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Bryan School of Business and Economics Joseph M. Bryan

Naming of the Joseph M. Bryan Building

After operating for ten years in various locations around campus, the School of Business and Economics finally had a permanent home when the School of Business and Economics building opened in January 1980. Construction began on the building project in 1977 and the 123,000 square foot reinforced concrete structure was completed million in November 1979 at a cost of $4.9 million. A unique feature of the building was its computer and television distribution system, which connected all of the classrooms and faculty offices. This design allowed computer generated television programs to be broadcast to all classrooms.

Bryan Building

In July 1987, the UNCG Board of Trustees formally approved the renaming of the School of Business and Economics to the Joseph M. Bryan School of Business and Economics. It was the first time that a professional school had been named for an individual at the university. The honor was given to Mr. Joseph M. Bryan, an extremely successful local businessman, who upon retirement, dedicated his life to philanthropy by financially supporting universities, medical intuitions, and recreational facilities within North Carolina. At the time of the dedication, Mr. Bryan had already given UNCG a $1 million donation in 1983 and would later give another $5 million upon his death in 1995.

Although the business school was named after Mr. Bryan, the building that housed the academic departments was still known as the School of Business and Economics Building. In June 1989, Mr. Bryan pledged a financial gift of $666,000 to UNCG for the creation of a $1 million endowed professorship called the Joseph M. Bryan Distinguished Professorship. Shortly after his generous donation, UNCG President William Moran recommended to the UNCG Board of Trustees that the current School of Business and Economics Building be officially renamed the Joseph M. Bryan Building. In September 1989, the motion was passed by the board members and the building officially changed its name. Today, the name of building is commonly shortened to the Bryan Building.

Article by Sean Mulligan

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