The Liautaud Loop: A Blog of the UIC Liautaud Graduate School of Business

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UIC Ranks Named One of Top 25 Graduate Entrepreneurship Programs in Nation

Chicago, IL (September 21, 2010) – From over 2,000 schools surveyed by The Princeton Review for Entrepreneur magazine, UIC was recognized as having one of the top 50 entrepreneurship programs in the country. UIC ranked as one of the top 25 in the graduate category of the survey for the fourth year in a row.

The eighth annual ranking reveals the nation’s top 25 undergraduate and top 25 graduate programs for entrepreneurship. UIC’s ranking can be seen at www.entrepreneur.com/topcolleges.  

“The College of Business Administration at UIC has a special emphasis on entrepreneurship, and it is an important part of our mission to serve the young people of the Chicago region,” says Rod Shrader, Denton Thorne Chair in Entrepreneurship at UIC. “Even in a down economy, they remain optimistic, and part of it has to do with the spirit of entrepreneurship, which is what we teach.”

UIC was evaluated based on key criteria in the areas of teaching entrepreneurship business fundamentals in the classroom, staffing departments with successful entrepreneurs, excellence in mentorship, providing experiential or entrepreneurial opportunities outside of the classroom, as well as non-traditional, distinguishable aspects of their programs.

“Behind the top ranked schools is not only a great formal classroom experience, but a cross-disciplinary approach to teaching entrepreneurship that embraces and encourages a student’s vision to build a successful business,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s senior vice president of publishing and nationally recognized expert on college admissions.

“The right education enhances and reinforces curiosity and creative thinking in entrepreneurs,” commented Amy Cosper, vice president and editor in chief at Entrepreneur. “This ranking provides a unique look at top schools that offer the type of training, encouragement and direction that nurtures entrepreneurial skills. It’s an excellent resource for those interested in academics as a pathway to their goals, and it can help tremendously in the discovery process to finding the right program.”

The results of the survey, along with the analysis, appear in the October issue of Entrepreneur, which hits newsstands today, September 21^st.

The College of Business Administration is a research-based institution located in the heart of Chicago that cultivates a spirit of entrepreneurship through real-world experience. The college is home to more than 2,000 undergraduates and more than 600 in the Liautaud Graduate School of Business. The college is also home to prominent centers for learning that contribute to the education of students and success of the global business community.

The UIC Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies' mission is to champion the entrepreneurial mindset and skill set among students, faculty and the community at large. IES expands awareness and knowledge of new venture opportunities, offers methods for creating and growing enterprises and celebrates the important role entrepreneurship plays in the growth of the global economy.

About The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review (Nasdaq: REVU) has been a pioneer and leader in helping students achieve their higher education goals for more than 28 years through college and graduate school test preparation and private tutoring. With more than 165 print and digital publications and a free website, www.PrincetonReview.com, the Company provides students and their parents with the resources to research, apply to, prepare for, and learn how to pay for higher education. The Princeton Review partners with schools and guidance counselors throughout the U.S. to assist in college readiness, test preparation and career planning services, helping more students pursue postsecondary education. The Company also owns and operates Penn Foster Education Group, a global leader in online education.  Penn Foster provides career-focused degree and vocational programs in the fields of allied health, business, technology, education, and select trades through the Penn Foster High School and Penn Foster Career School (www.pennfoster.edu), which are headquartered in Scranton, PA.

About Entrepreneur Media Inc.

Entrepreneur Media Inc. is the premier content provider for and about entrepreneurs. Our products engage and inspire every day with the advice, solutions and resources that fuel the bold and independent way entrepreneurs think.

UIC Liautaud MBA Student Laura Klibanow is Finding Sweet Success in Entrepreneurhip

One of our very own MBA students, Laura Klibanow, was featured in a UIC News article recently - talking about her new entrepreneurial venture, a baked goods company called Libby & Laura. Congrats to Laura on her start-up!

Mandelbrot — Yiddish for almond bread — is a Jewish delicacy baked and sold by Libby & Laura Boutique Bakery. Think biscotti, only softer. It comes in three delicious flavors (Chocolate Almond Pecan, Chocolate Chip, and White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio). Now that you're hungry... buy some L&L products at www.libbyandlaura.com!

Read the full UIC News article here.

Don't forget to "like" Libby & Laura on Facebook!  Also follow L&L on Twitter (@LibbyandLaura).

