In March 1993, during the final stages of renovating Northeastern University's original library into what is now the home of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business, the College of Business Administration leadership created and buried a time capsule into the walls of Dodge Hall. A plaque that says “1993-2022” was placed on the wall near where it was buried so the business school community could find it and reveal its contents on our 100th anniversary.
That's exactly what we did on Oct. 18, 2022, on what turned out to be a beautiful fall day on Krentzman Quad.
A stage and a video screen were erected for the big reveal, and the event was live-streamed on Facebook. The capsule was opened by Interim Dean Emery Trahan, who was a faculty member in 1993; Professor William (Bill) Crittenden, who was full of energy and surprises and was active in 1993; Professor Marjorie (Margie) Platt, who was also a member of the faculty in 1993; Associate Dean of Graduate Programs Kate Klepper, who joined the college in June 1993 just after the capsule was buried; Angelica Slater, a third-year D'Amore-McKim and CAMD undergraduate student with a business concentration in corporate innovation; and Chrispen Chokureva Jr., a Full-Time MBA candidate.
After all of the contents were removed, the large crowd continued the party—like it was 1993!—with a DJ, lawn games, prizes, popcorn and cotton candy, and a giant birthday card for everyone to sign. (The card is still on display in the Dodge Hall lobby.) Thank you to everyone that helped us make this day special!
Inside the time capsule
- A folder with a letter from Dean Emeritus David Boyd to the people opening the time capsule. It includes photos from the burial event, a poem written by Dean Boyd that he read at the burial ceremony, and a list of all the capsule contents.
- A folder with designs and plans for the 1993 Dodge Hall renovation with “state-of-the-art technology.” It includes construction photos, a giving case for the need to renovate (the total construction cost was $9 million), and stories about the project.
- A journal with a few personal messages from faculty and staff from 1993, including Associate Dean Jay Halfond and Operations Manager Evy Keefe.
- A Sony Walkman cassette player, new and in the package.
- A folder with two audio cassette tapes, an Elvis stamp, and a Red Sox rookie baseball card. It includes a description of the Walkman cassette player, a tape with a recording of the time capsule burial ceremony, and another tape with music and personalities from the radio stations most listened to by NU students in 1993, including KISS 108 and WAAF. (Music listed on this tape can be found below!) It also has a description of the Elvis stamp that was issued in 1993, and the envelope with the John Valentin Red Sox 1993 rookie card included a letter from then-13-year-old Jonathan Ulman, the son of the Dodge Hall Clerk of the Works.
- A jar of beans from the “Bean counters of the CBA” – the Accounting Group.
- A shirt worn by the players on the CBA baseball team.
- A bag with a tie, a ruler, an NU solar calculator, an NU keychain, and an NU paperweight.
- A folder with information about computer technology from 1993. It includes a letter to “Future Computer Aficionados and Neophytes” from the CBA Manager of Computer Operations with a diskette that “could be obsolete when this time capsule is opened.”
- An article written by Dean Boyd and Associate Dean Halfond titled, “The Coming Metamorphosis of American Business Schools” that was published in College & University in Fall 1992.
- The CBA Fact Book 1991-92 with very interesting admissions and enrollment numbers (my, how we've grown!).
- A folder with several CBA marketing and informational publications, including the Faculty and Staff Profiles book from 1992-93 with several photos and bios of faculty and staff who are still active today.
- A folder with CBA faculty syllabi and cases from 1993, including one from Professor Jeffery Born's International Financial Management course.
- A folder with Undergraduate program materials in it, including a brochure that lists all the majors at that time (the change is notable!).
- A folder with MBA program materials in it and the “MBA Career Services 1993 Resume Book.”
- Two folders with GSPA materials and the book “Top Business Schools” that lists GSPA in the Top 5 in New England in 1992.
- A folder with materials from the Executive Programs team.
- A folder with materials from the Corporate Relations team.
- A few brochures about Centers that existed in 1993, including the Center for Technology Management and The Goldberg Center for Responsible Management.
- A folder with general Northeastern marketing materials from 1993, including campus newspapers, the academic calendar, and campus maps.
- Local and national newspapers from the day the capsule was buried.
- A world map from 1993.
- A GSPA VHS tape dated 11/20/92.
- A VHS tape titled “A Sense of Community.”
Songs on the cassette tape
Top 5 from a day in 1993 on Boston rock radio station WAAF
- “Turn it up or turn it off” by Drivin' and Cryin'
- “Stargazer” by Mother Love Bone
- “Are you gonna go my way” by Lenny Kravitz
- “Plush” by Stone Temple Pilots
- “Livin' on the edge” by Aerosmith
KISS 108 songs 6-10 on Top 10 from a day in 1993 (with MTV VJ Adam Curry)
- “Man on the Moon” by REM
- “That's what love can do” by Boy Krazy
- “Don't walk away” by Jade
- “Love is,” Brian McKnight featuring Vanessa Williams (from the 90210 soundtrack)
- “The right kind of love” by Jeremy Jordan
Watch the Facebook livestream
