Newswise — The University of New Hampshire has been named one of the Top 25 Most Entrepreneurial Colleges by The Princeton Review and Forbes.com, ranking 10th in the nation. The two organizations released their Top 25 picks this morning.
According to The Princeton Review, while there are more than 2,000 colleges in the United States, few concentrate on raising the next generation of successful entrepreneurs. Schools named to the Top 25 show a commitment to creating programs to encourage young entrepreneurs on campus, as well as looking at how their alumni have fared in the real world.
UNH's ranking was based on the efforts of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics. UNH was the only public university in the Northeast to make the top 10.
"As these young entrepreneurs head out into the world, we fully expect our Forbes 400 list to morph," said Michael Noer, executive editor of news, at Forbes.com.
"The hallmark of the Whittemore School is its ability to offer both undergraduate and graduate students theoretical coursework combined with extraordinary experiential learning opportunities in high-visibility companies throughout the region," UNH President Ann Weaver Hart said. "UNH sits in the heart of the Northeast's high-tech corridor and we are thrilled that our efforts to integrate this entrepreneurial spirit into our university environment is being recognized at the national level."
To identify the schools, The Princeton Review surveyed the colleges ranked in The Best 357 Colleges based on the type of on-campus entrepreneurial activities available, including: mentoring, experiential learning, and campus clubs " as well as the number of successful alumni entrepreneurs and industry/school partnerships.
"There are so many terrific colleges and universities that fall short when it comes to preparing their undergraduates for success in the real world, that we were motivated to look at the characteristics of schools that celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit," said Robert Franek, editorial director, The Princeton Review. "The schools on this list all provide access to the critical training and experiences they'll need to become tomorrow's business leaders. It makes great sense for us to partner with Forbes.com on this project as they are the gatekeepers of the ultimate entrepreneurial list."
At UNH, undergraduates can participate in several mentoring opportunities. The High Tech Entrepreneurship Internship combines supervised work experience at an area company with seminar-style classroom discussion. Students enjoy the benefits of learning from both faculty and corporate mentors. The Executives-in-Residence program links students to retired executives through teaching, mentoring, and seminars.
"We are excited that the school, which is already well-known regionally, has been recognized for its excellence at the national level. It validates the school's efforts, the faculty's expertise, and our students' commitment to their future," said Steve Bolander, dean of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics. "Beginning with their first day of classes and continuing throughout their tenure at the Whittemore School, students are exposed to a wide range of industry people -- from founders of start-up companies such as New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson of Cabletron Systems to executives from corporations such as BAE SYSTEMS."
The Whittemore School offers courses on entrepreneurial management, private equity and venture capital, new product development, market and opportunity analysis, and high-tech entrepreneurship. Students interested in starting a high-growth venture can take the Entrepreneurial Venture Creation option. The program fosters an entrepreneurial sensibility by adding a strong applied learning component to traditional lectures and seminars.
The Holloway Seminar Series sponsored by New Hampshire entrepreneur Paul Holloway brings entrepreneurs and business leaders to campus four times a year. The series culminates with the Holloway Business Plan Competition, which awards prizes to undergraduate and graduate students, either as teams or individuals, who develop the most realistic plans for starting, acquiring, or expanding a business venture in each of two tracks: high-growth ventures and lifestyle ventures. The Waste Management Education and Research Consortium Program partners business and engineering students to develop all business and engineering aspects of inventing new technologies. Twice in three years, the UNH team has won the coveted Intel Environmental Innovation Award.
For the full list and more, visit: http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneur.
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