Our Entrepreneurship Program Climbs the Rankings to 28th
Purdue University’s Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation moved up 11 slots in the Princeton Review’s and Entrepreneurship Magazine’s 2023 rankings of undergraduate entrepreneurship programs. Purdue ranks 28th nationally and #8 in the Midwest.
“Cross-campus entrepreneurship is one of Purdue’s strengths, and we are proud to be recognized for our ability to scale entrepreneurship education across academic disciplines,” said Nathalie Duval-Couetil, founding director of the certificate program and associate director of the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship. “At Purdue, students in all majors have the chance to expand their learning experiences, career opportunities, and professional networks through entrepreneurship.”
Purdue’s Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program has grown into one of the largest multidisciplinary entrepreneurship education programs in the country, serving approximately 2,000 students from over 170 majors across the university’s West Lafayette campus. The program offers 50 entrepreneurship courses each year focused on entrepreneurship fundamentals, venture development, social entrepreneurship, small business consulting, diversity in entrepreneurship, and career preparation.
“Purdue’s program is an excellent example of successful cross-campus collaboration to leverage the hands-on and interdisciplinary nature of entrepreneurship.” said Jenna Rickus, Purdue’s vice provost for teaching and learning. “Innovation is a core value at Purdue and through this program, we are enabling students at every corner of our campus to focus their entrepreneurial drive, collaborate with others who share their innovative spirit, and learn how to move ideas to impact, whether they choose careers in startups or established organizations.”
Similar to a minor, the program is designed to complement undergraduate students’ majors. The program collaborates with each of Purdue’s ten colleges for curricular and experiential offerings which offer numerous pathways for certificate completion. In 2020, the program received the Model Entrepreneurship Program Award from the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and it has received top awards from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers and the Deshpande Foundation.
The program engages many experts, entrepreneurs, and alumni as instructors, mentors and guest speakers.
“By design, our reach within and outside the university is wide,” said Jeanette Greener, assistant director of the program. “This enables us to integrate what happens in the entrepreneurial ecosystem into the classroom, which inspires and motivates students.”
The Princeton Review rankings are based on an annual application conducted of roughly 400 schools with entrepreneurship offerings. The rankings consider more than 40 data points about the school programs, faculty, students and alumni.
Purdue’s Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation is administered through the Office of the Provost and located in the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship.
Purdue’s commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship is well-recognized. In 2022, it was ranked #7 Most Innovative University in the country by U.S. News and World Report and has received top rankings for patents and startup creation through the Purdue Foundry and Purdue Research Foundation.
Link to original article: https://www.purdue.edu/provost/about/newsletter/nov2022/eleven-story.php