Home > Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business > SU Dedicates Halpin-Harrison Hall, March 28

SU Dedicates Halpin-Harrison Hall, March 28

Posted March 28, 2008:

Shenandoah University Dedicates Halpin-Harrison Hall, March 28 The New Home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business

Business School professor, Li Bingguang, stands in front of the newly completed Halpin-Harrison Hall.

Today, Shenandoah University dedicated Halpin-Harrison Hall, the new home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, on the corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Millwood Avenue in Winchester. “Halpin-Harrison Hall is a visible symbol of the changes taking place in the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, and it is a clear indication of how the learning process is being dramatically improved,” said W. Randy Boxx, dean of the business school. “The building is about community, belongingness, interchange, engagement and collaboration. In short, the new structure is about the building of relationships that extend education beyond the classroom.” The Halpin and Harrison families of Northern Virginia, Winchester and Jackson Hole, Wyo., have invested their time, talent and resources in Shenandoah University’s vision for excellence. In honor of these long-standing relationships and each family’s special interest in education and business leadership, the new home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business is named Halpin-Harrison Hall.

“Halpin-Harrison Hall is a visible symbol of the changes taking place in the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, and it is a clear indication of how the learning process is being dramatically improved,” said W. Randy Boxx, dean of the business school.

“The university community is indebted to the Halpin family for its generosity and leadership on our board and to the Harrison family for its devotion to the board of trustees and the deanship of the business school,” said Shenandoah University President James A. Davis. For more than 20 years, both families have supported the university, its students and its faculty. “I’m grateful to all of the university’s close friends and donors who supported this building project and made it a reality,” said Dr. Davis. “Halpin-Harrison Hall is Shenandoah University’s newest campus landmark and a symbol of what can be accomplished through teamwork.” The Halpin family’s interest in Shenandoah University comes from Gerald Halpin’s experience as a developer in the greater Washington, D.C., area and his company’s strong commitment to quality and enhancing civic, medical, cultural and educational organizations throughout the communities in which it does business. In addition, Halpin’s son and daughter, Peter and Tina Halpin, both served on Shenandoah University’s board of trustees. As president and CEO of the West*Group of McLean, Va., Halpin received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Shenandoah University in 1994. The award is presented each spring by the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School Business to an individual whose life is marked by entrepreneurial success. According to Dr. Davis, Halpin and his family have also dedicated their lives to helping preserve national parks, especially in Wyoming. The family’s ranch adjoins the Grand Teton National Park and Bridger National Forest, and family members have been lifelong supporters of the National Park System. Stan and Doris Harrison have both served terms on the university’s board of trustees, with Stan serving as dean of the business school from 1998 to 2004. He focused his work on adding value to the lives of students and introducing wireless technology, making laptops mandatory for business students and adding several computer labs to the Mary M. Henkel Hall for projects and classroom learning. He led the work for the new building and helped to design many of its features before he retired from the deanship at the end of the 2003-04 academic year. “Stan played a major role in expanding the scope and reach of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business,” said Davis. “He dedicated himself to personalizing our students’ academic experiences, bringing volunteers together to help shape the future of the school, marketing the school and its programs, and directing me and the trustees to major sources of support. His business management experience and knowledge of higher education contributed to his success as dean of the business school.” The Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business at Shenandoah University is named after former U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr., a World War II Navy veteran, orchardist, journalist, newspaper publisher, businessman and public official. Byrd was elected a Virginia State Senator in 1948 and was appointed to replace his father in the U.S. Senate after his resignation in 1965. After retiring from the Senate in 1983, Byrd returned to Winchester to continue his work with the Byrd family newspapers. Byrd currently serves as a trustee emeritus of Shenandoah University Share