By: Jazmin Goodwin, HU News Service
Nestled on the fourth floor of Howard University’s School of Business (HUSB), members of the Howard University community gathered for the first time in the new Bloomberg Finance Lab. Wendell E. Mackey, CFA, a 1985 alumnus, contributed $250,000 for the creation of the new lab.
The official opening was marked by a special ribbon-cutting ceremony following Howard University’s Charter Day 2018 Convocation Ceremony. Remarks were made by School of Business Dean Barron Harvey, President Wayne A.I. Frederick and Provost Anthony Wutoh expressing appreciation for the donation and reinvestment in the university.
“It is very important that Howard University and the School of Business be recognized worldwide as an outstanding place of learning, providing education for future leaders, and having a real impact on Wall Street,” said Dean Barron Harvey.
HUSB is contracted with Bloomberg Professional Service to purchase licenses for the lab. The lab will aid in providing students the preparation they need for success in finance-oriented fields.
“This contribution is very significant. In my finance management class, we’re actually using the Bloomberg terminal next week,” Howard University senior Kristin Jordan said.
A portion of the donation was also used to establish the Wendell E. Mackey/Channing Capital Management, LLC Scholarship to fund four School of Business students from the metropolitan Chicago area for the next two years. Scholarship recipients included junior, finance major Chris Austin and freshman, marketing major Taylor Stevens.
“One of the things that is extremely important to me is that we as a community take the stewardship of our university very seriously and this is driven by our giving and coming back,” said President Wayne A.I. Frederick.
Mackey then spoke on the importance of reinvesting in Howard’s brand and the importance of stepping it up in the technology field.
“Howard University’s brand is powerful and we have to keep reinvesting in that brand. We are all shareholders here at Howard University. This brand is our currency. 151 years we have it all,” said Mackey.
A former classmate of Mackey’s was also in attendance at the commemorative ceremony. Karen Hayes, an electrical engineering major had much to say on Mackey’s reinvestment.
“It’s amazing to see Mackey give back to Howard in such a major way. To see him circle back and give in a way that will not just impact students here now, but students in the future really puts the owness on the rest of us to give back in a bigger way,” said Hayes.
Mackey is the founder, co-chief executive officer, and chief investment officer for Channing Capital Management, LLC. He received his bachelor of business administration from Howard University in 1985.
