In 1977, the world of business looked very different.
The technologies were different. The industries were different. The way we worked, communicated and connected across borders was different.
But one thing wasn’t: the need for people ready to meet change with ambition, resilience, and action.
For nearly 50 years, the Costello College of Business has prepared students to do exactly that. Now, as we approach our 50th anniversary, we have an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come, and ask an even more important question:
What will the next generation of business leaders need from us?
Preparing for a World That Won’t Stand Still
We can’t know exactly what business will look like 50 years from now.
We do know that the pace of change isn’t slowing down.
New technologies will transform industries. New markets and business models will emerge. Careers will evolve. And tomorrow’s leaders will need to navigate challenges and opportunities that don’t exist today.
Preparing students for that world takes more than what happens in a classroom.
It takes mentorship and career-ready skills. It takes opportunities to learn from people with different perspectives and experiences. It takes leadership development and strong communities. And it takes immersive experiences that allow students to see how business works beyond campus, and discover what they’re capable of doing within it.
These are the kinds of experiences that can turn potential into momentum.
And making more of them possible is at the heart of the Spirit of ’77.
From Legacy to Opportunity
The Spirit of ’77 was created to celebrate Costello’s past by investing in its future.
Support for the fund focuses on three areas that can make a meaningful difference in a student’s experience.
- Empowering student success means providing academic success programs, mentorship, scholarships, and opportunities that help students develop the skills and confidence to move forward.
- Expanding immersive experiences means opening doors to career treks, leadership coaching, and global residencies that allow students to experience business beyond the classroom.
- Strengthening community support means investing in student clubs, organizations, and programs that help students find connection, build resilience, and create a sense of belonging.
These aren’t simply additions to a Costello education. They can be the experiences students remember long after graduation, and the ones that influence where they go next.
The Next 50 Belongs to Them
As we celebrate 50 years, it would be easy to focus entirely on the past. But anniversaries are also an opportunity to look ahead.
The students walking Costello’s halls today will launch companies, join organizations, lead teams, and pursue careers that will shape the decades ahead. The students who arrive five, 10 or 25 years from now will inherit a business landscape we can only begin to imagine.
What we can influence is how prepared they are to lead it. That responsibility doesn’t belong to Costello alone.
For five decades, alumni, faculty, staff, families, partners, and friends have helped create the community Costello is today. The Spirit of ’77 gives that community a way to continue the work, and to create opportunities for today’s students while helping ensure those opportunities exist for generations to come.
Because the Spirit of ’77 isn’t simply a moment in our history.
It’s the determination to keep moving forward.
The belief in what the next generation can accomplish.
And the understanding that every generation of Patriots has something to contribute to the one that follows.
The first 50 years brought us here. The next 50 starts now.