Tag: birthday

One hundred years ago today, Washington University officially chartered a new School of Commerce and Finance. Today, it is known as Olin Business School and to celebrate this centennial milestone, we’re having a party. Music, food, drinks, a photo booth, and more will be part of the festivities beginning this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in the Knight Hall Atrium. Happy Birthday Olin!

Share your memories on social media with #Olin100 and visit the Olin100 website to see stories of Olin’s first century in business.

One year shy of the century mark, Olin Business School celebrates its 99th anniversary today. Founded March 30, 1917 as the School of Commerce and Finance, Washington University’s leadership recognized the need to educate entrepreneurs, future industry and finance leaders as cities and interstate commerce boomed in the early 20th century.

William F. Gephart, the first dean of the School of Commerce and Finance was a professor of economics. Determined to establish a business school at Washington University, Gephart personally solicited donations from 30 St. Louis businesses to help found the school. Visit the timeline on the first floor of Knight Hall, or click here to see the school’s history on the Building Olin website.

Main image: Robert S. Brookings helps lay the corner stone for Duncker Hall, 1923. WashU Archives.

Top: first graduating class of the School of Commerce and Finance; lower left, William Gephardt; lower right, Duncker Hall, the first building built expressly for the business school in 1923.

What a week! We’ve been testing the flexibility of our new spaces and finding that our innovative classrooms can transform from a lecture format, to group study, to a game arcade in less than 24 hours. The Frick Forum can be a quiet spot to study at certain hours while at other times, it can accommodate a crowd for lunch or a baseball game.

We had a great turnout for Pappy’s BBQ and Gooey Louie butter cakes in celebration of Olin’s 97th birthday. A long line of students, faculty, and staff snaked around the cafe and Atrium while waiting to enjoy lunch. According to the “4 Buildings. 1 Olin.” event planning staff, 400 birthday party guests were served.

Many (we counted 325), skipped the BBQ line to play air hockey or Donkey Kong, or to take a spin in a virtual Sega Daytona race car in the retro arcade temporarily located in the McGinnis Classroom.

You could hear the roar of the crowd and the crack of the bat, and really taste the hot dogs and Cracker Jacks on Monday at the Cardinals’ season opener against the Cincinnati Reds. Fred Bird joined in the fun as more than 600 fans received red “4 Buildings. 1 Olin.” sunglasses for the occasion.

Looking forward to seeing lots of students at the Final Four watch party on Monday, April 7, starting at 7 p.m., in the Frick Forum.

The 21 new group study rooms in Knight and Bauer Halls are getting a good workout, too! Glad to see so many students enjoying the new buildings!

Where’s your favorite place to study so far in Knight Hall or Bauer Hall? Comment here or Tweet #OlinNow.

Images: Fredbird by Jerry Naunheim; Arcade by Whitney Curtis. Courtesy of WUSTL Photo Services.

We received dozens of entries in the first week of the 4 Buildings/1 Olin Selfie Contest!
Two winners were randomly selected (via random.org), and they are: Shiv Bery, BSBA’14, and Rohan Jalalizadeh, MD’16 and friends (pictured above).

Shiv Berry

The winners receive a Fitbit wireless activity tracker. All of the photos submitted to the contest will be posted on the digital screens near the cafe on the third floor of Knight Hall.

The contest continues for five more weeks – that means 10 more chances to win! Check the signs in the new buildings for instructions on how to enter or click here.

Clearly, news about our beautiful new Atrium is spreading across campus and beyond Forest Park to the Medical School campus. Please join me in welcoming visitors to our expanded campus and show them around our 4 buildings!

I am traveling in India this week, but will be back on campus in time for Olin’s birthday party this Friday, March 28, from noon to 2 p.m. in the Atrium. Please join the celebration!

Monday, March 31, it’s time to PLAY BALL! The Cardinals’ season opener from Cincinnati will be live on the big screen in the Frick Forum. See you there!