Yale SOM Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Edward P. Evans Hall
Students, faculty, alumni, and special guests gathered on April 5 to celebrate the building that has been Yale SOM’s home for the last decade, as well as the many people who have contributed to the school’s success over that time.
The Yale School of Management celebrated the 10th anniversary of Edward P. Evans Hall with a celebratory gathering that brought students, alumni, board members, and special guests to campus on April 5.
A state-of-the-art facility, Evans Hall has, over the past 10 years, enabled “outstanding curricular growth” that has seen the number of full-time degree programs at Yale SOM grow to seven with a concurrent boom in faculty positions and an increasingly global student population, Yale SOM Dean Kerwin K. Charles said in his opening remarks.
The expansive campus has also accommodated technological advances in the classroom and in program delivery, as well as providing enhanced office space for faculty and student-facing staff.
“This building’s location, beauty, and scale are befitting our school’s rise in prominence here at Yale and in the world fundamentally,” Charles said. “Every day I feel I understand something new about our wonderful home.”
The celebratory commemoration included a special announcement. In his opening remarks, Charles announced that Evans Hall’s center courtyard has been named the Shen Courtyard in recognition of the generosity of Neil Shen, a longtime supporter of the school, chair of the Board of Advisors, and co-chair of Driving Purpose — The Yale SOM Campaign, and his wife, Jane Yong.
The verdant outdoor courtyard is home to the school’s annual commencement and other special events, as well as a daily gathering and dining space for students, staff, and faculty.
“It is an honor to share my name with this beautiful courtyard and to celebrate this milestone anniversary for Evans Hall,” said Shen, who received his master’s degree from Yale in 1992 and is the founder and managing partner of international investment firm HongShan.
“It is also an honor to serve as chair of Yale SOM’s Board of Advisors,” said Shen. “SOM has always been a welcoming place for students from all over the world pursuing a rigorous, international business education. As the courtyard sits at the center of our campus, that welcoming spirit will always be at the heart of the school.”
Joel A. Getz, deputy dean of alumni, development, and special initiatives, thanked the Shens and everyone who has supported Evans Hall, a building whose bold architecture denotes a “strong and modern sensibility,” he said.
“Today is both a day of reflection and of looking ahead,” Getz added. “We’re celebrating not only our striking academic home but also the strong intellectual life within.”
Designed by Foster and Partners, Evans Hall was named for Yale alumnus Edward P. Evans YC ’64. The building opened in 2014.
Charles thanked the school’s many supporters and community members for the “crucial role they’ve played in getting SOM to this place and in helping to create and sustain this wonderful building.”
The celebration also included five panel discussions featuring faculty, alumni, students, and special guests. One panel, “The Future of Work, Workforce, and Workplace,” looked at the ways in which evolving technologies and changing attitudes have reshaped workplace expectations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Panelists included Heidi Brooks, senior lecturer in organizational behavior; Laura Freebairn-Smith ’86, partner and co-founder of the Organizational Performance Group; and Jeff Schwartz ’87, vice president of insights and impact at Gloat. James Baron, the William S. Beinecke Professor of Management, moderated the discussion.
“I believe the future of work is purpose and connection,” Freebairn-Smith said, explaining that employers need to adapt in a time when the definitions of work; the interplay of humanity and technology; and what constitutes a “balanced life” are changing quickly. “As leaders, we have this profound privilege to change people’s lives every day, even in small actions,” Freebairn-Smith said.
Other panels were titled “The Future of Endowment Management,” “The Future of Entrepreneurship,” “The Future of SOM & Social Impact,” and “The Future of Management Education.”
Musical acts and a dinner reception rounded out the day’s festivities.