Vickie Perla and Paul Guyardo, parents of Julia Guagliardo, BSBA ’24, have established a $160,000 challenge to encourage increased support for the Dean’s Transformational Excellence Fund at Olin Business School.

Entering his second year as dean, Mike Mazzeo is focused on building a strong future for Olin Business School. Dean Mazzeo is engaging students, faculty, staff, alumni, and business leaders to collaboratively create Olin’s new strategic plan. His vision places emphasis on emerging spheres such as family business, the intersection of business and health, and experiential learning.

Your support of the Dean’s Transformational Excellence Fund will be the catalyst to propel Olin’s strategic plan forward. Dean Mazzeo will have the ability to invest these flexible dollars in scholarship, experiential learning, student programs, faculty research, and so much more.

How it works

The Vickie Perla and Paul Guyardo Dean’s Fund for Excellence Challenge will match renewed Eliot Society memberships for gifts of $1,000 or more to the Dean’s Transformational Excellence Fund.

The challenge will also provide a 2-to-1 match for all new, increased, or multiyear commitments at the Eliot level to the Dean’s Fund.

Your giftMatch provides
Renewed Eliot membership$1$1
New, increased, or multiyear commitments at Eliot level$1$2

“Our commitment to the Dean’s Transformational Excellence Fund is about giving back and also paying it forward. During our daughter’s undergrad years, it was our way to show appreciation and support for the exceptional academic experience we witnessed firsthand. Today, our continued support helps share Olin’s excellence with new students and allows its leadership to foster innovation. Our hope is that this challenge elicits broad-based participation in the Dean’s Fund. Please join us!”

Vickie Perla and Paul Guyardo
Paul Guyardo and Vickie Perla

About the Eliot Society

The William Greenleaf Eliot Society recognizes donors who make Annual Fund gifts to Washington University of $1,000 or more. As leaders of the Annual Fund, Eliot Society members provide unrestricted support for WashU’s schools and programs each year.




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