Ford gives Business School $1 million

The Ford Motor Company is giving the School of Business more than $1 million to enhance several key programs.

A five-year commitment by the company will:

• Fund a Ford Motor Company Distinguished Chair in Management and Human Resources.
• Establish a Ford Motor Company Academic Excellence Fund to assist undergraduate and graduate minority students.
• Enable the school to support outstanding students in the areas of supply chain management and manufacturing and technology management, two specialized areas where the school has achieved national recognition.

The gift also includes funding for national field trips for manufacturing and technology management students and funds to support programs within the Business Career Center.

“We are grateful for this generous gift from the Ford Motor Company especially because it will assist us in meeting several strategic goals,” Business School Dean Andrew J. Policano says. “The gift will go a long way to enhance opportunities for students.”

Last fall, Ford gave more than $2 million to the School of Business and College of Engineering. The business school’s portion of that gift was for undergraduate scholarships, advising, and graduate student support.

“Ford is providing this grant as a long-term investment in people, the programs and our mutual success,” says Ford representative Gary Lessuise, Lincoln Mercury World Headquarters, Irvine, Calif.

The School of Business, which celebrates its centennial this year, has established an international reputation for quality education in its undergraduate, master’s,Ph.D. and executive education programs. It is cited as having a top-10 undergraduate program and a top-25 MBA program by national publications.