SU Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Perdue School Endowment

In 1986, Perdue Farms President and CEO Frank Perdue created a $2.4 million dollar endowment for Salisbury University’s School of Business. In gratitude, the University named the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business in his honor.

Inaugurating the first of such gifts for the campus, his generosity became a model that led to other major bequests by Eastern Shore business and philanthropic leaders, resulting in four endowed schools in just a little over a decade. Joining the Perdue School were the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts, Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology, and Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education. Since then, a fifth school, the Glenda Chatham and Robert G. Clarke Honors College, also has been endowed.

In 1994, Perdue gave the Business School another $1 million after it earned accreditation from AACSB International for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. These endowments provided funding for student scholarships, research grants, and professional development for faculty, and created the seedbed for the University’s growth in academic stature.

“Thanks to the generosity of Frank Perdue, not only has the Perdue School grown into one of the preeminent business schools in the region, but Salisbury University today is recognized as a jewel among Maryland’s higher education institutions, in part due to the example he set for philanthropic support that has allowed SU to flourish,” said Dr. Christy Weer, dean of the Perdue School. “Four decades later, the Perdue family and executives from Perdue Farms not only continue to support SU and the Perdue School, but to serve as mentors and role models for our students, allowing them to learn from the leaders behind one of the world’s most recognized brands.”

In addition to serving on the SU Foundation, Inc. board of directors for six years, Perdue was a frequent visitor to campus. He and his wife, Mitzi, also hosted Perdue Scholars (students awarded academic scholarships funded through his endowment) in their home, a tradition that the Perdue family continues today.

As SU celebrates the 40th anniversary of Perdue’s landmark endowment and all of the success it has provided for our students, our alumni, and our region as a whole, we look ahead to the leaders, the entrepreneurs, and the changemakers who carry his legacy forward.

“Forty years ago, my Dad made a visionary investment in Salisbury University’s future and the future of generations to come,” said Jim Perdue, third-generation chairman of Perdue Farms. “His belief in the power of education continues to inspire us today. As a company rooted in Salisbury, we remain committed to supporting the next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs because strong communities and strong businesses are built by investing in people.”