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Press Release

UA Tops for Entrepreneurship in Entrepreneur Magazine's Annual Top-100 Colleges and Universities for Entrepreneurs

March 27, 2003

The April issue of Entrepreneur magazine ranks the Berger Entrepreneurship Program at The University of Arizona's Eller College of Business and Public Administration in its first tier as one of the top 12 academic programs in the nation.

More than 700 programs were researched for the magazine's first ranking of the top-100 U.S. Colleges and Universities for Entrepreneurs. The UA program also placed in the top 10 nationally in the Alumni Recommendation category.

More than 30 criteria were used in the study, including course offerings, teaching and research faculty, business-community outreaches, research centers and institutes, degrees and certificates offered, and faculty and alumni evaluations. In addition, almost 300 colleges and universities responded to surveys designed to allow program directors, faculty and alumni to rank their own entrepreneurship programs against the competition. These results appear, along with the top 100 list, in Entrepreneur's April issue, now available on newsstands.

"We are very proud of this recognition and of the entrepreneurship program we have built here at The University of Arizona," said Gary Libecap, Ph.D., director of the Karl Eller Center, which houses the Berger Entrepreneurship Program.

"Our curriculum approach works. We provide a place for our students to investigate and innovate, to mix theory with practical application as they craft their business plans," he said.

Libecap, professor of economics and law and Anheuser-Busch professor of entrepreneurial studies, has headed the Karl Eller Center since its founding in 1984. The center was established with a grant from Arizona businessman and well-known entrepreneur, Karl Eller.

Study/Entrepreneur Magazine Background

In 1970, a national survey of business schools found only 16 courses offered in entrepreneurship. Over the last 30 years the idea of entrepreneurial education has exploded. Currently, TechKnowledge Point Corp of Santa Barbara CA, who conducted the study for Entrepreneur magazine from September-December 2002, has data on over 875 entrepreneurship programs at colleges and universities in the U.S.

Entrepreneur's evaluation of the best entrepreneurship programs at U.S. colleges and universities is the most credible and comprehensive analysis of its kind. The magazine breaks down the various types of entrepreneurship programs and advises students on choosing one that meets their needs.

For more than 25 years, Entrepreneur magazine has been the leading authority dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs worldwide to start and grow successful companies. More than 2 million readers turn to Entrepreneur every month (MRI 2002 Doublebase) for cutting-edge ideas to help them grow and improve their businesses.

Karl Eller Center/Berger Entrepreneurship Background

For nearly 20 years, the Berger Entrepreneurship Program and Karl Eller Center have been nationally recognized leaders in collegiate entrepreneurship education. Among the first such programs in the country, the center has been a pioneer in a highly dynamic and innovative discipline. The center's programs and initiatives have literally helped to define the industry.

New Venturing, Corporate Venturing, Social Venturing… Innovation and excellence are at the core of the center's vision, which blends academic, research, and outreach to create cutting-edge approaches to entrepreneurship education. In the Berger program, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and champions of social awareness learn key strategies, innovative processes, timeless and key foundations for effective and responsible business development, launch, and leadership.

The Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona is internationally recognized for pioneering research, innovative curriculum, distinguished faculty, excellence in management information systems, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Eller undergraduate program #14 among public business schools and three of its programs are among the top 20 — Entrepreneurship, MIS, and Management. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Eller MBA Full-Time program #44 in the U.S. and #21 among public business schools. The College leads the nation’s business schools in generating grant funds for research. In addition to a Full-Time MBA program, the Eller College offers an Evening MBA program and the Eller Executive MBA. The Eller College of Management supports approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 700 graduate students on the UA campus in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.

Press Contact:
Liz Warren-Pederson, Eller College of Management
520.626.9547, news@eller.arizona.edu

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