The McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin just got a big financial boost from two of its own. A hefty $25 million gift from Rozanne Rosenthal, B.S. '74, and her husband Billy Rosenthal, BBA '72, has launched the newly minted Rozanne and Billy Rosenthal Department of Management. The couple's windfall is earmarked for a slew of enhancements including revved-up research, teaching, and academic innovation, joining the ranks as the McCombs School's first academic department named after benefactors, UT News reported.
Leveraging the Rosenthal legacy that began in 1935 with a lone rented meat locker, the family has since turned the Standard Meat Company into a fourth-generation stronghold and is no strangers to philanthropy. In lean times, Billy Rosenthal recalls through UT News, that his grandfather still found the means to support and uplift those around him. Passed through generations, this tradition of giving has anchored both Rozanne and Billy in a life of service.
Commemorating the gesture, UT held a ceremony on Jan. 16 to honor the Rosenthals. Rozanne, dedicating her life to making a difference in the community, manifested it through her founding of the Fort Worth affiliate of Susan G. Komen, named in honor of her University of Texas roommate, a breast cancer survivor. She expressed to UT News, "I was also taught that giving was just something you did naturally and that it felt good to give of yourself."
Spotlighting the human dimension of business operations, Caroline Bartel, chair of the Rosenthal Department of Management, said their gift will deeply influence the University's role in shaping capable leaders. "The Rosenthals’ gift will greatly amplify our ability to make such a difference," she shared, as described by UT News. The McCombs Dean, Lillian Mills, echoed the sentiment by stating, "Their gift will be a huge part of a transformation that will help us to stay on the cutting edge of change."
