Dillard gifted $250K from AT&T

By Ryan Whirty
Contributing Writer

In honor of the retirement a longtime AT&T executive and Dillard University alumni, the telecommunications corporation has donated $250,000 to help Dillard’s College of Business educate, train and prepare young adults for successful careers in the business world.

Joyce Roche, who graduated from Dillard in 1970 with a degree in mathematics, recently retired from the AT&T Board of Directors after more than a decade of service to the company. In recognition of her importance to the corporation, and as a nod to the role her Dillard education played in her career, the company announced the donation to the university last week at the grand opening of AT&T’s newest New Orleans store at 4221 Old Gentilly Road.

Roche said that she couldn’t have reached the heights she did in her career without a solid foundation at Dillard. Given that, she said, she greatly appreciates AT&T’s gift to her alma mater.

AT&T Executives with Dillard’s College of Business faculty, including Vice President Dr. Yolanda Page, left and University President Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough, second from right

“Having the opportunity to pursue a business career and launching that career through achieving an MBA allowed me to reach career heights I never could have imagined,” she said. “I am thrilled that AT&T has provided the funds to offer future Dillard students the same opportunity.”

Specifically, the gift from AT&T will be used to enhance the curriculum and class development; create and foster internship opportunities for university students with various agencies and businesses; and boost the college’s graduate-school preparation efforts, especially by helping aspiring graduate students study and get ready for the GRE and GMAT standardized tests that are crucial to a person’s chances of acceptance into graduate school.

“Dillard University is extremely appreciative of this support that will allow us to support three major components of the College of Business strategic plan – internship opportunities, graduate school preparation, and curriculum development – which will allow students to better position themselves to enter into careers and graduate school after receiving their Bachelor’s degree,” said Dr. Yolanda Page, vice president of the Office of Academic Affairs.

The news of the development grant comes just three months after the College of Business achieved official accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, adding to the momentum toward future growth being gained by the school.

“We are very grateful for the gift of $250,000 from AT&T on behalf of Dr. Joyce Roche, their former board member and an alumnus of Dillard University,” said Dr. Richard S. Igwike, interim dean of Dillard’s College of Business. “We are very proud of Dr. Roche for her accomplishments and recommending us for the gift. With our ACBSP accreditation behind us, the gift will enable us to excel to the next level of prominence for supporting student internships that would lead to better jobs, preparing them for graduate school admission, and curriculum development.”

In a statement, Sonia Perez, president of AT&T Southern States, said the company is honored to help Dillard continue to train and prepare young men and women for successful business careers.

“Dillard University has a long history of preparing young people for successful futures, where they have an impact in their communities and cultivate opportunities for others to thrive, and we are proud to support them as they continue to refine and enhance their programs and curriculum,” Perez said.

This article originally published in the August 26, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.