Ryan Schuster
Grand Forks Herald - 09/20/2008

UND is ranked 13th in an annual listing of the nation’s top undergraduate entrepreneurship programs released by Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review.

This marks the third consecutive year that UND has been rated among the top 15 schools in the nation in the entrepreneurship rankings.

“Our success in the Entrepreneur magazine rankings is a result of the emphasis placed on experiential learning in our Entrepreneurship programs,” Steve Moser, associate dean of UND’s College of Business and Public Administration, said in a prepared statement. “Students are required to have an internship and are encouraged to work directly with practicing entrepreneurs.”

UND’s Center for Innovation, which dates to 1984, is part of the university’s College of Business and Public Administration. UND’s entrepreneurship program added an undergraduate program in 1999 and also includes the Dakota Venture Group, one of the nation’s first solely student-run venture capital investment funds, and houses two tech incubators.

“Being named among the top entrepreneur programs recognizes we put together the right mix of terrific students, entrepreneur mentors, faculty who are also entrepreneurs, solid curriculum, entrepreneur benefactors, and a portfolio of experiential learning,” said Bruce Gjovig, the Center for Innovation’s director.

The entrepreneurship school rankings were based on several criteria, including academics, requirements, students, faculty and support from outside the classroom and entrepreneurship experiences. A total of 2,300 schools were surveyed this year, up from 900 last year, with the top 25 undergraduate and the top 25 graduate programs making the rankings.

“One of the reasons Entrepreneurship is such a vibrant and exciting program at UND is the fact that it draws students, faculty and other talent from across our campus and community,” said Craig Silvernagel, UND’s entrepreneurship program director.

Silvernagel also credited the program’s students for their role in attaining the national rankings.

“They continue to excel both in their academic endeavors and in their ability to build and develop meaningful and successful enterprises after they leave UND,” he said.

The rankings and an analysis of the top 25 undergraduate and graduate programs in the nation will appear in the October issue of Entrepreneur magazine, which hits newsstands next week.

“Aspiring business owners want not just to learn, but to do, and today’s top colleges are responding to that demand,” said Amy Cosper, Entrepreneur magazine’s vice president and editor and chief. “We’re finding schools focus more on helping students determine an idea’s feasibility, plan and set up all aspects of a business, and network more with other entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.”

Schuster covers business. Reach him at (701) 780-1107; (800) 477-6572, ext. 107; or send e-mail to rschuster@gfherald.com. Read his business blog at www.areavoices.com/bizbuzz.

'Entrepreneur' Magazine and The Princeton Review Rank UND #13 Among Nation's Top 50 Entrepreneurship Programs

Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review released the sixth annual ranking of the top 50 graduate and undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the nation this week, and the University of North Dakota landed at 13th on the top undergraduate programs list. A complete listing of the schools ranked can be found at http://www.entrepreneur.com/topcolleges.

This is the third consecutive year UND has been ranked among the top 15 schools nationally for its entrepreneurial offerings.

"Our success in the 'Entrepreneur' magazine rankings is a result of the emphasis placed on experiential learning in our Entrepreneurship programs," said Steve Moser, associate dean of the UND College of Business and Public Administration. "Students are required to have an internship and are encouraged to work directly with practicing entrepreneurs.  The rankings are a clear indication that we are focusing on appropriate goals with our programs.  With the success of the program, the university has chosen to emphasize entrepreneurship in its branding campaign."

"I'm delighted UND continues to prove itself -- particularly, through the evaluation of others -- that it truly is an innovative and creative place to study, to learn and to actually receive first-hand experiences in what it means to be entrepreneurial," said UND President Robert O.Kelley. "This most current ranking from the respected source 'Entrepreneur' magazine is a reflection of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of people within the College of Business and Public Administration, its Center for Innovation and many others on this campus. It also shows that UND is on the right track with an array of first-class programs, including a major in entrepreneurship, which educate, mentor and allow students the freedom to creatively stand on their own."

UND has long been a leader in entrepreneurship, starting in 1984 with the Center for Innovation and later establishing the undergraduate program in 1999. The entrepreneur program at UND, housed in the College of Business and Public Administration, is now one of the fastest growing programs on campus –– which now includes one of the nation’s first solely student-run venture capital invest fund, the Dakota Venture Group.

"One of the reasons Entrepreneurship is such a vibrant and exciting program at UND is the fact that it draws students, faculty and other talent from across our campus and community," said Craig Silvernagel, UND entrepreneurship program director. "I have the great privilege of working with many of these individuals. Being recognized for a third consecutive year as one of the top undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the nation is a wonderful honor that belongs not just to the entrepreneurship program, but to all those in the local entrepreneur community."

Silvernagel said it's also important to emphasize that this national recognition also belongs to the talented and dedicated students that really make entrepreneurship at UND what it is.

