Olin’s opening day: improved Simon Hall, icy start

The Olin Business School community ushered in the new school year’s start Aug. 25 with two special events. In the morning, university leaders helped celebrate renovations to Simon Hall with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Above) Dean Mahendra Gupta, PhD, and Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton visit with Stuart I. Greenbaum, PhD, former dean and Bank of America Professor Emeritus of Managerial Leadership. Renovations are being completed in phases, with work continuing in the summers of 2015 and 2016 as well. Among the portions completed this year were converting May Auditorium to a teaching space; renovating the Piper Grand Hallway and the Kopolow Business Library; and aligning office space to group faculty by discipline. (To learn more about the renovations, visit here.) Later that day, Olin held its 20th annual back-to-school barbecue, during which faculty and staff serve burgers and hot dogs to students. But this year had a twist: Dean Gupta endured the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (below), aided by senior business student Ryan Geczi (left) and MBA candidate Brandon Smith. (Joe Angeles (above), Sid Hastings (below)/WUSTL Photos)