Promoting Academic Rigor with a Global Outlook
haub family’s $3-million gift addresses international economic challenges
Liliane and Christian Haub possess an international perspective akin to that of the Jesuits themselves. So when their children Marie-Liliane '13 and Maximilian '14 chose to attend Boston College, the Haubs saw their own values reflected in the BC community.
"We have a great appreciation for learning and for the open exchange of new and different ideas," explains Christian Haub. "Our experience is that this diversity encourages students to think for themselves and helps break down barriers. We feel BC embodies this special commitment."
Christian Haub was born to German parents and holds dual citizenship, while Liliane Haub is a Swiss native. The pair met as students in Austria but now reside in Greenwich, Conn., and feel very much at home when visiting Chestnut Hill. It's their belief in the University's mission that led them to give $3 million to support academic excellence in the Carroll School of Management.
"When our children enrolled in the Carroll School, we were inspired by how the undergraduate program combines academic rigor with a global outlook and a dedication to the Jesuit, Catholic ideal of 'men and women for others,'" says Christian Haub. "We wanted to be a part of that."
GLOBAL FORECASTING
The couple's gift advances a key priority of the Light the World campaign and will fund, in perpetuity, the work of outstanding teachers and scholars who address international economic issues. The inaugural Haub Family Fellow is Associate Professor of Finance Jun Qian, who begins his three-year appointment this fall and will expand his research on international finance and emerging markets. Through his recent studies, Qian has helped build partnerships between the Carroll School and the World Bank, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Peking University, and the European University Institute, among other organizations.
The Haubs negotiate the complexities of global business on a daily basis and believe that their gift will increase BC's role in finding solutions to universal economic problems. Christian Haub is co-CEO of Germany's Tengelmann Group and runs their North American operations and, in that capacity, he serves as chairman of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) and as chairman and president of Emil Capital Partners. Liliane Haub is U.S. director of the Elizabeth Haub Foundation for Environmental Law and Policy.
In the future, the Haubs' gift will also support the academic-related activities of multiple professors, enabling other Carroll School faculty to attend conferences, initiate targeted research projects, and further their work in meaningful ways.
"We believe our gift benefits not only BC faculty but also the students who interact with these international teachers and scholars and will learn from their experiences and perspectives," says Liliane Haub. "Our gift is very personal because of its global focus. We think BC is a university that is accomplishing great things, and we want to help raise its reputation in Europe and around the world." The couple's philanthropy builds on their earlier support of the McGillycuddy-Logue Center for Undergraduate Global Studies, which provides travel grants to BC students studying abroad.
A GROWING CONNECTION
The Haubs and their children were first introduced to BC by University Trustee and current Creighton University President Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., when he was president of St. Joseph's University, where Christian Haub served as a trustee.
"We were familiar with what a Jesuit education meant," he says, "but we were impressed at how fully those values imbue every aspect of the student experience at Boston College. From training in ethical leadership through the Carroll School's Portico course to volunteer service at the Campus School, our children have already encountered many opportunities to grow as intelligent, caring individuals."
The Haubs are also giving their time and talents to the University. Christian Haub recently joined the Board of Trustees, and the couple now co-chair the Parents' Leadership Council, further enhancing their connection to—and impact on—the Heights. Much like their children, the Haubs feel that they were welcomed into the BC family immediately and are compelled to show their gratitude—through their service and a gift they hope enhances the University's Jesuit, Catholic pursuit of knowledge.
"At BC, we feel like we are contributing to something greater than ourselves," says Liliane Haub. "We're making a gift that reaches out into the world."