MEDIA CONTACTS: Melissa Dallas, 561-297-3666, mdallas@fau.edu or
Aileen Izquierdo, 561-297-2442, izquierd@fau.edu

DeSantis Center To Expand Reach

BOCA RATON, FL (October 12, 2004) – In an effort to expand the reach of the DeSantis Center, Bruce Mallen, dean of Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business, will transition from his position as dean to serve as the full time director of the DeSantis Center beginning in January 2005. This expansion of the DeSantis Center activities was made possible by a generous grant from the Schmidt Family Foundation.

“This grant is yet another demonstration of the extraordinary relationship that has developed between the Schmidt Family Foundation and Florida Atlantic University,” said FAU President Frank T. Brogan. “Over the course of many years, the Schmidt Family Foundation’s generosity has been integral in the development and expansion of many worthy university projects. Our students continue to benefit from these projects enabled by the Schmidt Family Foundation, and we continue to be extremely grateful for that support.”

Mallen, who has served as dean for more than eight years, will now have the opportunity to dedicate his energies solely to expand the academic focus of the Center and enhance opportunities for FAU students by formalizing a motion picture industry concentration in FAU’s MBA program; initiating the programmatic use of the Muvico Screening Room in the DeSantis Pavilion, which opened its doors this fall; and continuing to develop seminars and workshops for students and scholars interested in the business aspects of the film industry.

“I am very excited about this opportunity to focus my energies and use my special expertise and long time relationships in the industry to expand the Center’s national prominence and visibility. This will directly benefit FAU students. As well, this project will contribute to scholarly research in the field,” said Mallen.

During Mallen’s tenure at FAU, he developed the DeSantis Center and the InternetCoast Institute and its Adams Center for IT Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital; established the Office Depot Eminent Scholar Chair in Small Business Research; and helped extend the operations of the Small Business Development Center from central Broward County to Key West, making it one of the largest SBDCs in the nation.

FAU will immediately begin a search for an interim dean for the College of Business and simultaneously charge a committee to begin a national search for the College’s sixth dean.

-FAU-