Tag: Shanghai

He’s been here for 42 years, so it’s hard to imagine Olin without him. But Jim Little says he’s retiring after a long career as professor of economics. Over 100 well-wishers turned out for a reception in Little’s honor at the Knight Center following a speech in which Little looked back and forward at the global economy. Former students, colleagues, Bob Virgil, and many others were among the attendees who toasted Little’s long career.

Colleagues, former students, and friends gathered in the Knight Center Dining Room to celebrate the career and retirement of Jim Little.

Little prefaced his speech with some fond and funny reminiscences. He told the audience, “I’ve been very lucky. I’ve benefited from outstanding leadership at both the University and the School. I’ve had wonderful colleagues who are really smart and dedicated to research and teaching. Perhaps, most of all, I’ve had wonderful students who I sometimes think taught me more than I taught them.”

Little holds his grandson.

Professor Little will be retiring from his role as the Donald Danforth, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Business.  He joined the Washington University faculty in 1971 and served on the faculty of the Department of Economics until 1982, when he joined the faculty of the Olin School. From 1983-89, he served as associate dean for academic affairs. Professor Little also served as Academic Director of the Olin School’s EMBA Program and directed the School’s European Programs. While retiring from his full professorship, he will continue to serve as the Academic Director for Olin’s Executive MBA program in partnership with Fudan University in Shanghai.

Olin has established the “Jim Little Tribute Scholarship” to honor Professor Little’s legacy of educating students, and an Olin student will be awarded this scholarship next fall. To make a gift in support of this scholarship, please visit https://gifts.wustl.edu

Watch Little’s retirement presentation.

Olin’s 1,500 pound ceremonial Chinese ding was forced to move from the courtyard to the south side of the Knight Center due to construction work on Knight Hall and Bauer Hall.

The ding – a gift from members of the Executive MBA Shanghai Class #2 – was installed in the Knight Center courtyard in 2005.  The EMBA-Shanghai alumni donated the Ding as a symbol of the strong ties they have to Washington University.

The joint Washington University and Fudan University in Shanghai Executive MBA program was established 10 years ago and was one of the first western-style business school programs to partner with a Chinese university.

Olin’s ding is a reproduction of the Da Ke Ding, now in the Shanghai Museum, which was cast during the reign of King Xiao, a 10th-century BC ruler. It is 5 feet tall, 4 feet in diameter, and weighs 1,5000 pounds.  This modern replica was created at the Chinese Art Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

A Ding is part of a set of ceremonial bronze vessels, which historically came in a variety shapes and frequently carried food and wine. The ruling class used the ritual bronzes during ancestor worship rituals, placing the vessels in burial tombs. Beginning in the Shang dynasty, which lasted from the 16th to the 11th century, BC, large Dings were used as gifts from one aristocrat to another. These large Dings symbolized authority and the right to rule. The number of Dings an aristocrat owned indicated his status: the Emperor had nine Dings, dukes and barons had seven and scholarly gentlemen, three.

Before 109 students in Olin’s Executive MBA (EMBA)program donned their graduation apparel on December 7, 2012, they had to complete the capstone class for their 20-month graduate studies.

Students from Olin’s three EMBA locations (St. Louis, Kansas City and Shanghai) gather for the final two week course.  Among the speakers they heard from: Dave Peacock, EMBA’00, recently retired President of Anheuser-Busch, and John Beuerlein,MBA’77, partner at Edward Jones.

Shanghai EMBA graduate, Thomas CHEONG (pictured above), with John Beuerlein, and professor Jim Little is the global vice president of China Asset Management Manulife. CHEONG received the C. William Emory Award at the triple graduation ceremony in Graham Chapel.

Congratulations, graduates!!