A Visionary Gift That Transformed Finance Education
Nearly 30 years ago, Trustee Emeritus David Hughey ’55, P’01 envisioned something revolutionary for Bentley students: a place where they could learn finance not just from textbooks, but by immersing themselves in an environment that mirrored the fast-paced world they hoped to enter.
His gift made that vision a reality.
In 1997, Bentley opened the Trading Room, the centerpiece of the David and Elizabeth Hughey Center for Financial Services. Featuring multiple monitors, real-time market data, live stock tickers and advanced analytics tools, the space replicated a Wall Street trading floor and was years ahead of its time. It gave students the opportunity to experience the realities of the financial markets firsthand, bridging classroom concepts with real-world application.
For Hughey, the gift reflected his belief in the transformative power of a Bentley education because he had lived it himself.
“Bentley was very, very instrumental in my success,” Hughey says. “It is what started me off.”
His path to success was anything but certain. Raised in the small town of Jackman, Maine, Hughey came from modest beginnings. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, he returned home and found work in road construction. But he knew he wanted more.
One day, while working with a jackhammer, he made a decision that would change the course of his life. He put down the tool, flagged down a passing car and left in search of new opportunities.
A former Navy shipmate had told him about the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance. Hughey headed to Boston, enrolled at Bentley and quickly found both purpose and opportunity. After graduating, he joined Price Waterhouse, earned his CPA certification and built a distinguished career in finance that ultimately led to his role as executive vice president of Dean Witter InterCapital, an investment management firm.
Years later, he returned to Bentley as a trustee, where another transformative experience would inspire his philanthropy. A group of students seeking support for a new student-managed investment group delivered a highly polished pitch to the Board. Their professionalism, preparation and ambition impressed Hughey and his fellow trustees, earning approval for what became the Bentley Investment Group, which continues to thrive today.
Seeing the talent and potential of Bentley students firsthand reinforced Hughey’s desire to give back. He wanted future generations to have access to the same life-changing opportunities that had defined his own journey.
Working with university leaders, he established both the David A. and Elizabeth C. Hughey Scholarship Fund and the David and Elizabeth Hughey Center for Financial Services.
The Trading Room embodied his vision. At a time when few colleges offered anything similar, it provided students with a truly immersive learning environment, one that reflected the realities of the financial industry and prepared them to succeed in it.
“The idea of setting up a financial center seemed ideal for Bentley,” Hughey says.
Today, his investment continues to shape the student experience. Thousands of students have learned, collaborated and developed career-ready skills in a space designed to bring the world of finance to life.
“I’m very proud of it,” Hughey says. “It has been so positive for the university.”
Now approaching his 95th birthday, Hughey remains deeply grateful for the education that changed the trajectory of his life. Over the past 46 years, he has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Bentley through his philanthropy. A member of the Great Benefactor’s Society, he has been among the university’s most dedicated supporters, and, also a member of the 1917 Society, he has named Bentley in his estate plans, ensuring that his impact endures for future generations of Falcons.
Reflecting on his remarkable journey, he sums it up with characteristic humility:
“For a boy from Jackman, Maine, it’s been quite something.”