Dear Robins School Community,

As the 2007-2008 school year begins, I am pleased to report that it has been a very busy and productive summer at the Robins School. Over the summer, there were significant technology upgrades to our classrooms and finance lab, increasing capabilities for faculty and students. Two of our outstanding MBA students were featured on CNBC's television program "Fast Money," where they both received high marks for their savvy stock trading advice. Three of our finance faculty members' research was featured in The Economist, The New York Times, and other national and international media outlets. I invite you to read more about these stories in this fall's edition of the Robins School Update.

I would also like to take this opportunity to present the new Robins School Strategic Plan, which received final approval from our faculty earlier this year. As part of our ongoing commitment to excellence, the school created a strategic plan to guide us through the next five years. In five years we expect the Robins School of Business to cement its place among the top undergraduate business schools in the country. To achieve this goal we will pursue several initiatives that enhance our research and teaching, distinguished by an emphasis on qualitative and quantitative analytical and decision-making skills.

Highlights of this plan include a new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Center for Active Business Education, Internship and Career Opportunities Program, and most importantly, a new building addition to create space for these new initiatives. I invite you to read the complete strategic plan at http://business.richmond.edu/aboutus/strategic_plan.html.

As always, we welcome alumni involvement with the school -- whether it is providing internships and jobs to our students, supporting the school financially, partnering with us for executive education, speaking to our classes, or participating in events. For more information, please contact us at (804) 289-8550 or RobinsSchool@richmond.edu.

Best regards,

Jorge Haddock
Dean