By Laurean Love
Staff Writer
The Hankamer School of Business’ undergraduate entrepreneurship program has been ranked No. 2 in the nation, up one spot from last year, and No. 1 in Texas, amid more than 2,000 schools surveyed by The Princeton Review for Entrepreneur Magazine.
“As one of the oldest and most respected in the nation, our entrepreneurship program continues to break new ground and provide the finest education for our students,” said Dr. Terry S. Maness, dean of Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, in a press release published Tuesday.
The survey, ranking the top 25 undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the country, questioned school administrators from April to June and took into account the percentage of the student body enrolled, percentage of their faculty, students and alumni that have successfully started a business, and the number of scholarships available for students in the program.
“That the Baylor entrepreneurship program continues to rank among the nation’s best is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff and alumni who provide our students an outstanding entrepreneurship education,” said Dr. Kendall Artz, director of Baylor’s entrepreneurship program and chair of the management department.
Nathanael Dunn, a senior from San Diego, Calif. said, “Professor Marlene Reed laid the entrepreneurial foundation that gave both me and my co-founder the tools necessary to attract investors and to be able to work with accountants and attorneys to form and run our LLC. As a senior, I look forward to graduating and being able to provide jobs from this new venture and many more to come.”
Baylor has offered entrepreneurship as a major since 1977 for students who have a particular inclination for organizing and managing an enterprise, particularly a business, and assumes the risk for such enterprise.
“Baylor was one of the first universities in the nation to start an entrepreneurship program, so we have long been know as pioneers in entrepreneurial education,” said Lori Fogleman, director of media communications. “To be recognized as one of the top undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the nation consistently, clearly demonstrates the kind of transformational education that Baylor offers its students.”
Artz said the entrepreneurship program has added many new programs over the past year, none of which would have been possible without the support from alumni partners. He said they look forward to continuing to explore and discover innovative opportunities to further strengthen the program.
“Baylor Entrepreneurship is ranked No. 2 in the nation and I am proud to be a part of it,” said Dunn. “Because of this program, I will hopefully never have to look for a job. The amazing professors and the courses they teach, equip us to think and act like effective entrepreneurs.”
