UB School of Management cited among America’s top three emerging entrepreneurship programs

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo School of Management was selected as a finalist for the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE)’s Model Emerging Entrepreneurship Program Award, adding to UB’s growing reputation as a national leader in entrepreneurial education.

UB was recognized alongside St. Louis University and Austin State University for its leadership in providing students with bold and innovative programs that provide evidence-based, creative, high-quality, sustainable and impactful courses and programs in entrepreneurship.

Since the launch of the School of Management’s entrepreneurship concentration and campus-wide minor in 2021, entrepreneurship enrollment has surged to include more than 500 students annually representing 60 majors across UB.

In addition to USASBE, the program has earned national recognition from entities including VentureWell, the Deshpande Symposium, Princeton Review and Entrepreneur.com.

The School of Management’s academic offering exists alongside significant additional investments at UB from campus partners Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships (BEP) and Startup and Innovation Collaboratory (CoLab) powered by Blackstone LaunchPad.

In the past year, BEP has partnered with more than 100 startups through its investment, mentoring, tax incentives and internship programs to create 80 new internship opportunities for students and add hundreds of jobs in the local economy. CoLab, meanwhile, opened a new space in the Student Union and engaged almost a third of UB’s student body in its entrepreneurial program offerings.

Demonstrating UB’s national thought leadership in entrepreneurial education, Tom Murdock, clinical assistant professor of entrepreneurship in the UB School of Management, attended USASBE’s Forging the Future annual meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, on January 13, and delivered a presentation on teaching customer discovery concepts to entrepreneurship students.

“It’s clear that word has spread about what’s happening in Buffalo,” says Murdock. “Colleagues from across the country know that UB and Buffalo are growing hubs for building entrepreneurial skills and starting new companies.”

“Our aim is to equip students with the skills, knowledge and mindsets needed to thrive in today’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape,” says Bob Neubert, director of entrepreneurship academic programs in the School of Management. “This recognition by our peer universities validates the impact of our programs in shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs who will contribute to economic development both locally and internationally.”

Founded in 1981, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship is an inclusive community of educators, researchers, and entrepreneurs advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship and practice. Membership is open to all, as is attendance at USASBE’s hallmark annual conference. USASBE also publishes a peer-reviewed academic journal, Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, and develops a variety of helpful resources and professional development opportunities for entrepreneurship educators as they create a positive impact.

The Model Emerging Program Award honors colleges and universities with comprehensive, high-quality educational programs that successfully train future entrepreneurs.