CoVaBiz, a regional publication that covers business and leadership across Coastal Virginia, recently published a feature on Alfred Dreyfus, the founder of ECPI University. The piece highlights the challenges and experiences he and his family faced as Jewish refugees during World War II.
Against incredible odds, Dreyfus arrived in America in 1947, where he taught himself English and found work using the technical skills he had developed. As he immersed himself in the growing technological landscape, he was convinced education should provide students with practical skills that lead directly to meaningful employment. From that belief, he built the foundation for what would become ECPI University.
In the feature, his son, Mark Drefyus, ECPI University's president, and grandson Sam Dreyfus, its executive vice president, share reflections on the steady work ethic he maintained throughout his life. They describe a man who remained committed to students and their success well into his later years.
Dreyfus passed away last year at the age of 100. But the values that guided his life remain part of the university’s culture. They’re reflected in how the ECPI community supports one another, and they influence how people teach, learn, and work together across campuses. They also serve as a reminder of the university’s ongoing mission to help students work toward their career goals.
To learn more about that mission, read Alfred Dreyfus’s full story on CoVaBiz.