University of Evansville

UE School of Business Administration Receives First Place Award

The University of Evansville was recently honored at the Mid-Continent East Business Administration Association meeting with winning first place in the 2005 Innovation in Leadership of Business Education competition.

The award recognizes the pursuit of excellence in business education by using creative and unique strategies or programs which advance the quality of education and the management of resources. The $1,000 prize SOBA received has been donated to the Kresge Challenge Fund, which, when the goal is achieved, will affect students by impacting science education at UE.

SOBA’s Experiential Learning Program was selected first for the award by a panel of peer school judges based upon its quality, impact and transferability.

The University’s Experiential Learning Program consists of two main goals, moving SOBA toward its vision of becoming a national model of student engagement, learning and community involvement. They include transforming SOBA to exhibit an increase in experiential learning and enhancing the international competitiveness of Indiana businesses through education, research and service support by establishing the Institute for Global Enterprise in Indiana.

Both goals are well on their way, the Schroeder Family Dean of SOBA Robert Clark says. “By the time a student graduates from the School of Business Administration through this Experiential Learning Program, he/she will have learned from executives of a major corporation in their American Corporation course, started an entrepreneurial business, completed an internship and added value to an actual business,” he said.

Clark explained that the University established a four-year emphasis on core elements to create an environment where every student gets hands-on training in addition to the fundamental coursework. Now in its third year, the experiential requirements include a first-year course named “The American Corporation,” a second year two-semester course, “Experience in Entrepreneurship” and a third year required internship. The final year features a consulting practicum as the Capstone Experience. “In the senior year, every student will participate in a capstone experience working with the business community. The students will have the opportunity to use the skills they have acquired to consult with businesses or to assist the businesses created by students in the sophomore entrepreneurship experience,” Clark said.

Clark also noted that this experience is a model of sorts and would be easily transferable to other business schools. “All business schools have courses that could be transformed to include more experiential learning opportunities,” he said. “We believe our program will enhance the business skills of our students and make them uniquely qualified to enter a competitive labor force.”