college; Dean Hira is doing a great job.”
In just 25 years, the college has developed into a multi-program college and has firmly grounded itself in the ISU campus.
“It’s a great story,” Ryan said. “We’ve come a long way in a relatively short period of time. We added an MBA program in 1985, got accreditation with the Society to Advance Schools of Business in 1991. This fall we got our first Ph.D. program — that’s a huge step for us.”
Since its conception, the college has been located in several buildings on campus.
The college was part of the College of Science and Humanities in 1959, before moving to Carver Hall 10 years later. The school also spent time in the Industrial Arts Building.
“We occupied the old Industrial Arts Building on the second floor,” Handy said. “The industrial arts shop was on the first floor. When the weather was nice and the windows would open, we would hear the saws down there and smell the wood burning. In the summer, the boards would swell up and it was almost impossible to close the doors. We survived and grew through the years with the one idea in mind: to become a college.”
The College of Business was officially made in 1991 and moved into the Gerdin Business Building, named after Russell and Ann Gerdin, long-time supporters of the college, in 2004.
“The biggest [event] is the construction of the Gerdin Building in the spring of 2004,” Ryan said. “At the time it was the college’s biggest fundraising campaign.”
Now, having been recognized for its achievements by the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship as well as the Princeton Review, Iowa State’s College of Business has become a nationally recognized program and continues to grow. The college currently has its largest number of enrolled students: 3,750.
The college continues to look ahead, specifically to 2034 and to another 25 years of success staying on top of trends and technology.
“I am always excited to get back,” said Handy, who was asked to speak at Friday’s reception. “They had a 10th Anniversary Celebration and I talked for too long. I’ll have to watch it this time. I always enjoy being there, and it will be a nice occasion.”
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