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Dr. Curtis J. and Mrs. Gina Crawford (Photos courtesy of the Crawford Family)
CHICAGO — As technological advances revolutionize all sectors of business
and industry, DePaul University is rising to the challenge. A $2.6
million gift from Dr. Curtis and Mrs. Gina Crawford is creating a
transformative academic hub that will position DePaul at the forefront
of leadership in the business technology space.
The Dr. Curtis J. and Mrs. Gina Crawford Institute for Business
Technology Leadership will provide students with intensive and
intentional career-based leadership education through training,
mentoring and direct work experiences that promote social mobility and
ethical leadership.
Housed at the university’s Richard H. Driehaus College of Business, the
institute facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration between the
college and DePaul’s Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media.
The Crawfords’ gift also establishes the Crawford Scholars Endowment,
which provides recognition and financial assistance to high-achieving
undergraduate students at the two colleges who are interested in
business technology leadership careers and participate in the
co-curricular programs offered by the institute. The endowment merges
the couple’s previously established Dr. Curtis J. and Mrs. Gina Crawford
Endowed Scholarship and Dr. Curtis J. Crawford & XCEO Personal
Leadership Endowed Scholarship.
Additionally, the institute will provide faculty with research grants
for work that examines career development. Faculty will also benefit
from professional development and collaborative research opportunities,
supporting their work to mentor and inspire students.
“The Crawford Institute will strengthen interdisciplinary connections,
cultivating a dynamic learning environment where entrepreneurial
thinking and technological proficiency will drive advancements in
industry growth and societal progress,” DePaul President Robert L.
Manuel says. “We are immensely grateful to Curt and Gina Crawford for
providing our students with the tools they need to succeed and thrive in
a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
The Crawfords’ generosity and guidance extends beyond philanthropy.
Curtis Crawford earned his MBA in 1978 at DePaul prior to his long
career in the business technology field. He is the founder, president
and CEO of XCEO, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in personal
leadership development and corporate governance products, services, and
support. He has also served as a former CEO of several large
semiconductor technology companies, and start-up companies, with
executive experience leading venture backed, private equity, and
publicly traded companies. He is a former DePaul Board of Trustees
member and also received an honorary doctorate degree in 1999 from the
Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media.
Dr. and Mrs. Crawford have given generously to the university for years.
Now they are stepping forward to help students and faculty pursue
cutting-edge programming that bridges the gap between theoretical
knowledge and practical application.
“The primary goal is to foster innovation and excellence in students and
faculty, and to provide access to a transformative education
particularly for students from underrepresented populations,” Curtis
Crawford says. “Business technology has traveled light years ahead since
I graduated from DePaul, and that pace is only going to increase. Gina
and I are proud to help students now, and for generations to come,
attain and implement the leadership attributes that will empower them at
such a pivotal moment.”
The new Crawford Institute complements related DePaul assets including
degree programs in business analytics, business information technology,
management information systems, computer science, data science,
information systems, and cybersecurity, as well as interdisciplinary
centers such as the Business Education in Technology and Analytics Hub
and the iD Lab, where students engineer software-based solutions for the
research and development divisions of large companies.
“Strengthening our academia-to-industry pipeline is essential,” says
Driehaus College of Business Dean Sulin Ba. “The Crawfords’ partnership
will connect our students with industry experts, mentorship
opportunities, and leading-edge technologies that will prepare them for
future leadership positions in the fiercely competitive and rapidly
changing business technology sector, giving them a huge head start and
making them highly desired by employers immediately upon graduation.”
Throughout their undergraduate years, Crawford Scholars will benefit
from initiatives that include ethical leadership training, situational
learning through simulations and consultations, expert speakers, and
coaching from leading professionals.
“This institute will complement the leading-edge technical skills our
students gain in their majors with the ethical leadership needed to
shape a more inclusive and innovative future,” says Jarvis College of
Computing and Digital Media Interim Dean Lucia Dettori. “By blending
business acumen with technological expertise, we are preparing the next
generation of leaders to drive meaningful change across industries.”
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Media Contact:
DePaul University
Kenneth Adusah
Kadusah@depaul.edu