$250,000 donation will go to new classrooms at Charlton College of Business
Patrick J. Murray, Jr., President and CEO of Taunton-based Bristol County Savings Bank, joined University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Chancellor Divina Grossman recently to announce a $250,000 donation from the Bank's charitable foundation to the University's Charlton College of Business.
The funds will go to the Charlton College's capital drive to raise money for a new building housing state-of-the-art classrooms for the fast-growing College.
"The growth of the Charlton College of Business is one of many success stories on the campus of UMass Dartmouth. The Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation has been an advocate for education as a cornerstone of a healthy, viable community since its inception and this grant to the Charlton College of Business is just one more example of that commitment," said Murray, who also serves as the Foundation's president. "As a community bank we are proud to do our part to support this special local learning community and, as a result, make the journey even more rewarding for those in the SouthCoast whose goal it is to further their education."
"It is fitting that the Bristol County Savings Bank Charitable Foundation is lending such support to the Charlton College of Business," said Chancellor Grossman. "These are two organizations that share a common commitment to serve and enrich the lives of thousands in southern New England. I want to thank Bristol County Savings Bank and Pat Murray on behalf of the University and the College."
Bristol County Savings Bank, founded in Taunton more than 165 years ago, has distinguished itself in recent years both through its growth across southern Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island, but also by its philanthropy.
The Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation has given more than $7.7 million in grants to dozens of area organizations since its creation in 1996, including donations that support UMass Dartmouth Leduc Center for Civic Engagement and the University's annual Independence Day Freedom Festival of music and fireworks.
Last year alone, more than 50 Bristol County Savings Bank professionals served in leadership positions for more than 100 non-profit organizations in the area.
Created and sustained through the generosity of Earle P. "Chuck" Charlton II in 1996, the Charlton College of Business has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. Since its naming (the first college in the University of Massachusetts system to be named), the College's undergraduate enrollment has increased 84% and graduate enrollment by 74%.
To accommodate this and future growth, the College is raising funds to build a new, $14.5 million Learning Pavilion, initiated by a generous $3 million gift from the Charlton Family Trust. The new wing will provide business-specific facilities, classroom space and an auditorium that will foster closer connections between students and faculty and create a sense of community and collaboration among the undergraduates and graduate students.
More about Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation
The Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation was established in 1996 as part of the Bank's 150th Anniversary celebrations. The purpose of the Foundation is to fund needs that contribute to the economic and social well-being of the people and institutions located in the greater Attleboro/Taunton and greater New Bedford, Massachusetts area and the Pawtucket, Rhode Island area.
More about Charlton College of Business
Created in 1996, the Charlton College of Business offers a full range of undergraduate business degrees, MBA programs, and a select offering of professional, post-graduate certificate programs, and is home to an array of research institutes in innovation, marketing, and technology and manufacturing.