Business school kicks off yearlong centennial celebration

Mark Miester mark.miester@tulane.edu
View PDF

The year 2014 will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. In recognition of this historic milestone, the Freeman School will be rolling out a host of special events and activities during the 2013-2014 academic year to celebrate the history of business education at Tulane. The yearlong celebration begins Friday (Sept. 13) with a Centennial Kickoff for students on the Lavin-Bernick Center Quad.

First Business Class 1916

The first Bachelor of Business Administration class of the Tulane University College of Commerce. (Photo from the A. B. Freeman School of Business)


“I'm proud to announce the start of what promises to be a very exciting centennial year,” says Ira Solomon, dean of the Freeman School. “Tulane University has a long history of business education, scholarship and community impact. In the coming months, we hope to highlight some of the people, events and achievements that have helped to make the Freeman School what it is today.”

Michael Bernstein, Tulane provost, adds, “For 100 years, the Freeman School of Business has combined an international focus with deep roots in the New Orleans community. As we celebrate its centennial, it's exciting to see that the business school's global perspective and local commitment remain as strong as ever.”

Friday's festivities will start at 3 p.m. with music from the Hot 8 Brass Band and a student centennial photo on the Monroe Quad. The fun then shifts to the LBC Quad at 4 p.m. for a kickoff celebration featuring live music and food from local restaurants.

Earlier this year, the Freeman School's Centennial Committee hosted a contest in which students, faculty, staff and alumni were invited to submit suggested taglines for the centennial. Larry Merington, an adjunct lecturer at the Freeman School, submitted the winning entry, “Celebrating a brilliant century, building an even brighter future.”

“The centennial represents a great opportunity for us to look back at our past, but it's also an occasion to celebrate our present and look forward to our future,” says Peggy Babin, associate dean for external relations and chair of the committee. “We thought Larry's tagline perfectly captured the message we'd like to share with all our stakeholders.”

In conjunction with the celebration, the Freeman School has created a centennial website featuring a school timeline, archival photos, profiles of faculty and alumni, school trivia and more. Alumni can submit photos and stories and add their memories to the site and even suggest items for a Freeman School time capsule. The website has information on upcoming events, including the Alumni Centennial Celebration, which will take place on May 2, 2014, at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters in City Park.

For information about Friday's Centennial Kick Off and other upcoming events, contact Rhonda Brown at 504-864-8470.

Mark Miester is the editor of Freeman magazine for the A. B. Freeman School of Business.