Fairleigh Dickinson University Receives $1 million Gift from BD

On Jun 13, 2014

Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) has received a $1 million gift from Franklin Lakes-based BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), the global medical technology company, to support health science education.

The generous gift was announced during the University’s 25th Annual Charter Day Scholarship Dinner at FDU’s Florham Campus on Friday, June 6, where BD CEO Vincent Forlenza was honored.

“BD is very proud of our longstanding relationship with FDU and we are excited to be an ongoing partner in FDU’s growth and mission,” said Forlenza. “Given our institutions’ shared history – and the philanthropic, volunteer and business partnership dimensions that exist between us today – it is clear BD and FDU are united more than ever by our common ideals and aspirations.  FDU’s School of Nursing and School of Pharmacy are closely aligned with BD’s purpose of Helping all people live healthy lives. We both seek to better educate the public about healthcare and to better train healthcare professionals who can have a real impact in the world.”

The donation will provide resources needed to fund:

• The redesign and renovation of science laboratories at the Metropolitan Campus.
• The construction and outfitting of a Sterile Compounding Training Center in FDU’s new School of Pharmacy.
• Undergraduate nursing scholarships and graduate fellowships for economically disadvantaged nursing students.

“BD’s generous gift and on-going support is paramount for our strategic priorities in the area of health sciences and brings FDU closer to achieving our bold aspirations,” FDU President Sheldon Drucker said.  “We thank BD for helping us prepare students who will make a difference in the world.”

BD has been a long-term supporter of Fairleigh Dickinson University.  The company has committed more than $3.5 million in funds and in-kind giving over the years to support the University, the Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health and the new FDU School of Pharmacy.

However, the long-standing relationship between BD and FDU goes beyond financial support. The University took its name in 1942 from early benefactor, Colonel Fairleigh S. Dickinson (1864-1948), co-founder of Becton Dickinson. Dickinson and his business partner, Maxwell Becton, helped infuse the new institution with an entrepreneurial spirit to match its founder’s global vision. Becton College of Arts and Sciences, on the University’s Florham Campus, takes its name from Maxwell Becton, co-founder of Becton Dickinson, Inc., while the Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health, on the University’s Metropolitan Campus, is named for Henry P. Becton, Maxwell Becton’s son and an emeritus member of the FDU Board of Trustees. Two buildings on the Metropolitan Campus are named after Edward T.T. Williams, BD executive and first chairman of the FDU Board of Trustees.

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