On Monday the Entrepreneurship Program at the Bauer School of Business was ranked third in the nation out of 25 undergraduate programs.
“Being ranked highly among our peers is certainly a source of pride,” said Dean of the C.T Bauer College of Business Latha Ramchand. “This recognition is exciting for us, but perhaps more exciting is the response we (receive) from our students. For us, what really matters is the quality of learning and who really matters are students.”
The program has been in the top three since 2007, and has held the top spot in 2008, 2010, and 2011. It has drawn students from across the nation to the business school.
“I came to UH (for) the entrepreneurship program,” said business freshman Nate McMullin.
Students involved in the program have the chance to visit with Warren Buffett, the primary shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, and work with many others experienced in launching their own business.
“Houston is a city that supports the spirit of entrepreneurship, and the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship offers our students an education with unmatched opportunities,” Ramchand said. “Houston is a city built be entrepreneurs.”
The Entrepreneurship program is constantly changing as it is influenced by the students who attend, Ramchand said.
“The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship offers a BBA in entrepreneurship. Bauer students who major in entrepreneurship bring a personal business idea to the program and through their coursework, adjust and refine that idea,” Ramchand said.
The final step for students within the WCE program is to present a business plan to a group of entrepreneurs during the last semester. Students also compete in Wolffest, a competition where students must manage competing food stands, giving them a chance to apply all of the skills they have learned in the classroom.
“The college holds events like CougarPitch — an elevator pitch competition open to all UH students and a 3-day Startup — where student teams start a technology company over the course of three days,” Ramchand said. “We firmly believe that giving students access to these entrepreneurial activities helps us graduate alumni who are not only prepared to find a job, but also to create jobs through their own businesses, helping to stimulate the economy.”
What criteria made UH drop from 1st to 3rd over the last couple of years?