TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In a survey of more than 700 schools just released by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine, The University of Alabama was distinguished as one of the top schools for entrepreneurs.
UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce ranks No. 20 in the survey for its success in a multitude of factors. With the announcement of the survey results, a growing number of students selecting entrepreneurship as a focus of their studies now have a credible resource for locating the top educational providers in this field. The results of the survey, along with the analysis, appear in the October issue of Entrepreneur, which hits newsstands Sept. 26.
A number of criteria were factored in to evaluate UA and other colleges and universities, including the entrepreneurial emphasis of the curriculum, mentoring, experiential learning, faculty credentials, and the success of graduating students and alumni. High-ranking schools demonstrated a commitment to practical, hands-on experiential learning to provide the skills that translate into real-world businesses.
Robert Franek, editorial director of Princeton Review Books, said students are looking for “very clear and practical outcomes – not only for what they’re doing in the classroom, but [also] that their degree will work for them with those same practical-based outcomes once they graduate.”
The joint efforts of The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur provide a highly credible tool for individuals interested in furthering their education in entrepreneurship. The survey brings together the renowned research strengths of The Princeton Review with Entrepreneur’s in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs today.
“Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new organizations and responding to opportunities,” Dr. Louis Marino, associate professor of strategic management and director of the entrepreneurship program Marino said. “It is often a difficult challenge. In the United States, as many as 800,000 new businesses are started annually. These small businesses are the foundation for our employment growth and allow their founders to work for themselves and be self-sufficient. For our program to be recognized as one of the top programs in the country is a major accomplishment.”
Dr. J. Barry Mason, dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce, said the ranking is significant because entrepreneurship is a key ingredient in the state’s economy.
“The state of Alabama is filled with successful entrepreneurs who combine independence, vision, action, the individual and the organization. Done right, it can be a great way to live. We are proud to be recognized for helping and teaching people to do it right.”
The University of Alabama also has an active chapter of Students in Free Enterprise, which finished as the first runner-up in the SIFE regional competition earlier this year, another indication of the strength of the entrepreneurial program.
“I was proud of the team. We did a whole lot better than last year,” said Stephen Davis, president of UA’s SIFE chapter. At the competition, SIFE teams present the results of their educational outreach projects and compete to determine which team was most successful at creating economic opportunity for others.
These teams are led by faculty advisers, and they are challenged to develop community outreach projects that reach SIFE’s five educational topics which are: market economics, success skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and business ethics.
The team presented projects that ranged from business ethics to working with the director of the Tuscaloosa Trolley to aid the trolley company in better serving UA students.
David Ford, Sam Walton faculty fellow, is the SIFE faculty advisor. “I have great hope for the future. For a new team that’s small they have accomplished a lot,” said Ford.
For more information and a complete listing of the schools, go to www.Entrepreneur.com.
Contact
Bill Gerdes, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8318, bgerdes@cba.ua.edu