Former Hampton University dean remembered for lasting impact
Friday’s renaming ceremony for Hampton University’s main lecture hall in the James T. George School of Business was not just a way of recognizing the school’s $1 million partnership with Prudential Financial and PGIM — It was about honoring the school’s former dean, Sid Credle.
The family, friends and colleagues who knew Credle remembered him as a jokester, as someone dedicated to his students and as the person who made the school of business what it is today.
Hampton University President Darrell Williams, who unveiled the newly renamed Dr. Sid H. Credle Hall, said he was jealous of those who knew Credle personally and had described the late dean as a giant, friend, mentor and educator extraordinaire.
“Thank you for making this not just a transactional relationship but a long-term strategic partnership,” Williams said to the Prudential representatives at the ceremony.
In 2010, the company pledged $1 million. The renaming “cemented” the school’s partnership with Prudential, which Credle initiated, and marked the pledge’s fulfillment.
Current Dean Ziette Hayes said Prudential also was the first to name a room in the school of business.
Prudential’s partnership with the business school goes back to when Credle first became dean. His former colleagues said it was his goal from the start to establish corporate partnerships to help prepare students for the real world.
“I stand here as a product of this impactful partnership,” said Brielle Lewis, director of corporate sponsorship strategy at Prudential.
Lewis said Credle helped connect her with Prudential when she was one of his students. That connection turned into a career. Credle would teach students chess and martial arts and connect those lessons back to business strategy — something many of his students remember fondly.
Prudential also supports business students through scholarships and mentorships. Kyan Nickleberry, who is a second year in the Master of Business Administration program, said being a Prudential Fellow has helped him develop connections and find internships, making him yet another “product of (Credle’s) legacy.”
Kelsey Kendall, kelsey.kendall@virginiamedia.com
