It was a beautiful, sunny morning in front of the Ruth Harley University Center on Monday, April 18th when President Robert A. Scott stood up at the podium. Describing Horace Hagedorn as "widely respected, innovative business executive... recognized for his commitment to high ethical standards," Scott proceeded to introduce the man who, with his substantial grant to Adelphi, inspired the university to rename the Business Building. The renaming ceremony took place at 9 AM in the presence of respected alumni (including Ruth Harley herself, at 100 yearsof age) , donors members of the community, and students.

"Today is a beautiful day to celebrate miracle grow in a number of ways," Scott said. Hagedorn, the founder of Stern's Miracle-Gro, the famous plant-food company, now valued at over $200 million in stock, donated the "largest single gift of a living donor to Adelphi." The grant of $1 million will be used in part to support an annual lecture program in corporate social responsibility "to remind us of the principle and values which guided Horace." The program started following the renaming ceremony with a symposium on corporate social responsibility with New York Times Magazine keynote speaker Randy Cohen. The lecture series will allow Adelphi to bring leading ethicists to campus to discuss what Anthony Libertella, Director of the School of Business, called "issues we need to hear as a community."

Chuckling as the new sign was unveiled in front of the doors of the school of business, Hagedorn said, "no one is going to steal this one!" Hagedorn, 88, brought to the podium in a wheelchair, was a funny and engaging speaker. He made several jokes, one of them good-naturedly directed at Ruth Harley herself, when he sang to the audience: "you make me feel so young." Thanking Adelphi for the opportunity to share an old joke, Hagedorn continued on a serious note, saying that he felt keenly about ethics and business, and that ethics were "not a joke."

He ended by saying, "I am indebted to all of you for making me very, very happy. I wish I could do it every year."