Great Story About UIC's Very Own Edward Schrank

Edward Schrank has spent the last 14 years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, and placed second as the 2010 Marine of the Year. He has completed both his Bachelors and his MBA degrees from UIC in 2007 and 2009. He has twice defended himself from brain cancer, and to date has received more radiation than any other cancer patient ever has. He currently runs two non-profit cancer organizations dedicated to helping families and friends access cancer support resources as well as leading several veteran support projects in the Chicago area. In 2009 his non-profit organizations won the national award for service to the cancer support community.

Edward is now one of two national finalists to win his own Sears Hometown Store after four months of competing against hundreds of other applicants. Edward plans to use the store to fund his expanding lineup of nonprofit projects for 2011 and into the future. Please support him by voting for Edward Schrank at the link below, or by following the instructions on the attached sheet.

Go to this link and click "causes" to vote

Dean Pagano Presents at Financial Innovation Lab

Michael A. Pagano, interim dean of the CBA, recently participated in a Financial Innovation Lab at Milken Institute titled, “Opportunities for Restructuring in State and Municipal Finance.” Pagano participated in the segment, Scope of the Problem, and presented “The City Fiscal Backdrop.”

Dean Pagano said that 2010 will mark the first time since the Great Depression that all three general city tax sources – income, sales, and property taxes – will decline across the board. Read more about the event here.

Results from the Lab will be published in a full report. For more information, contact Caitlin MacLean, manager of Financial Innovations Labs, at cmaclean@milkeninstitute.org.

Fall 2010 CHRM Roundtable: Labor Relations in the 21st Century

September 30 –October 1 - The Fall 2010 CHRM Roundtable, Labor Relations in the 21st Century takes place at the Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro. Guest speakers include the chair of the National Labor Relations Board, Wilma Liebman; President of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka; Professor Thomas Kochan, MIT; and the President of the Human Resource Policy Association, Jeff McGuiness.  For more information and to register, visit:  http://www.ler.illinois.edu/chrm/roundtables.html

Professor Rosenthal Discusses the New Financial Reform Bill

Dale Rosenthal, Associate Professor of Finance, discussed the new financial reform bill on First Business News.

Finance Professor featured on First Business News

Bob Chirinko, Professor of Finance, discussed the possibility of a national sales tax on First Business News.

Message to Students from Interim Dean Pagano

Dear Students,

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Michael Pagano, and I have been appointed interim dean of the College of Business Administration.

I would like to thank Stefanie Lenway for her commitment to and passion for excellence during her tenure. She has left the college in a stable financial condition, which is remarkable in this challenging fiscal environment. We are fortunate to be in such a position so that we can concentrate our efforts on strengthening the college’s educational mission, its research and impact. I wish her all the best in her new position at Michigan State.

Provost Tanner appointed me the role of interim dean because of my knowledge of the university and its fiscal and organizational practices, which I have learned through my three years as dean of the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. Over the next few months, we will work together to manage and assess the college’s fiscal and organizational future. We face a unique opportunity to explore new directions, and I welcome your input as we look to strengthen and update the curriculum to make certain that you continue to receive a high-quality education at the CBA.

While working to keep our courses fresh and relevant, we also look forward to fall 2011 when the new Douglas Hall is projected to open its doors. This fully revamped building will provide a permanent home for the CBA with state-of-the-art classrooms and learning environments. Throughout my tenure, I will help to guide this important project to fruition.

I am eager to lead the college through this year of transition as we search for a permanent dean. With your help and input, we can keep the college moving on a forward trajectory and ensure that it remains one of the nation’s finest business schools. I look forward to working with all of you in the coming months.

Best,

Michael A. Pagano

 

For more information click here: Dean Pagano Curriculum Vitae.

Bloomberg's Businessweek to award $50,000 to the Best Student Proposal for "Improving Graduate Management Education"

Think you can make Business School better? Share your ideas on improving graduate management education with Bloomberg Businessweek!

Allen Brandt, director of the MET Fund, says he wants to include ideas from people who aren’t normally involved in discussions about management education. “We decided not to go the traditional route of putting out a call for grants. It’s too easy to get the same type of things,” he says. One source of ideas that isn’t traditionally tapped is the community of b-school students themselves.

GMAC’s Management Education for Tomorrow (MET) Fund is accepting ideas  from July 21 to October 8.

Click here for more information.