Bennett S. Le Bow College of Business - History

History

Established with the founding of Drexel the business program, then called the Business Department, has been in continuous operation since 1891 under different names. In 1896 the Business Department became known as the Department of Commerce and Finance, and in 1914 it became the Secretarial School. In 1922 the Secretarial School once again became known as a business school being named the School of Business Administration. In 1945 the School of Business Administration formed one of the first Colleges at Drexel and became known as the College of Business Administration. In 1974 the College underwent another transformation becoming the College of Business and Administration.

The College of Business and Administration lasted until 1999, when the program was named after alumnus Bennett S. LeBow after he made a contribution of $10 million to the University in what was "the largest by an individual donor in the University's 108-year history." In November 2010, Drexel University announced the largest contribution to the university by LeBow in the amount of $45 million. The fund will go toward the planned $92 million project to construct a new 12-story facility to replace the 35-year-old Matheson Hall. The donation is the 12th largest to any US business school, and the biggest ever to Drexel University.