« RETURN TO NEWS

N.C. A&T Dedicates Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics

By Jackie Torok / 02/27/2020

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Feb. 27, 2020) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University dedicated its Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics on Feb. 27 with a ceremony, tours and official presentation that attracted hundreds of luminaries representing the scope of Deese’s influence.

The event marked the first naming of a college at the university and attracted hundreds of luminaries, representing the scope of Deese's influence.

“This place gave so much to me, I had to pay it back,” said Deese ’77, a renowned N.C. A&T philanthropist who was joined for the ceremony by his wife, Carol Chalmers Deese, along with many other family members, friends, colleagues, teachers and classmates – including some from elementary school.

Deese, who earned a B.S. in business administration from A&T and an MBA from Western New England College in 1982, led a 40-year career as successful pharmaceutical executive, retiring as global president of manufacturing for Merck & Co. Inc.

Deese received an honorary doctorate in business from N.C. A&T and was one of the first three recipients of the Chancellor’s Legacy Award in April 2016. He served on the Board of Trustees, including a term as chairman, and remains an active member as chair of Deese College’s Executive Advisory Council. To date, he has donated close to $10 million toward his alma mater.

In addition, Deese serves as co-chair of the university’s capital campaign, The Power of Do, which to date has raised more than $90 million, and has issued a series of letters designed to push the campaign past its more than $100 million goal by Dec. 31, 2020.

Born the fifth of nine children in Davidson, North Carolina, Deese said his parents instilled in him the values of faith, hard work, education and integrity. The Fred and Janie Deese Auditorium on the first floor of Merrick Hall, where the ceremony was held, is dedicated to them.

The university’s Student Center Ballroom also bears Deese’s name, while the iconic clock tower at the center of campus is named for him and his wife. Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. noted the clock tower and the monument to the A&T Four are the most photographed landmarks on the campus.

“Willie Deese has put his money where his passion is by making the single largest commitment to our university,” said Martin.

Ariana Stewart, a Willie A Deese Scholar from New York, was among those who lauded Deese, his life’s work and his legacy.

“It is because of his generosity and his insistence on turning his Aggie Pride into Aggie dollars that my peers and I were afforded opportunities to study abroad and receive mentorship to guide us as we entered our respective industries,” said Stewart. “Mr. Deese, as a role model to all of his scholars, has set a precedent of achievement, making it known that growth is only found in challenging ourselves.

“Mr. Deese truly embodies his own quote: ‘When you get to the top, don’t forget to send the elevator back down,’” she said. “On behalf of Deese scholars, as well as Aggies past, present and future, thank you for sending the elevator back for us.”

Ariana Stewart, a Willie A Deese Scholar from New York, was among those who lauded Deese, his life’s work and his legacy.

“It is because of his generosity and his insistence on turning his Aggie Pride into Aggie dollars that my peers and I were afforded opportunities to study abroad and receive mentorship to guide us as we entered our respective industries,” said Stewart. “Mr. Deese, as a role model to all of his scholars, has set a precedent of achievement, making it known that growth is only found in challenging ourselves.

 “Mr. Deese truly embodies his own quote: ‘When you get to the top, don’t forget to send the elevator back down,’” she said. “On behalf of Deese scholars, as well as Aggies past, present and future, thank you for sending the elevator back for us.”

Media Contact Information: jtorok@ncat.edu

Latest News