As part of our centennial celebration, we compiled a detailed timeline of the College of Business. Learn about the College of Business through the historical timeline of major milestones of the College and world events which occurred from 1915 – present at our centennial celebration website.
1915-1919
1915
IHL approves the Business Degree program at Mississippi State University on October 15.
James V. Bowen becomes program director for the Division of Business Administration & Public Affairs.
WWI German submarine sinks British ocean liner Lusitania.
1916
MSU Division of Business Administration & Public Affairs becomes the Division of Business & Industry.
Albert Einstein completes his mathematical formulation of a general "Theory of Relativity".
1917
Division of Business & Industry is renamed the School of Business & Industry.
The first business degree is awarded.
Worldwide influenza pandemic begins, killing nearly 20 million by 1920.
1918
MSU School of Business & Industry housed in Lee Hall.
Daylight Saving Time is initiated in the United States.
WWI ends.
1919
The League of Nations is created.
1920-1929
1920
The 19th Amendment grants U.S. women the right to vote.
1921
Warren G. Harding is inaugurated as President.
First Miss America, Margaret Gorman of Washington D.C., is crowned in Atlantic City.
1922
The first facsimile photo is sent over city telephone lines in Washington, D.C.
Rebecca Felton of Georgia is elected the first female U.S. Senator.
1923
Calvin Coolidge becomes President upon the sudden death of Warren G. Harding.
1924
First Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held in New York City.
1925
Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming is elected the first female U.S. governor.
1926
Gertrude Ederle becomes the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
1927
Babe Ruth hits 60 home runs in a single season and his record stands for the next 34 years.
1928
Penicillin is discovered by Alexander Fleming.
1929
The U.S. stock market collapses, ushering in The Great Depression and world economic crisis.
1930-1939
1930
The U.S., Britain, Japan, France, and Italy sign a naval disarmament treaty (London Naval Treaty).
Pluto is discovered by astronomers.
1931
Francis Scott Key’s “The Star-Spangled Banner” becomes the national anthem.
Construction of the Empire State Building is completed in New York City.
1932
The U.S. Congress sets up the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to stimulate the economy.
Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean solo.
1933
President Franklin D. Roosevelt launches the New Deal.
Milton Bradley invents the best-selling board game, Monopoly.
1934
Hitler becomes Führer in Germany.
1935
The second phase of the New Deal calls for social security, better housing, equitable taxation, and farm assistance.
The Hoover Dam is completed.
1936
African American track & field athlete, Jesse Owens, wins four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.
1937
W.W. Littlejohn establishes the MSU Accounting program.
Amelia Earhart is lost over the Pacific Ocean.
The German blimp, Hindenburg, burns in mid-air.
1938
The Fair Labor Standards Act establishes minimum wage.
1939
The Bureau of Business & Economic Research begins.
The Great Depression comes to an end.
Gone with the Wind, starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, premieres.
1940-1949
1940
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. becomes the first African-American general in the U.S. Army.
The Selective Training & Service Act is enacted as the first peacetime military draft in U.S. history.
1941
Dr. Robert C. Weems becomes the 2nd Dean of the School of Business & Industry.
The School of Business & Industry establishes a Marketing degree program.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brings U.S. into WWII.
1942
Women's military service is established.
The U.S. begins halting the production of consumer goods to focus on war-related goods.
1943
The School of Business & Industry is relocated from Lee Hall to Bowen Hall, named for first Dean of Business, James V. Bowen.
FDR freezes prices, salaries, and wages to prevent inflation.
1944
D-Day: Allies invade Normandy, France on June 6.
The G.I. Bill of Rights is signed into law.
1945
WWII ends.
The first electronic computer built.
Harry S. Truman becomes President upon FDR’s death.
1946
The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly convenes in London.
Percy Spencer invents the microwave oven.
1947
Jackie Robinson joins the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African American in Major League Baseball.
Under the provisions of the National Security Act of 1947, the National Security Council (NSC) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) were created.
1948
MSU School of Business & Industry awards its first master's degree.
Renovation begins on Lee Hall after fire guts the top floors.
Truman ends racial segregation in the military.
One million households now own a television set.
1949
NATO is formed.
First Polaroid cameras are sold to consumers.
1950-1959
1950
Korean War begins.
Ralph Schneider invents the credit card.
1951
Color television is introduced.
1952
Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl is published.
1953
Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated as President.
