“Dedicating the Knox School of Accountancy is not only a great occasion for the Hull College, but is an event of great significance for our university and for our community. Winston Churchill noted that it is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look further than you can see. Well, the generosity of the Knox Family has allowed us to look further than we thought possible at this time—it sets the stage for us to be among the top tier of business schools in the nation,” says Dr. Marc Miller, ASU’s dean of the Hull College of Business.

Already, the Hull College is on the list of the top 296 business schools in the nation, according to the annual ranking of the prestigious Princeton Review. Since accounting is considered to be a cornerstone of a world-class business school, says Dr. Miller, the Knox School of Accountancy will only raise the prestige and reputation of the Hull College, which will in turn benefit our business community.

The Knox Foundation gave the first major gift of $2 million to support an accountancy school in the Hull College of Business and an endowed chair. The Peter S. Knox III endowed chair of accounting recently received approval from the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

In recognition of the support of the Knox Foundation to the Hull College, the Faculty Policies Committee recommended the naming of the Knox School of Accountancy on Sept. 9. The Knox Foundation and James M. Hull made major gifts to Augusta State University totaling $3 million to assist in the growth and development of the accountancy program in the Hull College. Both the Knox Foundation and James M. Hull are well known for their philanthropic efforts in the community and state.

For more information, call ASU’s Office of Public Relations at 706-737-1444.
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“We are very grateful to the Knox Foundation for their support of business education at Augusta State University,” said Dr. William A. Bloodworth, Jr., adding, “This gift will take the Hull College of Business to a new level and will significantly impact the professional development of our students in the accountancy program.”

The gift will endow a School of Accountancy and a chair in the accountancy program within the Hull College.

“On behalf of all the trustees of the Knox Foundation, we are pleased to provide this financial support and to be part of the tremendous growth and momentum that Augusta State University is currently experiencing,” said Jeff Knox, its executive director. “It is our hope that this endowment for a school of accountancy will greatly enhance the business college’s ability to attract quality students as well as other private funding.”

Accounting is considered to be a cornerstone of a world-class business school, according to Dr. Marc Miller, dean of the Hull College, who said that the Knox gift will help the college become a top tier business college. Already, the Hull College is one of only 300 business colleges worldwide to hold accreditation from the AACSB—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This past year, the college also was named by The Princeton Review to be among the top 270 business schools in the nation.

Mr. Knox, along with Ms. George-Ann Knox and Ms. Pat Knox Hudson, trustees of the Knox Foundation, were in attendance and were acknowledged by Dr. Bloodworth for their many leadership gifts to our community: “Giving is a part of their being—and giving without the expectation for recognition. When the Knox family makes a leadership commitment, it makes a lasting impression. This gift will touch many lives and become a catalyst for others to give and become part of our university.”

Mr. James M. Hull, the namesake of the business college, was instrumental in obtaining the gift and was also present at the announcement today. “My grandfather and father greatly admired the Knox family through the years, and it gives me great pleasure to see our families joined in support of ASU and in pursuit of broader education for our community. The Knox’s gift is important to the very vital work of creating better educational opportunities for our community, and their gift will be felt for many years to come.”

The announcement of the Knox Foundation gift was followed by a second announcement from Dr. Bloodworth of another major gift from Mr. Hull—a $1 million gift—which will be used to support scholarships within the accountancy program.

“We are also grateful to Jim Hull for his continued and increased financial support of the scholarship program for students in the Hull College. Because of his generosity, future generations of Hull Scholars will have opportunities for an exceptional educational experience. And, ultimately, it will be the business community that benefits as our Hull Scholars graduate and assume their professional careers,” said Dr. Bloodworth.

Both gifts will have a direct impact on the community as opportunities for the study of accounting increase.

“Successful communities must rely on the intellectual capital and resources of their universities to identify and solve problems and to create growth opportunities. We must expand access to higher education and educate more of our community to an advanced level. In today’s times, it is imperative that our population be educated, and I am excited to work with the Knox family, Dean Marc Miller, President Bloodworth and our other friends at Augusta State University to help push the College of Business ahead of its peers and to help our community compete in the national marketplace,” said Mr. Hull.

Both the Knox Foundation and James M. Hull are well known for their philanthropic efforts in the community and state. Mr. Hull said that the Knox Foundation’s broad knowledge and keen insight into the philanthropic landscape in Augusta is second to none.

“The Knox family is renowned for superb business and philanthropic instincts. Good value and solid returns are the hallmarks of Knox family investments, and this magnificent gift and their support of Augusta State University will serve as a beacon to others to support the university. I have no doubt that the Knox’s gift will be amplified and leveraged throughout the CSRA.”

Mr. Boone Knox, chief executive officer of the Knox Foundation, could not attend the news conference, but said, “It is especially a privilege to join the Hull family in further support of the Hull College of Business.”

The Intellectual Capital Partnership Program—an economic development program of the University System of Georgia—will provide students in ASU’s James M. Hull College of Business an opportunity to link with developing businesses in MCG’s Life Science Business Development Center. Between eight and 10 internships, starting in the spring semester, will provide business students experience in the biotechnology industry.

“The life science industry is growing,” says Jonathan Goolsby, the outreach coordinator for MCG’s Life Sciences Innovation Center. “One area where scientists have a lack of expertise is in business operations. Their businesses sometimes find it difficult to locate people who are qualified to work in these industries. And it’s very attractive. The average salary is $75,000.”

As part of the new program, students will learn about writing business plans, analyzing external and internal business environments, analyzing markets, customers and the competition, analyzing key financial documents, planning pricing and communications strategies, and resolving distribution issues. They will spend 10 hours per week for six weeks with an assigned bio-tech startup company. For their work, students will receive three hours course credit.

“This effort allows us to bring together the world of biology with the vision of the business world to benefit ASU students and the start-up companies at the Life Sciences Innovation Center at MCG,” says Carolyn Ingraham, ASU’s director of Continuing Education and ICAPP liaison.

Each business in the MCG incubator will also reap benefits from taking part in the program. The approach for a participating company will be customized to meet its needs but will typically include a business plan that can be used to identify sources of funding and support.

In the short-term, the internship will build a permanent, interdisciplinary course to be offered at least once a year. The long-range goal is to explore developing a special area of study in the Hull College of Business where students can take a series of biology courses leading to a Bio-Medical Business degree concentration.

“I hope to see this initial internship program grow in the future to become a permanent bio-business track within the Hull College of Business curriculum,” Ms. Ingraham says. “This type of collaboration can have a big impact in creating jobs and business opportunities in the CSRA.”

Nabil Ibrahim, Professor in the Hull College of Business, will serve as the lead instructor for the internship. Rich Griner, Christine Terry, and Jason Andrus from ASU’s Department of Biology will facilitate the biology component as well as the student-business connection.