POTSDAM, NY (09/24/2012)(readMedia)-- Clarkson University's Entrepreneurship Program is one of the top 15 in the nation, according to The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine.

The two have named Clarkson to their 2013 list of "Top Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship Programs."

Based on surveys of business school administrators at nearly 2,000 schools, the annual lists salute only 50 programs -- 25 undergraduate and 25 graduate -- for their excellence in entrepreneurship education.

"The rankings recognize Clarkson's longstanding commitment to entrepreneurship education across campus," said Clarkson School of Business Dean Timothy F. Sugrue. "Our faculty, campus leaders and, most importantly, our students should be proud of this significant accomplishment."

The Princeton Review evaluated the programs based on a wide range of data it annually collects in its institutional surveys for this project. Among the criteria, schools are asked about the levels of their commitment to entrepreneurship inside and outside the classroom, the percentage of their faculty, students, and alumni actively and successfully involved in entrepreneurial endeavors, the number of their mentorship programs, and their funding for scholarships and grants for entrepreneurial studies and projects.

"Our emphasis on experiential entrepreneurship education has led to some exciting successes for our students," said Marc S. Compeau, director of Clarkson's Reh Center for Entrepreneurship. "The Reh Center's outreach to the entrepreneurs of our region has also had a positive impact on the community. This recognition as a nationally ranked program is certainly an honor and one that we hope continues, as we build more opportunities for students and entrepreneurs to collaborate."

A feature on these rankings appears in Entrepreneur's October issue, available on newsstands today, and at http://www.entrepreneur.com/topcolleges. The Princeton Review also today posted the ranking lists on its site at http://www.princetonreview.com/entrepreneur. There users can also access information about criteria for the rankings and topics asked in the 60-question survey for this project.

"We commend each of these schools not only for giving their students a first-rate classroom experience in business practices, but for their cross-disciplinary approaches to entrepreneurship education" said Robert Franek, the Princeton Review's senior vice president / publisher. "These programs stand out for the impressive ways they are supporting students with the vision and skills to create their own innovative businesses and to succeed at them."

"The right education enhances and reinforces curiosity and creative thinking in entrepreneurs," said Amy Cosper, vice president of Entrepreneur Media Inc., and editor-in-chief of 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."

Of the 1,003 universities in Payscale's 2011-2012 College Salary Report, Clarkson graduates have the 17th highest starting salary average at $57,900 and alumni are in the top five percent of mid-career salaries.

Clarkson seniors are hired by more than 170 different companies annually and 96% of graduates place in their field of study or career aspiration in their first year out.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.

Posted Monday September 24, 2012 at 08:53 am by Clarkson University
Last Updated Tuesday September 25, 2012 at 09:28 am