The Elizabeth McDowell Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business at Marshall University has a distinguished history of advancing business education and fostering innovation.
Established in 1969 as the School of Business, it merged with the College of Applied Sciences in 1972 to expand its academic reach. By 1977, the College of Business was re-established as a distinct entity, reflecting its growing prominence in business education. In 1996, the college was renamed the Lewis College of Business, in honor of Elizabeth McDowell Lewis. In 2018, the college named its undergraduate and graduate programs the Brad D. Smith Undergraduate School of Business and the Brad D. Smith Graduate School of Business, collectively known as the Brad D. Smith Schools of Business, in recognition of the impactful contributions of Brad D. Smith and his wife, Alys, who donated $25 million to support the college’s vision of sharing business and innovation across the college, campus, and community.
The Lewis College of Business earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) for its business programs in 1997 and for its accounting programs in 2008. This dual accreditation from the AACSB is a hallmark of excellence, affirming its commitment to delivering innovative business education that prepares students to make an impact on West Virginia and the world.
A pivotal milestone came in 2024 with the dedication of the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation, located at 1425 4th Avenue in Huntington. This state-of-the-art, 78,000-square-foot facility houses the Lewis College of Business and the Brad D. Smith Schools of Business. Designed to enable collaborative and independent learning for 21st-century business students and serve the business community, the center is a cornerstone of Marshall’s 4th Avenue Innovation District, fostering collaboration and economic growth.
