Raymond L. Smith

On February 18, 1919, the dean of Emory College, Howard Odum, recommended the creation of a “school of economics and business administration” to the Board of Trustees. Thus, in the fall of 1919, the new school worked with Emory College to offer courses in economics, accounting, and business law. By 1925, there was one faculty member and full-time assistant, five staff members and 145 students. In 1926, eight students received the Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Two decades after the school awarded degrees in business administration, the school accepted its first female student in 1954. In the same year, the MBA program commenced, with 19 registered students. Goizueta Business School In 1992, the evening MBA program was introduced. At the same time, the school was achieving greater validation for its programs. When the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business began accrediting master’s programs, Emory’s program was one of the first to be approved. Four years later, Emory appeared on the list of the top American colleges and universities producing U.S. executives. This newfound acclaim accompanied new programs, such as the concentration within the MBA program for professional accounting and, in 1979, the Executive MBA program. Also at this time, the school created a plan to allow students to complete both the MBA and Juris Doctor degree within four years. Rankings of the school’s programs highlight the results of thoughtful and steady expansion. In 1986, the Executive MBA program was ranked in the top 15 in a Business Week survey. In 1994, the school was renamed for Roberto C. Goizueta, a much admired and successful business leader. More than providing a namesake for the school, Roberto C. Goizueta placed his philosophical stamp on the school’s academic and financial development. Goizueta proclaimed, “Business schools today cannot just reflect business the way it is. They must teach business the way it will be.” The millennium brought about a new PhD program in business administration and a new program in Real Estate. Goizueta Business School installed its current dean, Professor Larry Benveniste, in 2005