Oakland, CA—August 17, 2009. Back to school this year at the Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business (GSB) at Mills College means more than new laptops, economics textbooks, and charged Blackberries. Eighty-eight Mills MBA students will start classes on August 26 in a new 28,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art green building with dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, a living green roof, and the latest in educational technology.

When the 1,400-plus undergraduate and graduate student body returns to Mills College for the 2009–10 school year, they will be greeted by a leading-edge academic center at the heart of the oldest women's college west of the Mississippi.

Designed by award-winning architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, the facility stands in contemporary contrast to the Mission-style architecture of most campus buildings, serving as a symbol of innovative things to come from Mills.

"This new building was designed as a powerful statement of our commitment to educating the next generation of society's leaders while also reflecting our commitment to women's education in the liberal arts and the power of intellect and community," said Mills President Janet L. Holmgren. "We wanted an architecturally significant building that would be environmentally sustainable and forward looking and at the same time consistent with the beauty of the campus as a whole."

The Mills MBA Program debuted in 2001 as the first MBA in the West designed to prepare women for business leadership. Since that time, the program has expanded into a respected Graduate School of Business, named for leading philanthropist and founder of Business Wire, Lorry I. Lokey. Lokey is a long-time supporter of women's leadership in the workplace, crediting his business success to the hiring and development of female talent.

Nancy Thornborrow, dean of the school, has spearheaded the Mills MBA Program since its inception. "Our curriculum provides a strong academic foundation for students to pursue their interest in business, nonprofits, or entrepreneurship in a supportive and personal environment. Most importantly, our MBA students graduate from Mills knowing how to navigate and manage through the good times and the bad, which is critical in today's challenging economic climate."

When the Mills MBA Program was launched in 2001, its goal was to address the underrepresentation of women in business schools nationwide. The program introduced flexible features to encourage more women to pursue an MBA such as an accelerated one-year degree track and an innovative dual-degree program that enables students to earn both a BA and an MBA in five years.

The strength of the Mills MBA Program was recognized on an international level earlier this year when Goldman Sachs selected the Lokey GSB as a partner to participate in their 10,000 Women initiative, a global philanthropic program designed to increase the number of underserved women receiving a business and management education. As a part of this initiative, select Mills MBA students now receive financial support, mentoring, and professional development opportunities from Goldman Sachs.

"I'm incredibly excited about studying in the new building," said Chavon Rosenthal, a Mills MBA student and Goldman Sachs scholarship recipient. "It takes the Lokey GSB to a new level, reflecting the quality of the program and the continuing commitment to furthering women in business"

The new home for the Lokey GSB is emblematic of both the growth of the MBA program, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2011, and the growth at Mills College during Holmgren's 18-year tenure as President. In the past two years alone, the College has opened a Platinum LEED-certified natural sciences building, renovated its 80-year-old concert hall that provides the signature space for its renowned experimental music program, and opened this striking new facility for the Lokey Graduate School of Business.

About Mills College
Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering a dynamic progressive education that fosters leadership, social responsibility, and creativity to approximately 950 undergraduate women and 500 graduate women and men. Since 2000, applications to Mills College have more than doubled. The College is named one of the top colleges in the West by U.S. News & World Report, one of the Best 371 Colleges by the Princeton Review, and ranks 55th among America's best colleges by Forbes.com. For more information, visit www.mills.edu.

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