We've Ben Blessed
We’ve Ben Blessed
Dear Ben:
Academics are trained in the art of discourse. We read, write and offer opposing views with the goal of advancing knowledge in our discipline. This is the very nature of the academy. So, it is a rare occasion when a dean can speak with confidence and certainty on behalf of every student, alumnus, professor and staff member.
This is one such occasion for Drexel University’s Bennett S. LeBow College of Business.
We thank you.
We thank you for your financial generosity, yes, but we are even more grateful for the vision that inspired your gifts and the transformation that your philanthropy has made possible.
That transformation becomes most visible with the dedication of Gerri C. LeBow Hall, our new $90 million academic center that you lovingly requested be named after your late wife. Be assured that you and Gerri will be with us in ways that are less visible but no less significant than this building and the sign that will be displayed 12 stories above Market Street. Thanks to the impact of your leadership, we have been able to: attract an increasing number of students who are brighter and more diverse than the classes that preceded them; grow the faculty by recruiting top scholars from leading universities; and support research that ranks our faculty among the best in the world. We can: keep our curricula ahead of the curve by anticipating business needs; introduce innovative programs such as our business analytics initiatives and the one-of-a-kind C-Suite Co-op for MBA students; and engage in a growing number of global partnerships.
We know that you would be the first to say, “I didn’t do this alone.” That is true; the support for this College is deep and wide among our alumni and the business community. But your aspiration became the inspiration for many of those who joined you in this effort.
At last spring’s topping out ceremony celebrating placement of the final structural beam for the building, we made certain pledges to you and to the University. To that list, we, the faculty, staff, students and alumni, now want to add one more pledge: that the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business will always make you proud.
Although rare in academia, with one voice we offer you our gratitude and our respect.
Sincerely,
Frank Linnehan, Ph.D. Interim Dean
