Campaign Quarterly Update: December 2018

In the Sklarsky Center for Business Analytics, located in the Saunders College of Business, students can work independently or in groups 24/7 using the technology to build investment portfolios and analyze the fluidity of stock prices on Dow Jones or Nasdaq, just like professional financial analysts do.

RIT leadership is pleased to update the community on the $1 billion blended campaign, Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness. Here is a snapshot of the campaign’s philanthropic impact to date.

At RIT, students are our first priority, and student success both inside and outside the classroom is our primary purpose. Just six shorts months ago, RIT publicly launched its $1 billion campaign—Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness—the largest external support effort in our history. This blended campaign—including philanthropic, research and government funds—will allow us to build upon our updated strategic plan and focus our collective efforts on attracting, educating, retaining and graduating our students. The campaign will also enable us to engage alumni, grow our status as a research university and build deeper relationships with government and corporate partners. Without question, this campaign will impact every area of the university. To date, we’ve raised more than $555 million.

This public phase of the campaign follows five years of giving, and the impact is readily apparent. Here is a snapshot of the campaign’s philanthropic impact to date.

Sklarsky Center for Business Analytics

In the Sklarsky Center for Business Analytics, located in the Saunders College of Business, students can work independently or in groups 24/7 using the technology to build investment portfolios and analyze the fluidity of stock prices on Dow Jones or Nasdaq, just like professional financial analysts do. Bloomberg terminals and associated software, in conjunction with a suite of analytics software, provide real-time data from every market, breaking news, in-depth programming and research capabilities, and powerful analytics and data-visualization applications that equip students with industry-standard tools. The center was named for alumnus and trustee Frank Sklarsky '78 and his family following their gift to the college. This endowed gift helps support costs associated with the 800-square-foot space in the college and provides funding for equipment purchases and software, as well as student activities, lectures and research projects associated with the Sklarsky Center.

Eugene H. Fram Chair in Applied Critical Thinking

“The ability to think critically gives us the power to consider fully and make well-rounded decisions for ourselves and for our world, and there is no more important work than that. Critical thinking is, and should be, part of the fabric of RIT. We must continue to lead by example through our teaching and scholarly efforts and by creating opportunities that encourage and support the growth of critical thinking in all we do,” says Jennifer Schneider, the current Eugene H. Fram Chair in Applied Critical Thinking. This chair was created by an RIT alumnus to honor his former professor, Gene Fram, who served RIT’s Saunders College of Business from 1957 to 2008. The Fram Chair is unique in that it is not based in any one college. The chair supports and increases applied critical thinking across the entire university and seeks to ensure it is a fundamental part of an RIT education.

Bal Dixit Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Fire Protection Research

Enabling new generations of innovators and entrepreneurs to explore, create and test materials that can change their world in positive ways is exactly what alumnus and former trustee Sudhakar “Bal” Dixit MBA '74 was looking to accomplish when he made a gift to fund the Bal Dixit Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Fire Protection Research—located in the Golisano Institute for Sustainability. The lab is designed to perform industry testing, research and analysis on fire-resistant materials for product manufacturers or sellers of protective clothing, fabrics and coatings that require flammability, heat resistance, smoke composition and other advanced testing. The lab also has an educational component, providing flame and fire resistant materials research opportunities for graduate students, enabling co-ops to learn about the properties of flame and fire resistant materials and testing best practices for these materials and providing workforce training for the next generation of workers in this important research.

Bruce B. Bates Women’s Hockey Coach

Bruce B. Bates Women’s Hockey Coach is RIT’s first named endowed coaching position for Tiger athletics programs. RIT Trustee Emeritus and season ticket holder Bruce Bates made the gift in recognition and support of the student-athletes of the women’s hockey program where the endowed earnings support the salary of the women’s head hockey coach while providing budget relief to athletics. This signature gift serves as an impetus for future successes in women’s hockey and helps to build consistently competitive teams. Chad Davis is the current Bruce B. Bates Hockey Coach.

Captain Eddy Krauss '57 Endowed Fund

The Captain Eddy Krauss '57 Endowed Fund was established by College of Art and Design alumnus Captain Edwin Krauss '57 to provide support to the Bachelor of Science programs in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences. The income from this endowment supports a wide variety of department needs, such as visiting faculty, research funds, student scholarships, and other non-regular operational needs as well as the ability to create research and certification opportunities and provide valuable, non-operational support to priorities of the faculty. The education and work of students and faculty alike will continue on in perpetuity because of this gift.

To learn more about Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness, how you can get involved or to make your annual campaign gift, please visit rit.edu/TransformingRIT. And watch for future updates on how sponsored research and government campaign dollars are transforming RIT.

Jennifer Schneider and Gene Fram pose for picture together.Jennifer Schneider, the Eugene H. Fram Chair in Applied Critical Thinking, stands with Gene Fram, who served RIT’s Saunders College of Business from 1957 to 2008.
person in shiny lab suit in Golisano Institute for sustainability.Alumnus and former trustee Sudhakar “Bal” Dixit MBA '74 made a gift to fund the Bal Dixit Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Fire Protection Research?”located in the Golisano Institute for Sustainability.
 three people posing for photo while holding RIT hockey jersey.Lou Spiotti Jr., executive director of intercollegiate athletics, Bruce B. Bates Hockey Coach Chad Davis and Bruce B. Bates pose on Aug. 22 as Davis is announced as the 14th head coach in program history.