Whitman Program Named “National Model Entrepreneurship Program”

The Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE) program at the Whitman School of Management was recently named the National Model Program by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) at its annual conference in Los Angeles, California Jan. 10 – 14. According to USABE’s website, the award “recognizes colleges and universities that provide comprehensive, bold, high quality educational programs that train future generations of entrepreneurs, as well as the comprehensiveness of a curricular program.”

“This accolade is a major national recognition for the innovative and quality educational work that our committed team has been doing over a number of years,” said Alex McKelvie, associate professor and EEE department chair. “Our leadership in developing a novel career tracks system, offering cutting-edge new courses, attention to student learning and outcomes, infusion of academic rigor and experiential learning, and impactful programing were important reasons why we received this award.”

McKelvie added that the award would not be possible without the unwavering support of the Syracuse University and Whitman School leadership teams. “This award truly is a reflection of several years of team effort and investments,” he said.

“Entrepreneurship is an important dimension of the student experience at Syracuse University,” said Mike Haynie, Syracuse University’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, and Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Whitman School.

“In the face of an increasingly dynamic economic and social environment, empowering our students to think and act entrepreneurially is fundamental to their future success. We’re proud that the Whitman School is leading the way—and in concert with the Blackstone LaunchPad, the Barnes Family Entrepreneurship programs, and the many other entrepreneurship initiatives embedded within our schools and colleges — we should all be proud that Syracuse University is home to one of higher education’s most robust and most interdisciplinary entrepreneurship ecosystems,” Haynie said.

Previous award winners include the University of Arizona, Babson College, Texas Christian University and Baylor University, among others.

The Whitman School’s EEE program, which last year taught a record-breaking 3,000 students at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels, is unique through the creation of its four teaching tracks to prepare students for future careers in new venture creation, corporate entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and family business. This allows students to be well-suited for the unique challenges in any entrepreneurial setting, whether it is in new or old companies, small or large organizations, not-for-profits or family businesses.

Its undergraduate curriculum combines classroom time with experiential learning opportunities and real-world business practice. Culminating in a senior year capstone experience where all students start a high-growth new venture and present it to a panel of external judges, EEE students gain invaluable hands-on experiences through intensive and interactive group-oriented projects.

The one-year M.S. in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (MSE) program is designed for students who want a “mini-MBA” with a key focus on entrepreneurship. The newly-created online master’s degree, Entrepreneurship@Syracuse, combines strategic courses from the MBA@Syracuse program and entrepreneurial courses that equip students with tools and expertise to launch their own successful businesses. Both graduate entrepreneurship programs offer a rigorous immersion with a large number of hands-on experiential learning courses.

Aimed at developing the entrepreneur within, the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship serves as the cornerstone of Whitman’s top-ranked Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises program, helping to facilitate entrepreneurial activity on campus, as well as across local and regional communities.

A recipient of the NASDAQ Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence award, the Falcone Center provides valuable entrepreneurial resources through the Couri Hatchery student business incubator, the WISE (Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship) Business Center, the South Side Innovation Center and veteran’s entrepreneurship training, such as the Barnes Family Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) program.

Citation for this content: MBA@Syracuse, Syracuse University’s online MBA program