$1.5 million Raised to Match Charlton Trust Challenge, Creating $4.5 Million Fund
UMass Dartmouth announced today that it has met the Charlton Trust's challenge to raise $1.5 million for the expansion of the internationally accredited Charlton College of Business facility. The Trust had pledged $3 million for the project with $1.5 million contingent on the university raising $1.5 million from other sources.
The Charlton College of Business Learning Pavilion, expected to cost a total of $15 million, will provide new spaces for technology labs, group study areas, and "smart" classrooms, all to enhance and consolidate the learning experience for business students.
With the challenge met, the University is now setting its sights on raising more from external sources. Representatives from the region's financial institutions, which have been tremendous supporters of the business school's new learning wing, met with Chancellor Grossman and members of the Charlton Trust this week on the UMass Dartmouth campus.
"Today's announcement is a major milestone for UMass Dartmouth in advancing the education of undergraduate and MBA students, and it is made possible by the generosity of the Charlton Trust and donors who value the leadership, students, and faculty of the Charlton College," said UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Divina Grossman. "This is an investment in the success of students who will become the leaders of our future economy, and positions us to continue raising private funds to support these students."
"I am pleased that entrepreneurial, talented and industrious students of the region will have access to the learning spaces they deserve," said Earle P. "Chuck" Charlton II, grandson of Earle P. Charlton, for whom the college is named and a benefactor of numerous SouthCoast causes. "This project will ensure that our students and the companies that employ them will remain competitive in the fast-evolving global economy."
"We are immensely grateful to the Charlton Trust and family and all of our campaign supporters for their steadfast generosity and commitment to the expansion of our world class Charlton College," said Charlton Alumnus Robert S. Karam, Principal of the Karam Financial Group and Chair of the expansion campaign. "Support for the Charlton College of Business is vital to the future of the University and the region."
"The expansion of the Charlton College of Business will be a major step forward in creating new, exciting opportunities for growth and scholarship," said Charlton College of Business Dean A. "Guna" Gunasekaran. "The new space will provide our students and faculty with an inspiring and technology-rich environment to learn, teach and conduct research."
Earle P. Charlton was the successful entrepreneur who founded the E.P. Charlton & Co. 5 & 10 Cent store, starting with one outlet in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1890 and developing it into a major chain of 53 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. His endeavor was an integral part of what would become the worldwide Woolworth's enterprise.
The Charlton College of Business, fully accredited by AACSB International. It has been recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the 290 Best Business Colleges in the U.S. and by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Colleges of Business and Business Graduate Schools in the country. The Charlton College of Business is committed to serving the needs of the business community on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts and across the state, while creating opportunities for its students to learn, grow, and succeed.
Named in honor of retail giant Earle P. Charlton, the business school embodies his focus on quality, ethical principles, and a driving entrepreneurial spirit. The faculty represents the highest measure of this quality in their scholarship, teaching, and service.