Last modified: Thursday, January 18, 2007
Kelley School of Business' MBA entrepreneurship program, director earn top national honors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 18, 2007
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University has earned another national honor for its entrepreneurship program. The graduate program was named the 2007 National Model MBA in Entrepreneurship by the U.S. Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE).
The National Model MBA in Entrepreneurship Program is awarded to a university that develops an exemplary program in entrepreneurship that reflects innovation, quality, effectiveness, comprehensiveness, sustainability, transferability, depth of support and impact on a national or global level.
Chosen from among 31 programs, the Kelley School demonstrated the distinctiveness and depth of its entrepreneurial curriculum by emphasizing unique opportunities offered such as the Entrepreneurial Management Academy and the annual Velocity Conference. The conference underscores the primary role of entrepreneurship, technology and innovation in contemporary business environments to accelerate entrepreneurial careers.
The school also focused on its cross-campus initiatives with other IU programs, specifically the medical life sciences developments being created by physicians and researchers at the IU Medical School. Working together, MBA students and medical school faculty are establishing business viability of new medical technologies.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Kelley School was Donald F. Kuratko, the Jack M. Gill Chair of entrepreneurship and executive director of the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
"This award is an exemplification of our phenomenal entrepreneurship team at the Kelley School of Business. This award acknowledges us as the nation's foremost model program in entrepreneurship," Kuratko said.
In addition, Kuratko was awarded the John E. Hughes Entrepreneurial Advocacy Award for his contributions to the field of entrepreneurship throughout his academic career. USASBE presents the advocacy award to noteworthy individuals who have exhibited exemplary leadership and sustained contributions to the support and advocacy of the entrepreneurship field. The awards were presented at the association's annual conference Saturday (Jan. 13) in Orlando, Fla.
Dan Smith, dean of the Kelley School, said, "Ultimately, the success of any program is due to its people. Over the last few years, we have made a number of important investments in the area of entrepreneurship. We believe that entrepreneurship can be a driving force that transforms lives, communities and societies. Being recognized as having the model MBA program in entrepreneurship is certainly a great honor and is the result of the commitment to excellence of our faculty, staff and students.
"I am particularly proud of Dr. Kuratko's individual recognition by his peers as it demonstrates the national visibility he has created for IU and the Kelley School," Smith added. "He provides tremendous leadership for our Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation."