James Watson, Francis Crick, and Rosalind Franklin discover the structure of DNA.
1954
Brown vs. Board of Education ends racial segregation in public schools.
Jonas Salk begins vaccinating children against Polio.
1955
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
First pocket transistor radios available to consumers.
1956
Elvis Presley records his first #1 hit, “Heartbreak Hotel.”
The first hard drive invented - 5MB - by IBM.
1957
James M. Parrish becomes the 3rd Dean of the School of Business & Industry.
U.S.S.R. launches Sputnik I – the first satellite to orbit Earth.
1958
The School of Business & Industry awards its first MBA to S. Roland Jones.
NASA is formed, and U.S. enters the space race with its satellite, Explorer I.
The Hula Hoop is introduced by Wham-O.
1959
Old Main Dormitory Burns.
Alaska & Hawaii become the 49th and 50th states, respectively.
1960-1969
1960
The business program is accredited by what is known today as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
The Office of Graduate Studies in Business is founded.
“The Twist” dance craze sweeps the nation.
1961
John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as President.
The Berlin Wall is erected in Germany.
1962
William C. Flewellen, Jr. becomes the 4th Dean of the School of Business & Industry.
Cuban Missile Crisis escalates nuclear tensions.
The Beatles release their first album, “Please Please Me.”
1963
School of Business & Industry becomes College of Business & Industry.
The Business Information Systems program is established, and is considered to be the oldest BIS program in an accredited college of business.
Martin Luther King gives his “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
President John F. Kennedy assassinated during a parade in Dallas, Texas, and is succeeded by Lyndon Baines Johnson.
1964
A Doctorate of Business Administration degree is approved.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law by President Johnson.
1965
The Higher Education Act of 1965 is enacted, providing low-interest loans for college students.
The Sound of Music, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, premieres.
1966
The first episode of the popular sci-fi TV series Star Trek airs.
Medicare Program begins.
1967
Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African American U.S. Supreme Court justice.
In the first-ever Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.
1968
First doctorate of business administration degree awarded to Dora Herring.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated in Memphis.
Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated in Los Angeles after winning the California and South Dakota Democratic Primary elections.
1969
Gaines M. Rogers becomes the 5th Dean of the College of Business & Industry.
Richard Nixon is inaugurated as President.
Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first men to set foot on the moon.
More than 400,000 people attend the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, a three-day festival held in Woodstock, NY.
1970-1979
1970
The U.S. voting age is lowered from 21 to 18.
The LCD screen is invented by George Gray.
1971
E.B. "Dutch" McCool donates funds for a new home for the College of Business & Industry.
NASDAQ opens.
National Public Radio begins broadcasting.
1972
Construction begins on McCool Hall.
The Price is Right—the longest-running game show in the U.S.—debuts on CBS.
1973
The Vietnam War ends.
The Watergate scandal is uncovered.
1974
Nixon resigns as president following the Watergate scandal.
Gerald R. Ford succeeds Nixon as President.
1975
McCool Hall becomes the new home of the College of Business & Industry.
Bill Gates & Paul Allen form Microsoft.
NASA Launches Viking 1 for a mission to Mars.
1976
The U.S. celebrates its Bicentennial Anniversary.
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple, Inc.
1977
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. becomes U.S. President.
New York City suffers a widespread two-day blackout.
World Trade Center construction is completed in New York City.
The final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show airs on CBS.
1978
Senate ratifies treaties that will end U.S. control of the Panama Canal after 1999.
Bell Telephone Company introduces the first cellular phone system.
1979
The Department of Accountancy becomes the School of Accountancy.
Nuclear power plant accident occurs at Three Mile Island, PA.
Michael Jackson releases his "Off the Wall" album.
1980-1989
1980
John Lennon is assassinated by a deranged fan outside of his NYC apartment.
Small Pox is eradicated.
Ted Turner starts CNN, introducing 24-hour TV news.
1981
Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as President.
Sandra Day O’Connor becomes the first woman on the Supreme Court.
The AIDS virus is discovered.
Wreckage from the RMS Titanic is discovered in the Atlantic Ocean.
1982
Dennis R. Leyden becomes the 6th Dean of the College of Business & Industry.
The first issue of USA Today is published.
Time’s Man of the Year is… THE COMPUTER.
1983
Sally Ride becomes the first woman in space on the U.S. space shuttle Challenger's maiden voyage.
ARPANET officially changes to use the Internet Protocol, creating the Internet.
