On Wednesday, September 13, Rowan University President Dr. Ali Houshmand revealed that The William G. Rohrer Charitable Foundation gifted $5 million to Rohrer College of Business.
Linda M. Rohrer, trustee of the William G. Rohrer Charitable Foundation and daughter of William Rohrer, felt this gift appropriately honored her father’s values. “My father had a passion for education and for helping fellow businesspeople succeed,” Rohrer said. “As we work to continue his legacy, this gift will ensure that the Rohrer College of Business remains competitive and can educate even more talented business students.”
Rohrer has already undergone considerable development recently, with the completion of Rowan University Business Hall in January, 2017 after three years of construction. For almost a year now, the 98,000-square foot, four-story building has served as home to the college of business. Moreover, 14 new faculty members have joined Rohrer in just the last few years.
This significant addition to the school, as well as the $5,000,000 will allow the university to provide resources that will draw in new talent. Including the newest contribution, the William G. Rohrer Foundation has committed $19,000,000 to Rowen in the past 25 years.
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This gift is going to be channeled toward specialized scholarships and enterprises to improve recruitment and retention rates, efforts that should help the school increase its impact in the community.
According to Houshmand, “One of our primary responsibilities as a public research university is to help drive the economy of the region by developing a talented stream of future business leaders. This generous gift will help us stem the tide of students going out of state for business educations, many of whom do not return.”
Houshmand’s sentiment echoed that of Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney after Business Hall was Built. Sweeney said, “We want to grow the economy here. Rowan is the linchpin in economic development in South Jersey.”