BUILDING A BETTER BUSINESS SCHOOL

BUILDING A BETTER BUSINESS

SCHOOL

By Anna Grisham

For decades, the Fogelman College of Business & Economics (FCBE) has been recruiting, educating and cultivating the best and brightest. Our 30,000+ alumni have made a great impact in their business communities, and our faculty have made invaluable advancements in their fields of study. While we are extremely proud of our exemplary history, our physical location — specifically, our building — does not reflect the forward-thinking, innovative and collaborative vision of its tenants.

The State of Tennessee and our supporters agree that it is time for change. We recently received confirmation that the state has allocated $25 million towards a major renovation to transform our current business school buildings into a state-of-the-art academic and research center. In addition to these funds, aspire to raise an additional $35 million in donor funding to supplement this dramatic physical transformation.

One of the major benefits of the future building renovation for FCBE will be its ability to connect our students to each other, our faculty and our campus alike. We want to create a space where students are excited to learn, meet and socialize.

“A dedicated study space in FCBE would allow students an opportunity to study and meet new friends that have either taken or are currently taking similar courses. Studying in the library is nice, but having a dedicated space in FCBE would allow students to connect in a way a library can’t provide. It can also serve as a ‘meet-up’ spot for those getting to class early. Food and beverage options would also be beneficial, as the walk to the UC from FCBE isn’t exactly a minor commute. I’m positive that this would improve all FCBE students’ college experience,” said Thomas Valdescaro, a junior accounting major.

Not only will the new building uplift FCBE internally, but it will also bring numerous benefits to our local community. With our executive lecture series, training workshops, business community panels, career fair, awards programs and other activities, we aim to support the current and future needs of our students and faculty. Providing a comfortable, spacious and attractive event and meeting space is imperative to the success of our programs. We want our building to have a professional appearance that mirrors that of our exceptional education programs.

PAST

FOGELMAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

PRESENT

FUTURE

The new Robert and Avron Fogelman Business Complex will help us to better produce innovators, skilled employees and leaders. By developing highly trained students who enter the workforce, we encourage businesses to relocate to the Memphis area and promote existing businesses’ expansion.

“Improving the business school helps the City of Memphis just as the City does the same for the business school. You do often think about how both have continued to thrive together. This investment needs to be seen as a real opportunity,” stated Michael Cook, founder and CEO of Memphis-based SouthernSun Asset Management.

“The FCBE modernization project provides an unprecedented opportunity for alumni and friends to invest in the future of the college.

A state-of-the-art facility that meets the evolving needs of students and faculty is vital to the growth of the college,” said Joanna Curtis, vice president for UofM Advancement. “To anyone who is interested in ensuring that tomorrow’s business students have an outstanding educational experience, or in meeting the workforce development needs of businesses in our city and region — now is the time to invest.”

While there are numerous positive implications of this future renovation, ultimately, we believe that it will allow us to more aptly compete with other elite business schools in the country.

We are excited for this opportunity and invite you to be a part of the process. For more information on how to get involved, contact FCBE’s Director of Development Michele Sides at

These renderings are preliminary designs and are subject to change.

michele.sides@memphis.edu.