U.S. News Names Babson's MBA Program #1 in Entrepreneurship - 17th Year in a Row

BABSON PARK, Mass., April 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report magazine has ranked Babson College the #1 MBA program for entrepreneurship for the 17th year in a row.

After Babson, the other top five entrepreneurship programs are Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan), Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania (Wharton).

"With this top entrepreneurship ranking, we now have 4 consecutive #1 placements among ranking publications dating back to last year, thus reinforcing our belief that we are producing the world's best entrepreneurial leaders--and, with our new strategy, we will continue to advance our global reputation for outstanding graduate education," said President Len Schlesinger.

"This #1 ranking is a result of the Babson community's belief in our mission and relentless hard work--faculty known for their exceptional teaching and a staff who does a great job working with our students," said Graduate School Dean Raghu Tadepalli.

The full rankings are available at www.usnews.com

In the three decades since Babson founded the academic field of entrepreneurship, Babson's programs have made enormous economic and social impact around the globe.

Educators, business leaders, and government organizations look to Babson's leadership in entrepreneurship to model educational programs; launch and grow for- and nonprofit businesses; and create policy and social environments in which entrepreneurial activity can flourish.

Babson educates leaders who create economic and social value everywhere. Some of these leaders start new businesses, others participate in family businesses, some create products and processes within existing organizations, and others engage in social ventures or service. Through Babson, they all are prepared to think beyond the bottom line and act to build a better world through their work.

The story of entrepreneurship at Babson is a story of firsts. Babson College was the first academic institution to:

* offer graduate and undergraduate courses in entrepreneurship,

* create an entrepreneurship center,

* run an undergraduate business plan competition,

* organize a conference to showcase global thought leadership in entrepreneurship research,

* develop a multidisciplinary integrated graduate curriculum that follows the life cycle of a business,

* provide an experiential venture creation undergraduate curriculum, and

* develop and host a symposium for entrepreneurship educators.

Entrepreneurship Is Babson's DNA

* The College built the largest entrepreneurship faculty in the world, and they teach across all of its programs--50 percent are founders, entrepreneurs, or venture capitalists.

* Babson's award-winning curriculum and pedagogy emphasizes learning through practice and real-world experience.

* Babson is the only college or university where every student, undergraduate and graduate, is immersed in entrepreneurship from his or her first day on campus.

* Babson's diverse student body brings unique perspective to entrepreneurial learning. More than 1,800 undergraduate and 1,600 graduate students attend Babson, representing more than 45 states and 57 countries. More than 20 percent of the undergraduates and 40 percent of the full-time MBA students are from outside the United States.

Babson is at the center of the most dynamic and impactful entrepreneurship research that is undertaken and disseminated throughout the world.

* The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) reports on entrepreneurial activity in 47 countries, covering 95 percent of world GDP. GEM is the seminal data source verifying the impact of entrepreneurial activity on economic development.

* Since 1981, the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference (BCERC) has convened scholars from around the world to advance knowledge and impact the practice of entrepreneurship.

* The Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practice (STEP) Project (involving 32 countries) is the only global research study addressing the needs of family enterprises.

* The Diana Project (involving 33 countries) undertakes award-winning research on women entrepreneurs.

* Babson has founded the Global Entrepreneurship Education Network (GEEN), a network of schools that share a vision of educational economic, managerial, and societal change-centered on the power of entrepreneurial thought and action, the consideration of human values with profit, and the importance of co-creating cutting-edge pedagogy and curricula. GEEN partners share a belief that institutions acting together will achieve more than each would working alone toward its mission.

Established in 1978, the Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs at Babson is the world's first entrepreneurship hall of fame. Babson created the academy to recognize and celebrate the economic and social contributions of entrepreneurs. The nearly 100 members are pioneers and household icons. Members include: Berry Gordy, Motown Industries; Ray Kroc, McDonald's Corporation; Fred W. Smith, Federal Express Corporation; Arthur M. Blank, The Home Depot; Richard Branson, Virgin Group of Companies; Kay Koplovitz, USA Networks; and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Magic Johnson Companies.

Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., is recognized internationally as a leader in entrepreneurial management education. Babson grants BS degrees through its innovative undergraduate program, and grants MBA and custom MS and MBA degrees through the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College. Babson Executive Education offers executive development programs to experienced managers worldwide. For information, visit www.babson.edu.

SOURCE Babson College