Inside a college Board of Governors meeting and another gift from two Alumni Hall of Fame members
Michael Hartline, dean of the Florida State University College of Business, knows his students’ needs, and he knew he had a supportive audience. So, he got right to the point in late March and asked members of the college Board of Governors to personally help fund an emerging investment priority: student professional development.
FSU business students reap big benefits from opportunities such as group trips to the nation's economic centers, Hartline explained at the spring Board of Governors meeting. On visits to places such as New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C., students meet with company executives, get a better understanding of their industries, find inspiration from a new experience and establish crucial professional connections, he said.
But, he added: Many students lack the money to go.
Former board members and chairs Mark and Nan Hillis, both college alumni Hall of Fame members and retired banking executives, attended the meeting and responded promptly: They gifted $50,000 in April to establish the Mark and Nan Casper Hillis Professional Development Endowment for Excellence in Real Estate.