"They continue to excel both in their academic endeavors and in their ability to build and develop meaningful and successful enterprises after they leave UND," he said.

All 2,300 schools surveyed this year were evaluated based on key criteria in the areas of academics and requirements, students and faculty, and outside-the-classroom support and experiences. A total of 50 schools, 25 undergraduate and 25 graduate schools, made the list, with several others, such as Harvard and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, receiving honorable mentions. The number of schools surveyed is up markedly this year from 900 in 2007. The more than 150-percent increase in participating schools in this year's ranking underscores the growing number of entrepreneurial courses nationwide and the established mainstream appeal of business ownership.

The survey questions for the annual top colleges ranking are revisited each year to ensure that clear, concise and appropriate data is collected.  This gives prospective students more of the essential information they need to start exploring programs that can prepare them for greater success in their business ventures.

"Being named among the top entrepreneur programs recognizes we put together the right mix of terrific students, entrepreneur mentors, faculty who are also entrepreneurs, solid curriculum, entrepreneur benefactors, and a portfolio of experiential learning that leads to national rankings for three years in a row," said Bruce Gjovig, director of UND's Center for Innovation, part of the College of Business and Public Administration.

Gjovig said, "The Center for Innovation and the Department of Entrepreneurship work closely together to provide both the academic rigor with the extensive hands on learning that allows our students to be top performers. The entire program is possible because of exceptional support from entrepreneur benefactors who invest in the new generation of entrepreneurs. Support from entrepreneurs like James Ray, Norm Skalicky, Ray Rude, Bart  & Lynn Holaday, Kurt Mueller, Eugene Dahl, Ethel Stone, Larry Brown and so many others are key to our success. They built incubator buildings, support initiatives, fund faculty positions and provide scholarships."

A detailed analysis of all Top 50 schools will appear in the October issue of Entrepreneur magazine, which hits newsstands Sept. 23. The magazine has a paid circulation of more than 609,000, reaching a total audience of 2.7 million people.

"Aspiring business owners want not just to learn, but to do, and today's top colleges are responding to that demand," said Amy Cosper, vice president and editor in chief at Entrepreneur magazine. "We're finding schools focus more on helping students determine an idea's feasibility, plan and set up all aspects of a business, and network more with other entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. "The opportunities keep expanding, and our ranking is an excellent launching point for a prospective student's research."

A complete listing of undergraduate schools ranked in this year’s results is posted below.

Best Schools for Entrepreneurs: Top 25 Undergraduate Programs

Top 25 Undergraduate Programs

    1.  University of Houston

    2.  Babson College

    3.  Drexel University

    4.  University of Dayton

    5.  University of Arizona

    6.  Temple University

    7.  DePaul University

    8.  University of Oklahoma

    9.  University of Southern California

    10. Chapman University

    11. Ball State University

    12. Baylor University

    13. University of North Dakota

    14. Northeastern University

    15. Syracuse University

    16. Miami University

   17. Loyola Marymount University

    18. Washington State University

    19. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    20. University of Alabama

    21. University of Cincinnati

    22. University of Iowa

    23. Belmont University

    24. Xavier University

    25. Suffolk University

About the College of Business and Public Administration at UND

The College of Business and Public Administration at the University of North Dakota offers 15 undergraduate and 5 graduate degree granting programs from eight academic departments. The college enrolls an average of 1,750 undergraduate and 170 graduate students per year. The College is accredited by the prestigious American Association of Colleges and Schools of Business (AACSB), the premiere accreditation agency for business colleges across the globe. The College also carries accreditation endorsements from the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and the National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT). The College is also host to the outreach divisions for the Center for Innovation and the Small Business Development Center.

About Entrepreneur Media Inc.

Entrepreneur Media Inc., is the premier content provider for and about entrepreneurs. Our products engage and inspire every daywith the advice, solutions and resources that fuel the bold and independent way entrepreneurs think.  After 31 years, nobody reaches more growing businesses. As the original magazine for the small and midsize business community, Entrepreneur continues to be the definitive guide to all the diverse challenges of business ownership. Entrepreneur.com is the most widely used website by entrepreneurs and emerging businesses worldwide. Entrepreneur Press publishes the books that turn entrepreneurial skills into business success. To learn more, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com.

About The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review is a pioneer in the world of education. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in New York City, the Company offers private tutoring and classroom and online test preparation to help students improve their scores in college and graduate school admissions tests. The Company's free website, http://www.PrincetonReview.com, helps over half of university-bound students research, apply to, prepare for, and learn how to pay for their higher education. In addition, The Princeton Review works with school districts around the U.S. to measurably strengthen students' academic skills by connecting ongoing assessment with professional development and instruction and by providing districts with college and career resources for both students and guidance counselors. The Company also authors more than 200 print and software titles on test preparation, college and graduate school selection and admissions, and related topics. 2008 Best Schools for Entrepreneurs.