Miami's Entrepreneurship program remains among top in nation

Student engagement in real-world activities, innovation in social entrepreneurship, and a high level of entrepreneurship among the faculty provide Miami’s Entrepreneurship program a continued presence in the ranking of undergraduate entrepreneurship programs. The university’s Institute for Entrepreneurship was listed 15th in the nation in the annual survey conducted by Entrepreneur magazine and The Princeton Review. The list included 25 undergraduate and 25 graduate programs. In 2008, Miami’s program, housed in the Farmer School of Business, was ranked 16th.

"Not only does this select group of schools offer superlative preparation that successfully combines theory with practical application, but the majority of schools have also developed interesting components that are focused on social entrepreneurship and sustainability," said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's senior vice president of publishing.

Franek noted that a good example of this type of initiative is EDUN LIVE on Campus, a student-run business at Miami that helps drive trade with sub-Saharan Africa. Developed and run by Miami students, the initiative was created as a way for students to learn about sustainable development in a real world context by promoting and selling t-shirts provided by the socially conscious clothing brand EDUN LIVE.

“Real enthusiasm among our entrepreneurship faculty, a continuing quest for great ideas, and a commitment to helping undergraduates develop an entrepreneurial mindset draw students from all across campus to our courses,” said Roger L. Jenkins, Dean of the Farmer School. “It is exciting to see these young men and women use entrepreneurial thinking and behavior to pursue their passions.”

With strong support from alumni and the Institute’s Board of Directors, the Institute has expanded the curriculum and extracurricular activities including FEMTOR, a mentoring program for female students and the Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community for freshman who are aspiring entrepreneurs. According to Institute director Jay Kayne, “The interaction between our students and the many alumni who contribute their time and talent to the program has become a centerpiece of the program, helping students build a personal network and identify future mentors.”

“The best validation of our program is the increase in the number of students who continue to develop a business concept which they worked on as a class project,” said Kayne.

The most recent example is Libre, a business concept developed by four female students in Miami’s New Venture Creation class last fall. Libre provides stylish clothing with access points to accommodate dialysis and chemotherapy patients.

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