The University of Utah continues to lead in entrepreneurship education.
The David Eccles School of Business and its Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute jumped to No. 17 for graduate and No. 24 for undergraduate entrepreneur programs in the new rankings announced today by the Princeton Review. Last year, the U ranked No. 23 for graduate programs. The U’s undergraduate entrepreneur program was not included in the top 25 last year.
The new ranking comes as the Eccles School has made major expansions to its many entrepreneurship offerings, which now total 32 programs that reached 3,400 students from all majors and backgrounds during the 2014-15 academic year.
Among the biggest developments is Lassonde Studios, a $45 million building with 400 student residences and a 20,000-square-foot “garage” open to all students to build prototypes and launch companies. The facility will open in fall 2016. All students can apply now to live in the facility (apply at lassonde.utah.edu/studios).
The Eccles School also has continued to provide strong opportunities in and out of the classroom.
In the classroom, students can choose from a rapidly growing number of options. The school offers a major and minor in Entrepreneurship and an Interdisciplinary Certificate in Entrepreneurship available to all undergraduate students. Next year, the Eccles School expects to add an Entrepreneurship Certificate for graduate students and a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management.
The Lassonde Studios will open fall 2016 All students are welcome to live here.
Beyond the classroom, the U continues to be among the best schools for prize money available to student entrepreneurs, with the support of donors like Zions Bank. The U’s programs awarded $536,000 in cash to student projects in 2014-15.
Taylor Randall, dean of the David Eccles School of Business, explained the significance of the new ranking.
“Entrepreneurship is one of our core strengths at the Eccles School,” Randall said. “Our founder, David Eccles, was one of the first entrepreneurs in Utah, and we are living up to his legacy. We have an amazing entrepreneurship program, and we are highly entrepreneurial in how we approach business education. We experiment with new ideas, and when we find something that works, we run with it.”
All related programs at the U advocate hands-on learning. Every student who takes entrepreneurship classes or participates in extracurricular programs is encouraged to join a team, develop a product or service, and prepare a business plan.
Launching successful startup companies is important, but that’s not the only goal, said Troy D’Ambrosio, executive director of the Lassonde Institute, an interdisciplinary division of the Eccles School.
“We invite all students to take what they’re learning in class and apply it to something they’re passionate about,” D’Ambrosio said. “Some students are part of a team that starts a company, and they become very successful as entrepreneurs. Others gain great experience and build networks and, as a result, get better jobs.”
The Princeton Review ranks schools across the country based on a wide range of data including faculty, courses and activities outside the classroom. It reports the top 50 schools for entrepreneurship – 25 undergraduate and 25 graduate. It has reported these lists annually since 2006 in partnership with Entrepreneur Media Inc., publisher of Entrepreneur magazine.
Find the complete rankings online at princetonreview.com/entrepreneur or entrepreneur.com/topcolleges. Learn more about the David Eccles School of Business at Eccles.Utah.edu and the Lassonde Institute at lassonde.utah.edu.
Download images to use with this news at: bit.ly/URanking.
Highlights for Entrepreneurship Programs at the University of Utah (2014-15 academic year)
- 3,400 university students from all majors and backgrounds involved in entrepreneurship classes or extracurricular activities
- 1,017 students enrolled in entrepreneurship classes
- 100 percent of students enrolled in classes developed a business plan
- 32 entrepreneurship programs on campus
- $536,000 awarded in cash prizes through competitions at the U (many sponsored by Zions Bank)
- Students in the program won $821,145 in cash and $150,000 in in-kind prizes through competitions at the U and beyond
- Companies launched from the program in the last five years have raised more than $78 million in funding
- 424 mentors worked with students
Annual Princeton Review Rankings for the University of Utah
- 2015 (year released) – Ranked 17 graduate, 24 undergraduate
- 2014 – Ranked 23 graduate
- 2013 – Ranked 23 graduate
- 2012 – Ranked 15 graduate, 17 undergraduate
- 2011 – Ranked 16 undergraduate
About the David Eccles School of Business
Founded in 1917 and educating more than 4,500 students annually, the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah offers eight undergraduate majors, four MBAs, five other graduate programs, a Ph.D. program and executive education curricula. The Eccles School is also home to eight institutes and centers that deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. It is consistently one of the top schools in the nation for startup businesses based on university research. Experiential learning is central to the Eccles experience. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.
About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides engagement opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include graduate seminars, business plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Institute is also constructing Lassonde Studios, a new $45 million housing and creating facility for all students opening in fall 2016. Learn more at lassonde.utah.edu.
I am a Jr now here at woods cross high school and am wondering how this program works. Please write me back. I am certainly interested in this program.
Hello, Jose: We provide many programs for all students to get involved with entrepreneurship and innovation. Any student at the University of Utah is welcome to get involved, and we have some programs for high school students and university students across the state.
We have workshops, competitions, mentor programs and networking opportunities, for example, and we provide a variety of degrees in partnership with the David Eccles School of Business. We also have an amazing new facility coming this fall. The Lassonde Studios will be the new home for our programs, and 400 students will be able to live here.
To learn more, browse our about page, look at our program directory, visit the Lassonde Studios website and look at our event calendar for an upcoming info session.