A&T Receives $250,000 From Wachovia Corporation

GREENSBORO - North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has received a $250,000 gift from Wachovia Corporation. Two-hundred thousand dollars will be distributed over a five-year period to fund an endowed scholarship. The remaining $50,000 will be used to place a sculpture on N.C A&T’s campus.

The $200,000 will be used to create an endowed scholarship in honor of Dr. Quiester Craig, dean of the School of Business and Economics, to provide scholarships for business students.

“Naming the fund after Dean Craig is a fitting tribute to an individual who has done so much for A&T’s business school and other historical black university business schools across the country,” said A&T Chancellor James C. Renick.

Craig has been leading A&T’s School of Business and Economics for more than 30 years. Under his leadership, the School has received national recognition. In 1979, the School became the first in the Piedmont Triad area and the first Historically Black College or University in North Carolina to achieve accreditation from AACSB International, the premier accrediting agency for business and accounting programs. In 1986, the School’s accounting program was the first of three HBCUs in the nation to achieve AACSB accounting accreditation. In 1992-93, Craig became the first African-American to serve as president of the prestigious organization. Additionally, Craig was the first and only African American dean to become president of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society for AACSB accredited programs. He held the position from 2000-2002.

“We are delighted to support A&T by providing scholarships to students in the School of Business and Economics,” said Joe Crocker, Wachovia community affairs manager. “Wachovia’s funding of scholarships for students with vast potential to have a positive impact on their communities is a direct result of our commitment to furthering educational advancement.”

In recognition of Wachovia’s gift, the university has commissioned African American artist Richard Hunt to create a sculpture that will be placed outside of A&T’s new $30 million business school. Wachovia’s $50,000 gift will help fund the sculpture, which will be on a 10-foot base. A plaque recognizing Wachovia’s commitment to the business school will be placed at the foot of the statue.

Wachovia Corporation (NYSE.WB), created through the September 1, 2001, merger of First Union and Wachovia, had assets of $348 billion and stockholders’ equity of $32 billion at March 31, 2003. Wachovia is a leading provider of financial services to retail, brokerage and corporate customers throughout the East Coast and the nation. The company operates full-service banking offices under the First Union and Wachovia names in 11 East Coast states and Washington, D.C., and offers full-service brokerage with offices in 48 of the 50 states. Global services are provided through more than 30 international offices. Online banking and brokerage products and services are available through wachovia.com.