COB Timeline

1936

Jan 6, 1936
Department of Commerce founded at East Carolina Teachers College
(2 instructors and 25 typewriters in old Austin Building attic)

1940’s

• Moved to Flanagan Basement
• Unit renamed the Department of Business Education
  (8 Faculty Members)

1950’s

• Moved to new Rawl Building
• Renamed the Department of Business

1960’s

Became the School of Business

1965

Awarded first BSBA degrees

1967

One of the first two programs in NC to received national AACSB accreditation

1970’s

1974

Small Business Institute (SBI) Established

1976

• MBA program earned AACSB accreditation
• Largest professional school at ECU with 55 faculty and approximately 2,088 students
• GMAC membership by ECU School of Business
• One of only four programs in NC to have both GMAC and AACSB accreditation

1980’s

1982

Reorganized by department,
allowing students to choose from
concentrations in Accounting,
Decision Sciences, Finance,
Management and Marketing

1983

• Bureau of Business Research established
• Center for Economic Education established
• Commerce Club founded
• Open 1st Microcomputer Lab at ECU

1984

Business Advisory Council formed

1987

Moved to new 163,729 sq ft
General Classroom Building

1989

• Master of Science in Accounting degree program approved
• Professional Programs added

1990’s

1992

5-year BSA/MSA established

1995

External Affairs Division created

1997

• 5-year MD/MBA established
• COB Summer Study Abroad Program established

2000’s

2000

MBA begins online offering

2003

Name change to College of Business

2006

• COB Opens Career Center
• Decision Sciences renamed
  Management Information Systems

2008

Cunanan Leadership Speaker Series launched

2009

Leadership and Professional Development program launched with $500K endowment from RBC Bank

2011

Risk Management and Insurance program established

2012

COB establishes Living-Learning Community

2015

• Inaugural Business Leadership Conference
• School of Hospitality Leadership moves to COB
• $5M Miller gift to establish School of
  Entrepreneurship

2017

• $500K ECU Innovation Corps National Science Foundation Grant
• Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge launch
• New COB Student Technology Center opens
• COB recognized with Milestone 2 award

2018

MSOE receives $2M gift for Isley Innovation Hub

2019

• MSOE announces $1M ECU RISE29 Golden Leaf grant
• Launch of the BS Entrepreneurship degree
• MSOE receives $1M gift for establishment of Crisp Small Business Center