Foster School of Business

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About the School

The Foster School of Business is preparing the next generation of business leaders to build and drive an economy that benefits the citizens of Washington, the nation, and the world. To effectively mold the business leaders of tomorrow, we must provide the students of today with the best faculty, technology, facilities, and learning opportunities. With the help of private support, the School is:

• Revamping curriculum. Curriculum changes for the undergraduate and MBA programs will give all students real-world fundamentals and exposure to innovations that will shape tomorrow.
• Increasing scholarship support. Over the past four years, there has been an increase of more than 100% in scholarship dollars, thereby providing greater access to qualified students.
• Receiving national recognition. The undergraduate program is ranked among the top 25 nationwide; the MBA program rose to its highest ranking ever by U.S. News & World Report-27th in the nation.
• Investing in faculty. Increasing faculty support allows the School to attract and retain nationally prominent scholars distinguished by excellence in teaching and research.

Annual Support

The Foster School of Business strives to create innovative learning opportunities and real-world experiences for its students, and it's growing to meet the needs of our students in the 21st-century economy. We have many new developments of which we can all be proud:

• With the beginning of the fall quarter, our landscape has changed literally and dramatically with groundbreaking on the Foster School's two-phase, four-year building effort. The result will be two world-class buildings, a 30% increase in classroom seats, and the formal and informal gathering space to engage students, alumni and the business community in the education we provide.
• With the arrival of Professor Bruce Avolio, one of the most renowned leadership consultants and researchers in the world, the Foster School will move forward with plans to launch a new leadership center to join the three existing business school centers (Business & Economic Development, Global Business, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship). Along with seven other faculty appointments, former Starbucks executive Howard Behar also accepted a one-year chair role.
• Curriculum revision continues with greater emphasis on problem solving, strategic thinking, and communication skills. Proof that the changes are already making a difference, Foster School teams won more national and international case competition in 2007-2008 than the school entered three years ago, bringing back titles from as far as Beijing.

Our students strive to make the most of this education, but they can't do it alone. Without the help of our alumni and friends, many students would not be able to afford to continue their education. Scholarships make a real difference in the lives of students like these:

• Patricia Dixon is a typical Foster School scholarship recipient, which means she's anything but average. Growing up in a military family, Patricia attended 10 different schools before ultimately earning her high school diploma in Spanaway. She worked hard through all the family moves to maintain a 3.8+ GPA while getting involved in student government and giving back as a volunteer in her communities. Now a senior at the Foster School studying accounting and finance, Patricia has combined her scholarship support and internships with Boeing and Ernst & Young to cover the costs of housing, tuition and books without burdening her parents.
• Second-year MBA candidate Sarah Breen found the UW by way of the University of Texas where she earned her bachelors degree in English. Building on her success as a technical writer at a series of companies, Sarah saw an MBA as the catalyst to the career transformation she sought, and has made the most of it, taking on leadership roles with numerous student initiatives, including the MBA Challenge for Charity that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for Special Olympics and other charities. As Sarah prepares for a new career in international consulting, she'll never forget the life lesson and so much more that she gained through a scholarship at the Foster School.
• The Foster School's 2007-2008 scholarship breakfast featured a keynote address from UW Alumnus Ron Crockett. Ron shared the story of his humble beginnings in Renton, and how it was some time after he received his scholarship in 1957 that he realized that the award altered forever his career and life, as well as those of the 2,500+ employees who worked for the aerospace company he founded. Crockett never forgot the favor that was his scholarship, and has returned it many times over. Today Crockett scholarships support five MBA students and numerous undergraduates across campus. In his keynote address, Ron's message to students was: "There will be a time when each of you will be in the position where you can give back, and I encourage you to start early."

You can help make create more student success stories like these. Please support the Foster School of Business by making a gift.

Recognition Levels

The President's Club ($2,000+)
Dean's Club ($1,000+)

Contact Information

Steven Hatting
Assistant Dean of External Relations
Box 353200
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-3200
206.543.0304

More Information

For more information on the Business School, visit our web site at http://bschool.washington.edu/