Tim Koogle, the former president and CEO of Yahoo! Inc. and 1973 University graduate, inaugurated the Batten Institute Speakers Series on Business Innovation at the Darden School auditorium Wednesday night.
The annual series focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship. The Institute functions as a foundation within the Darden School, according to Institute Associate Director Trienet Coggeshall.
"We think Wednesday night was a huge success," Coggeshall said. "We hope it was interesting not only to business students but also to the entire University community."
Koogle said the inauguration was one event among many during his residence at the University, which continues through next Wednesday. Koogle's official residence will include attending classes and giving speeches.
"I will be visiting about eight or ten classes rolling through the next week or so," he said.
Development Office Staff Member Pat Ingram organized the schedule for Koogle's stay at the University.
Ingram said he pitched the idea of returning to Grounds at the request of Engineering School Dean Richard Miksad and University President John T. Casteen III.
"Koogle's background in engineering and business offers a great opportunity to engage with students and faculty," Ingram said. "He is very excited to get involved with the University again."
After contacting Koogle, Ingram notified officials from the Engineering School, the McIntire School, the Darden School and the Law School to schedule various classes for Koogle to attend, Ingram said.
Koogle visited Computer Science Prof. Jorg Liebeherr's Internet Engineering class yesterday and held an open forum with students in which Koogle described his career history and then fielded student questions.
"I'm very grateful that he visited my class," Liebeherr said. "For some students this may mark a valuable experience in their time at the University and that is what we're here for."
Koogle said when he first joined Yahoo!, in the summer of 1995, the company onlyconsisted of six people. Over the course of his term through May 2001, he helped build Yahoo! into a multibillion dollar company at the forefront of Internet media.
Students asked questions regarding Koogle's plans and motivations while he was an engineering student.
"Coming out of high school, I wouldn't have predicted that I would become so passionate about engineering as I did when I was a student at the University," Koogle said.
Graduating first in his class at the University, Koogle received a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering.
Koogle said he worked the entire time he was in school.
"I was a poor kid -- I would barely make it through to June, then I would go back to working at a gas station or whatever," he said.
Koogle later received his masters and doctorate degrees while studying kinematics -- or the study of motion -- at Stanford University from 1974 to 1977.
He remains active with Yahoo! and currently is a chair on the Yahoo! board.
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