Baylor Entrepreneurship Program Ranked Third in the Nation

September 16, 2014
Entrepreneurship

Students in the Entrepreneurship Living and Learning Center. (Baylor Photography)

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WACO, Texas (Sept. 16, 2014) – Baylor University’s entrepreneurship program is again ranked among the top undergraduate programs in the nation, in rankings published today by Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review.

Entrepreneur published the list – "Top 25 Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship Programs for 2015" – online, and it is scheduled to be published in the magazine’s October edition.

“The Baylor entrepreneurship program has long been recognized as one of the best in the world, and it is always a pleasure to see rankings that acknowledge this excellence,” said Kendall Artz, Ph.D., The Curtis Hankamer Chair of Entrepreneurship and director of the entrepreneurship program. “Rankings such as this are really just a reflection of the dedication, creativity and hard work of our entrepreneurship faculty and staff. We just have an amazing group of people.”

The Princeton Review rankings were based on information gathered from surveys sent to more than 2,000 institutions. Schools were asked about the levels of their commitment to entrepreneurship inside and outside the classroom, the percentage of their faculty, students and alumni actively and successfully involved in entrepreneurial endeavors, the number of their mentorship programs and their funding for scholarships and grants for entrepreneurial studies and projects.

The Baylor entrepreneurship program is one of the oldest and most respected in the nation and continues to break new ground.

In 2013, Baylor partnered with the Greater Waco Chamber to launch ThInc Space, a business incubator for creative start-ups that serves as the headquarters for the Accelerated Ventures Program. The Accelerated Ventures Program is an innovative two-semester course that enables students to create real companies, raise real funds, launch products and services and generate sales.

While enrolled in the program, students receive free office space from the Greater Waco Chamber. Upon completion of the program, they can continue to use the free space for one year while they expand their businesses. Students also have access to networking, mentoring and the support and professional expertise of the local business community.

Baylor also has an agreement with the Town of Addison, Texas, which provides free office space and ancillary support services for one year to graduates who complete the Accelerated Ventures program. Through its Economic Development Department, Addison provides business network support during the 12-month period to aid the development of the new business and to leverage the support of community economic development stakeholders.

ABOUT BAYLOR
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.