The school was first established in 1919 as the School of Commerce under the direction of young, new dean George Olson, veteran economics professor George McCutchen and university president William Currell. It evolved into the School of Business Administration and then the College of Business Administration before becoming the Darla Moore School of Business in 1998 thanks to a notable gift from South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore. In 2014, the school was relocated to a stunning and innovative new building where students are transformed into vibrant community leaders who understand the intersection of modern business and society.
The business school that graduated its first class of nine students in 1923 is launching its second century with more than 6,100 world-class students. Through the leadership of eight deans and four acting and interim deans, the school progressed from an early foundational curriculum in political economy to today’s coursework in international business, coding in R for data analytics, software tools for investment banking and projects that restructure supply chains to optimize productivity. The classroom experience is still rigorous, but it now focuses on the challenges of the 21st century, providing the knowledge and tools to motivate, educate and guide students so that they can secure the jobs they aspire to today and are equipped with the skills and abilities for the jobs of tomorrow.