1984
Leo W. Seal, Jr. Distinguished Executive Speaker Series begins.
The first Apple Macintosh computers are sold to consumers.
1985
Professional Golf Management program sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association.
In summit, President Reagan and the Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev agree to step up U.S./U.S.S.R arms control talks and renew cultural contacts.
Microsoft releases its first version of Windows.
1986
Approximately 6.5 million Americans, from California to New York, join hands in "Hands Across America."
Thirty million people watch "Live Aid", a benefit concert for the Ethiopian famine.
1987
The Executive in Residence Program begins in the College of Business.
MSU Insurance Day is founded.
The U.S. Stock Market crashes on October 19, with a 508 point drop (22.6 percent).
1988
The first transatlantic fiber-optic cable laid able to carry 40,000 simultaneous telephone calls.
The Hubble space telescope begins operations.
1989
The College is reorganized into four academic units: Department of Finance & Economics; Department of Management & Information Systems; Department of Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law; and the School of Accountancy.
After 28 years, Berlin Wall is opened to the West.
George H.W. Bush becomes President.
1990-1999
1990
The Doctorate in Business Administration is redesigned to strengthen area knowledge and quantitative skills of graduates.
Virginia’s Douglas Wilder is inaugurated as the first elected African-American governor.
1991
COB Senior Executive Advisory Board is established.
Tim Berners-Lee introduces the web browser.
1992
Harvey S. Lewis becomes the 7th Dean of the College of Business & Industry.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is signed.
Compact discs surpass cassette tapes as the preferred medium for recorded music.
1993
Professor of Marketing Cynthia Webster becomes the College's first Fulbright Research Scholar.
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is inaugurated as President.
The World Trade Center in New York City is bombed.
1994
Pierre Titard becomes Director of the School of Accountancy.
The world’s first satellite digital television service is launched.
Netscape Navigator is released, quickly becoming the market leader for web browsing.
1995
The International Business program is established.
College of Business & Industry introduces a Master's in Taxation degree.
Domestic terrorism kills 168 people in the Oklahoma City Bombing.
1996
COBI Council of Student Organizations (CSO) is chartered as a coordinating group for all MSU business student organizations.
The DVD is introduced.
1997
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton enters his second term as President.
Garry Smith becomes Interim Dean of the College of Business upon the retirement of Harvey S. Lewis.
Microsoft becomes the most valuable company in the world.
1998
Sara M. Freedman becomes the 8th Dean of the College of Business & Industry.
The Search Engine Google is founded.
Exxon and Mobil oil companies merge to create the world’s largest petroleum company.
1999
Myspace is officially introduced to the Internet.
Napster is founded as a pioneering peer-to-peer file-sharing Internet service.
2000-2009
2000
The Young Alumni Advisory Board is established.
Danny Hollingsworth becomes Director of the School of Accountancy.
Tiger Woods becomes the youngest player to win a Grand Slam in professional golf.
2001
The College of Business & Industry and the School of Accountancy are reaccredited by the AACSB.
George W. Bush is inaugurated as President.
Terrorists attack the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11.
Wikipedia goes online.
2002
WorldCom files Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The No Child Left Behind Act is passed.
Time names accounting graduate Cynthia Cooper named one of three "Persons of the Year."
2003
The Center of Family Enterprise Research is established.
The College's Society for Human Resource Management chapter receives a national award.
Toyota overtakes Chrysler to become the No. 3 company in U.S. car sales.
2004
Ground is broken on the Leo Seal Family Business Complex and renovation of McCool Hall.
Facebook is created by Mark Zuckerberg.
Google's initial public offering (IPO) raises $1.67 billion.
2005
George W. Bush enters his second term as President.
The College of Business & Industry publishes the first-ever issue of Dividends Magazine.
Hurricane Katrina strikes the southern U.S.
YouTube is launched.
2006
The School of Accountancy becomes the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy.
Dan Hollingsworth becomes Interim Dean of the College of Business.
Google purchases YouTube for US$1.65 billion in stock.
2007
The Department of Management & Information Systems Advisory Board is established.
Lou Capella, Associate Dean for Internal Affairs, retires after 36 years at MSU.
Lynn D. Richardson becomes the 9th Dean of the College of Business.
The U.S. Housing bubble bursts when home prices drop by 15 percent, causing a high number of foreclosures.
2008
The College of Business & Industry becomes the College of Business.
