U.A. RANKS IN TOP 100 OF
UNIVERSITIES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
EDUCATION IN U.S.

Akron , Saturday, March 12, 2005 – The University of Akron is among the top U.S. colleges and universities for entrepreneurs, according to the April 2005 issue of Entrepreneur magazine.

In its third annual entrepreneurship survey of universities and colleges from across the country, The University of Akron’s entrepreneurship program is listed as one of 10 "first tier" programs at regional universities.

"This is another significant step forward for our program and proves that we can compete with the leading entrepreneurship programs from all over the U.S. ," said Dr. Todd A. Finkle, Director of the Fitzgerald Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Finkle added, “This is the second year in a row we have finished among the top tier regional schools, outpacing many schools with strong national reputations in entrepreneurship education. The University of Akron is continuing to build one of the strongest reputations for entrepreneurship education in the country.

Finkle asserted, “This past year we added a university-wide business plan competition with prizes of over $15,000 sponsored by National City Bank, Dominion Gas, the University Park Alliance, Posh, Starbuck’s, and TGI Friday’s. We also reinstituted an entrepreneurship student club called the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), which competed in a regional competition. The program also had a team of MBA entrepreneurship students compete at a national business plan competition with some of the best schools in the world. All of these activities have been increasing the demand for entrepreneurship education here at the University.”

The rankings for the Entrepreneur magazine article were performed by TechKnowledge Point Corporation of Santa Barbara , California . The company ranked 800 entrepreneurship programs and divided them into four categories: national, regional, emphasis, and limited curriculum. More than 70 criteria were used in the evaluation process, including course offerings, teaching and research faculty, business-community outreaches, other entrepreneurial initiatives, research centers and institutes, degrees and certificates offered, competitions, honors, tangible venture development, access to capital, and faculty and alumni evaluations.

The Fitzgerald Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies was launched in 1996 with a $2.5 million grant from William Fitzgerald, the former president and chief operating officer of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., and a UA alumnus. Through the institute, students learn about launching or buying a business, franchising, corporate entrepreneurship, family businesses, working for a fast growth company, growing small businesses and technology transfer.

 

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