MBA Program Receives Boost from Family of Late Trustee

Ithaca College's newest graduate program has received a boost from the family of the late Elmer "Robbie" Robinson, a longtime supporter of the College and former trustee who died on July 22. Through a gift from the Robinson family, an endowed scholarship fund has been established for students enrolled in the master of business administration degree program, which begins this fall in the School of Business.

"We are deeply grateful for the support of the Robinsons as we inaugurate our M.B.A. program," says Bob Ullrich, dean of the School of Business. "The Elmer D. Robinson Scholarship will provide an opportunity each year for a deserving student."

Robbie Robinson was a member of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees from 1983 to 1988, when he was named an honorary trustee. He had served as president of the Friends of Ithaca College in 1973-74 and was on the Friends Advisory Council. He had also served as chairman of the College's corporate fund drive to complete construction of the Gannett Center.

A graduate of Rutgers University, Robinson worked for many years as an executive in the Morse Chain division of the Borg-Warner Corporation in Ithaca. From 1978 until his retirement in 1981 he was executive vice president of Borg-Warner, managing the company's worldwide industrial and building products operations. He continued to serve Borg-Warner as chairman of its venture capital businesses and was on the boards of directors of several companies. An active local volunteer, he served such community organizations as Kendal at Ithaca, Ithacare, and the Ithaca Rotary Club.

The Robinson scholarship will be awarded to an M.B.A. student based on demonstrated financial need and academic standing, with preference given to a student from Tompkins and surrounding counties. Open to four-year college graduates, regardless of baccalaureate major, the M.B.A. program has been designed to provide a broad view of organizational performance from the perspective of general management. The curriculum will consist of 34 credit hours of graduate study offered in a single year and is intended primarily for full-time students. Some courses will be scheduled in late afternoon and early evening, however, to permit enrollment of a limited number of part-time students.

For more information on the M.B.A. program, contact the School of Business at 274-3341. Donations to the endowment fund may be made to the Ithaca College/Elmer D. Robinson Scholarship Fund, c/o Ithaca College, 310 Alumni Hall, Ithaca, NY 14850-7055.

Photo by Bachrach