The Department of Marketing Advisory Board is established.
Fidel Castro steps down as President of Cuba after almost 50 years in power.
President Bush signs the $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.
2009
The Department of Finance & Economics Advisory Board is established.
Barack Obama becomes the first African American President.
The World Health Organization declares the H1N1 influenza strain - "Swine Flu" - a global pandemic.
Pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger successfully crash lands U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River.
2010-2019
2010
President Barack Obama signs the Healthcare Reform Bill/ Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law.
BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico leaves coastal industries and ecosystems reeling.
2011
Louis Dawkins becomes Interim Dean of the College of Business.
Sharon L. Oswald becomes the 10th Dean of the College of Business.
Kevin E. Rogers becomes Associate Dean of the College of Business.
The Dress Your Best Closet is founded.
The Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton takes place in the United Kingdom.
2012
The Strategic Finance Laboratory is dedicated in McCool Hall.
The Mars Science Laboratory’s "Curiosity Rover" successfully lands on Mars.
Facebook goes public with its initial stock offering at $38 dollars per share.
2013
Barack Obama enters his second term as President.
The Business Information Systems (BIS) program celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Expansion begins on Davis Wade Stadium.
The College of Business and the Adkerson School of Accountancy are reaccredited by the AACSB.
2014
The DBA/ Ph.D. program in the College of Business celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Davis Wade Stadium celebrates its 100th anniversary, and the new addition of the stadium is completed.
The Islamic State (ISIS) declares itself an Islamic caliphate.
2015
The College of Business celebrates its 100th anniversary.
The Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach (CEO) is constructed and completed in McCool Hall.
Shawn Mauldin becomes Director of the Adkerson School of Accountancy.
The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Ribbon Cutting is held at the Thad Cochran Research, Technology & Economic Development Park in Starkville.
The World Health Organization declares rubella eradicated from the Americas.
2016
The Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach Hosts Grand Opening in McCool Hall.
The Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach launches its Executive in Residence program, allowing any student to consult with visiting executives about their business ideas.
Melissa Moore is named Department Head of Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law.
2017
The College of Business and the Adkerson School of Accountancy are reaccredited by the AACSB.
The Boots to Business Revenue Readiness (B2B RR) Program is launched.
The Bulldog Angel Network is launched.
The Department of Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law hosts its 76th Anniversary Celebration.
Donald J. Trump is inaugurated as President.
2018
The College of Business offers a minor in Business Analytics.
The Master of Business Administration Program celebrates its 60th Anniversary.
The Online Master of Business Program celebrates its 20th Anniversary.
Kathleen Thomas is named Department Head of Finance & Economics.
The Online Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is launched.
2019
The Department of Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law undergoes a major remodeling project and hosts a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Adkerson School of Accountancy undergoes a major remodeling project and hosts a dedication of the Dora Rose Herring Accountancy Suite.
The MBA Venture Pathway (MVP) Program is launched in the College of Business.
The Inclusion & Diversity Fellows Program (Diversity Dawgs) is founded.
The Family Business Education Initiative (FBEI) is launched.
The MSU Idea Shop and Turner A. Wingo Maker Studio & Retail Products Accelerator hosts a Grand Opening in Downtown Starkville.
The College of Business launches a redesigned website.
2020-Present
2020
Laura Marler becomes Department Head of Management and Information Systems.
Adam Scott is named Director of the PGA Golf Management Program.
The COVID-19 virus is discovered and a pandemic quickly sweeps the globe.
Businesses operate remotely, and K-12 schools and universities shift to virtual learning.
2021
Joseph "Joe" R. Biden Jr. is inaugurated as President.
Vincent Young is named Assistant Dean of the College of Business.
Nicole Ponder becomes Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Assessment.
Adkerson School of Accountancy's Online Master of Taxation (MTax) and Online Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) programs launch.
The Supply Chain Logistics undergraduate major launches in the Department of Marketing, Quantitative Analysis & Business Law.
2022
The College of Business and Adkerson School of Accountancy are reaccredited by the AACSB.
The College of Business hosts a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Market Innovation Laboratory and Observatory (MILO), one of the largest biometric and human behavior research labs in the southeastern United States.
The Engineering Leadership Excellence (ELE) program is established by the COB and Bagley College of Engineering, offering students the opportunity to earn dual, collaborative degrees--a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.
2023
Scott Grawe becomes the 11th Dean of the College of Business.