NC State Ranks No. 11 Nationwide for Undergraduate Entrepreneurship

NC State has been ranked by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine as a “Top Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies for 2019,” coming in at No. 11 on the list and ranking as the top school in the state of North Carolina.

“We’re proud of NC State’s recognition in the area of entrepreneurship education,” said Dr. Tom Miller, senior vice provost for academic outreach and entrepreneurship. “Entrepreneurship has always been at the core of NC State’s DNA. We’re committed to continuing to advance that culture of entrepreneurship.”

This is NC State’s second year on the list, jumping up from No. 19 in 2018.

2019 Highlights:

• 42 courses dedicated to entrepreneurship education
• 3,433 enrolled in undergraduate offerings
• 104 companies started by undergraduate alumni over the past five years
• $364,744,000 in funding raised
• 5,000 students served through on-campus events
• $160,000 awarded to undergraduate students in entrepreneurship competitions

An Entrepreneurial Mindset

Building an entrepreneurial mindset begins in the classroom. Students across the university can build their entrepreneurial skillset through one of 42 entrepreneurship-related courses, through the Poole College of Management’s undergraduate degree in business administration, through the interdisciplinary Undergraduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship or through one of three minors offered with an entrepreneurship concentration.

Along the way, students are joined by world-class faculty including the McPherson Family Distinguished Professor of Engineering Entrepreneurship, the Jenkins Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship and the 2015 Risley Entrepreneur of the Year.

“Being ranked 11th in the country for our undergraduate entrepreneurship program reflects the tremendous creative energy and collaboration of students, faculty and staff across campus,” said Lewis Sheats, assistant vice provost for entrepreneurship, executive director of the NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic and associate professor of practice in the NC State Poole College of Management. “It is an example of NC State think and do, supporting an entrepreneurial mindset that enables students to bring ideas to market.”

Entrepreneurship, Everywhere

Students at NC State benefit from startups spaces designed to give big ideas room to grow. From living with like-minded entrepreneurs in the Albright Entrepreneurs Village to co-working and developing entrepreneurial prototypes in the Entrepreneurship Garage, students have access to the resources and network required to build their entrepreneurial skills. 

“The co-curricular offerings provided through NC State Entrepreneurship complement the entrepreneurship education happening in the classroom,” said Megan Greer, assistant vice provost and managing director of NC State Entrepreneurship.  “Our startup spaces, business plan competitions and campus-wide events all contribute to an ecosystem that fosters the next generation of thinkers and doers.”

Extending beyond campus, students benefit from Raleigh’s strong startup support and recognition as a hotspot for enterprise, innovation and investment. Programs like the  NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic embed students into Raleigh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with great results — serving over 600 students who have worked with over 300 company partners.

[spotlight-box label=”” img=”19376″ heading=”Mentor Support a Key Take-Away for Students” cta=”Read More” url=”https://poole.ncsu.edu/news/2018/08/28/mentor-support-a-key-take-away-for-2018-andrews-launch-accelerator-participants/”]Meet the 2018 cohort of Andrews Launch Accelerator and Miller Fellowship participants.[/spotlight-box]

Ongoing Support

Support for undergraduate students doesn’t end at graduation. Programs such as the Andrews Launch Accelerator and the Miller Fellowship provide mentorship and financial support for students and recent grads pursuing their startup full-time.

Graduates can connect with other alumni entrepreneurs; attend dedicated events; collaborate with companies with NC State roots through the Wolfpack Investor Network; or take advantage of the many services offered to startup companies and other partners.

Get Involved

The entrepreneurial spirit is contagious at NC State. Whether you’re a prospective student visiting campus for the first time, a current student with an innovative concept or an alumnus, let us help you find the programs, places and people to bring your ideas to life.

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About Princeton Review’s Methodology

The Princeton Review tallied its 2019 lists based on surveys it conducted from July through August 2018 of administrators at more than 300 schools offering entrepreneurship studies. The 60-question survey covered the school’s commitment to entrepreneurship studies inside and outside the classroom. Topics included: the percentage of faculty, students, and alumni actively and successfully involved in entrepreneurial endeavors, the number and reach of mentorship programs, scholarships and grants for entrepreneurial studies, and the level of support for school-sponsored business plan competitions. In all, more than 40 data points were analyzed in the ranking list tallies.

Information about The Princeton Review’s survey methodology and criteria for the rankings, plus its detailed profiles of the schools are also accessible at www.princetonreview.com/best-business-schools.

Contact: Macy Thomas, methoma2@ncsu.edu or 919.515.9479

This post was originally published in Entrepreneurship News.