Dr. Alfred L. Edwards is a Professor Emeritus at the Ross School of Business with a career that extends over 40 years.
Prior to joining the faculty at Ross, then the University of Michigan Business School, Edwards was instrumental in the development of The University of Nigeria and was appointed by President Kennedy to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Agriculture.
Edwards joined the business school faculty in 1974 and has been a driving force in recruiting top minority students ever since. He was instrumental in leading the Ross School's effort to join the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, a 13-school alliance that works to bring individuals dedicated to the professional advancement of African American, Hispanic American and Native American managerial talent into MBA programs.
Edwards is known to many students as “Dr. E” and is credited with being a comprehensive resource for African-American students at Michigan. For many alumni, Dr. E's office was known as both a social gathering spot (since there was no student lounge at that time) and as an informal admissions office for African-American prospective students. It was suggested that Dr. E knew the social lives of students better than they knew each others. He is also credited as being the motivating force behind relationships that led to several marriages between Michigan alumni, including current Ross professors David and Lynn Wooten.
In the 1990s, the Black Alumni Association began to raise funds for a scholarship in Dr. Edwards’ name. In 2006, the first annual Dr. Alfred E. Edwards scholarship was granted to a promising student in the Bachelor of Business Administration Program.
It was also in 2006 that the membership of the Black Business Students Association decided to change the name of its annual conference to the Dr. Alfred L Edwards Annual BBSA Conference.
Quotes
"I learned from Al Edwards about diversity…that within all differences there can be unity." Dennis Dowdell, first Executive Director of The Executive Leadership Council's Institute for Leadership Development & Research
"There is always a rhythm when you're talking to Dr. Edwards...in his voice, in his questioning, in his comments...and that sort of leads you along; not that he gives you the answer - but it helps you and guides you into discovering what the right answer is." Candi Halbert MBA 1993 V.P., Citigroup Global Corporate & Investment Bank
"He worked hard to get obstacles out of the way of students as well as faculty so that they could all progress and be successful." Judith Goodman, Former Assistant Dean Admissions
"Dr. Edwards is not the kind of person who screams and shouts from the mountain top...he doesn't need to do that to get his point across." Stacey Stewart, MBA 1987 President and CEO, Fannie Mae Foundation
