UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 27, Page 2
April 11, 1996
Dean honored for leadership by Fortune 2000

     Kenneth R. Biederman, dean of the College of Business and
Economics, who is returning to the faculty, received a Fortune 2000
program award of excellence in recognition of his "leadership in the
development of the Fortune 2000 program and enhancing the goal of
diversity in education at the University of Delaware."
     The award was given at the University of Delaware chapter of the
National Student Business League's fourth annual student/faculty
reception in February.
     The organization, composed of minority undergraduate and graduate
students majoring in business or with an interest in business-related
fields, works in partnership with the College of Business and
Economics' Fortune 2000 program.
     Directed by assistant dean Terry Whittaker, Fortune 2000 provides
minority students with academic and career-related assistance and
motivational activities to ensure their successful matriculation and
graduation.
     Other Fortune 2000 awards for service were given to members of
the program's steering committee, who have served for the past three
years. Those honored were Norman Hatter, retired DuPont Co. executive,
who chairs the steering committee; Leon C. Hart, retired DuPont Co.
manager, who chairs fund development; William R. Latham, UD
chairperson of the economics department, who chairs student academic
support; Trentton Mack, vice president, human resources, J.P. Morgan,
member at large; Gwendolyn Sanders, coordinator of student support
services and adjunct faculty members at Springfield College, who
chairs student recruitment; Michael Scanlan, executive vice president
of community relations of MBNA America Bank, N.A., who chairs upward
mobility; and Clinton Tymes, director of the UD Small Business
Development Center, member at large. Biederman and Whittaker also
serve on the steering committee.
     According to Whittaker, there are approximately 140 minority
students participating in Fortune 2000, and the college's largest
minority freshman class of 49 students was enrolled last fall.
     Student academic performance has improved with 58 percent of
Fortune 2000 students with a GPA of 2.6 or higher, compared to 48
percent in 1992. Each summer, 56 percent of Fortune 2000 students
intern in corporations that support the program. The program had a
total of 55 graduates between 1993-95, and 20 of them are employed by
sponsoring companies.
     Whittaker also reported that corporate gifts for student support
services and scholarships have risen from $300,000 in 1992 to $1.7
million in 1996.
                                                   -Sue Swyers Moncure