Sonoco's gift is the largest single corporate cash gift to establish an endowed fund at USC.

The Moore School will name the international business department in honor of Sonoco, which is headquartered in Hartsville and is one of the world's leading packaging companies.

USC President Andrew A. Sorensen thanked Sonoco officials for their generosity and said the association would solidify the Moore School's reputation in international business at home and abroad.

"Long before I came to Carolina, I was aware of the Moore School's international business program and its record of excellence in research and teaching," Sorensen said. "Now, being associated with the Sonoco name not only will raise the international business department's profile internationally but also broaden and deepen international business programs in teaching, research and outreach."

The $3 million, permanent endowment will be used to attract and retain top faculty, increase research, raise the international reputation of the department in academic and business circles, and enhance opportunities and experiences for international business students.

Harris E. DeLoach, CEO of Sonoco and an alumnus of the Moore School and USC's law school, said the gift will strengthen the partnership between USC and Sonoco and benefit both entities through increased research and programs.

"I am proud to announce Sonoco's gift to the country's premier international business program," DeLoach said. "It's a logical partnership. We're an international corporation operating in the Carolinas, and the Moore School has the top international business program. Sonoco is honored to be associated with this outstanding institution, and we look forward to forging an even stronger partnership that will benefit Carolina, Sonoco, and the citizens of this state.”

The gift agreement calls for Sonoco and the Sonoco international business department to work together more closely by increasing student internships, sharing research, establishing a guest lecturer series, and expanding executive education programs.

Joel Smith, dean of the Moore School, said the gift is a testament to the strong relationship that the school has built with its corporate partners and adds momentum to its ongoing fund-raising efforts.

"We are poised to launch a major effort to renovate the Moore School facilities and to reinvest in the programs that make our business school so well known and so respected in the world," Smith said. "This announcement is a testament to the strength of our relationships with our corporate partners and a dramatic demonstration of the faith placed in the future success of the Moore School of Business at Carolina."

Sonoco's $3 million gift is its second major gift to the Moore School. In 1999, Sonoco gave $1 million to establish the Sonoco Distinguished Visiting Professorship in International Business, which will bring CEOs to the Moore School to teach for a semester.
The international business department provides primary support for the undergraduate and master's international business programs—ranked no. 1 and no. 2 respectively according to U.S. News & World Report's annual surveys—as well as doctoral programs. The school has 394 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in international business.

Sonoco, founded in 1899, is a $2.8 billion manufacturer of industrial and consumer packaging products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 locations in 36 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations.

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