a friend
of mine shared a story not so long ago of a man walking past the steps of a newly completed academic facility at a major university, where he stopped to gaze at the building’s beauty. He was taken by the architectural design and the impact the building would have on thousands of lives for years to come, when a small voice broke his concentration. “Do you like this building?” a young girl seated half way up the steps in front asked. “Yes, I really do. It’s absolutely beautiful,” the man replied. “I am glad you like it,” the little girl responded, “because I helped build it.” “Now you are awfully small to have had a part in the construction of such a large building,” the man said smiling,”Just what did you do to help build it?”
With a proud smile the little girl explained that her father was in the construction business and was one of the workers on the site. Every day he came to work and every day the young girl brought him his lunch. Without her help, her father couldn’t work. Without his contribution along with others, the building wouldn’t have been completed. I find similarity with what we are experiencing today on our campus. Webster is home to many construction workers right now. They have poured the foundation and set the girders for what will soon be the home of the Walker School of Business & Technology. But they are not the only builders we have. In fact our school is made up of individuals who each in their own way help shape and define who we are. There’s George Herbert Walker III, who gave us his name, and Robert A.M. Stern, the legendary architect who designed our building and captured the very essence of our vision. There are our alumni, who are living and leading
extraordinary lives. And there are our students, who are in the midst of a remarkably transformative time building their future. We celebrate our faculty whose commitment to excellence is unparalleled. Our NotaBene 2011 issue is dedicated to the permanent citizens of Webster’s Walker School of Business and Technology; our students, alumni and faculty.. They represent the human brick and mortar of the Walker School of Business. We invite you to read their stories, then go to www.webster.edu/ notabene2011 to enjoy more pictures, videos and interviews. We want to share what we’re building at Webster’s Walker School of Business with you because, like the young girl on the steps, we’re proud to be part of something bigger than all of us. Sincerely yours,
Benjamin Ola. Akande, Dean George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology
“Our 2011 NOtabeNe is dedicated tO the permaNeNt citizeNs Of Webster’s Walker schOOl Of busiNess aNd techNOlOgy; Our studeNts, alumNi aNd faculty.”
Webster university | 1