Inspiring Generations Inspiring Success Fergal Naughton, BAI (1998), Chair of the Provost’s Council, reflects on the success of the largest philanthropic campaign ever launched in Ireland T he launch of the Trinity Business School on 23 May 2019 was a truly memorable occasion for all present. This wonderful Scott Tallon Walker building, with entrances into the College on one side and onto Pearse Street on the other, is such a stunning addition to the college’s great buildings, and with its green walls, near zero-energy, solar panels and recycled water, it’s a flagship sustainable building for our times. It’s also flagship for another reason. At the launch, I recall the Provost saying that “what makes the Trinity Business School truly ground-breaking is the extent of donor support. Donors raised €20 million towards the building, a hugely generous sum which enabled us to leverage the later EIB loan. This is the template for how we will fund future strategic growth in the university.” This gets across why the event was so special: the college wasn’t just launching a great new building but a whole approach to driving academic excellence. I was lucky enough to be involved with this approach from quite early on. Back in 2013 I helped organise the Trinity Global Graduate Forum, which brought together two hundred high-achieving Trinity graduates from all around the world to strategize around the college’s future direction. This was during the lean austerity years, and the issue of how Trinity would continue financing great education and research was a big question, with no easy answers.
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