Jerry S. Rawls’ $25 million gift to the business college in late 2000 set it on a path for unprecedented success and the creation of a new generation of leaders.
Just over a quarter century ago, the business college at Texas Tech University was elevated to elite status by the generous philanthropic contribution of one of the university’s most honored alumni.
When Jerry. S. Rawls designated what was then a record-breaking gift of $25 million to the college, it signaled a shift that would set the business college on a course for unprecedented success. Today, the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business consistently earns high marks in national rankings and produces some of the top graduates in the workforce today.
On Friday (Jan. 30) the college will celebrate 25 years of excellence as the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business that featured university leadership, faculty, staff, students and members of the Rawls family.
“Jerry Rawls’ gift laid the foundation for excellence for his namesake college that we have been building on for the past 25 years,” said Margaret L. Williams, dean of the Rawls College. “His gift has elevated our ability to recruit and support top students, attract and retain outstanding faculty and become part of the national conversation on business and business education. We appreciate this opportunity to celebrate our progress and continue this tradition of excellence.”
To commemorate Jerry Rawls’ gift, in 2002 the college was officially renamed in his honor. Rawls earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech in 1967 in mechanical engineering. Eight years after the business college was renamed, it moved into a state-of-the-art building on the northwest side of the campus, providing students with the most up-to-date classroom technology available.
Planning is underway for the building’s second addition/expansion since it was opened. A new wing was added to the west side of the building in 2016.
That is a result of the growth the college has experienced. The Rawls College is experiencing tremendous interest, with 5,847 undergraduate students enrolled, a record high for the college.
“Jerry Rawls’ transformational gift has been a true catalyst for the business college,” said Byron Kennedy, vice president for advancement. “It has been the road map for the impact significant gifts have at Texas Tech for our students, faculty, staff, community and beyond. The Rawls Family’s generosity set a new standard for excellence that has and will continue to set trajectory and define success for generations to come.”
The growth of the college also has resulted in a new focus in its Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) core curriculum to better prepare students for today’s rapidly changing, data-driven business world. The Rawls College’s new core curriculum focuses on four key competencies – being business minded, human-centric, data-driven and technologically proficient through redesigned courses and hands-on core impact experiences.
A major component of this new core curriculum focus has students completing industry-engaged practical learning, such as internships or applied projects, before earning a degree. The goal is to enhance real-world skills and career readiness.
The Rawls College also has expanded its degree offerings with several new graduate programs, including online BBA, a Master of Science in Human Resources Management (MSHRM) and a new finance concentration within the Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA).
Since 2001, the Rawls College of Business has added Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in energy commerce (2004) and supply chain management (2016). It also launched a Professional Master of Business Administration degree for working professionals (2009) and a one-year STEM MBA (2014), plus the Excellence in Banking program began in 2019.