The John and Dorette Gerspach Library Endowment for Globalization: Understanding and Harnessing World Economic Markets was established in 1999. John C. Gerspach (’75), chief financial officer of Citigroup, serves on Notre Dame’s Advisory Council for the Mendoza College of Business. John and his wife, Dorette (Dori), reside in Scarsdale, New York, and have three children: Mark, Brian (’07), and Elise (’11). The couple has also established the John and Dorette Gerspach Fellowship for Excellence.

The John and Dorette Gerspach Library Endowment for Globalization provides support for the Hesburgh Libraries to effectively deal with globalization by providing materials in the form of books, journals, non-print formats, and the latest information technology – with easy and instant access to statistics, market data, and company information – all at the touch of one’s fingertips.

Globalization, the integration of economic activity around the world, confronts a growing number of students preparing for widely diverse careers and faculty undertaking research initiatives in business, law, labor economics, industrial relations, international development, and public policy. The importance of this area of study was recently fortified, when the University launched a new undergraduate degree program in international economics.