Research Leadership : Impact of Entrepeneurship Education

Entrepreneurship Education: Is the Impact as Impressive as the Demand?

Today, no matter where you turn, stories abound of the enormous social, economic and educational benefits of entrepreneurship. As a result, entrepreneurship education programs are proliferating in colleges and universities around the country. Whereas 15 years ago only a handful of schools offered courses in entrepreneurship, today more than 1,500 colleges and universities offer some form of entrepreneurship training. There are currently more than 100 active university based entrepreneurship centers in the U.S. and more than 270 endowed positions in entrepreneurship, an increase of 120 percent in just the last five years.

Despite the growing number of new and expanding educational programs in this area, many schools have been slow to respond to the increasing student and community interest. The growing number of students shunning traditional employment opportunities to become entrepreneurs has caught some business school faculty and administrators off guard. Many are still questioning whether entrepreneurship training enhances their student’s abilities to compete in today’s job market, and whether their entrepreneurship students make stronger and more successful business leaders.

Recently, Alberta Charney and Gary Libecap pondered these questions as well. By all appearances, the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Arizona was highly successful. But how has the Program affected the entrepreneurship students it had graduated over the years? Where were they now, what were they doing, and were they faring better than other business school graduates? Charney and Libecap further wondered how the entrepreneurship program had impacted University’s Eller College of Management. What kind of return had the business school received for its 16 years of investment in entrepreneurship education?

The report shares the findings from Charney and Libecap’s comparison of University of Arizona business school graduates who completed the McGuire Entrepreneurship Program to other University of Arizona business school graduates who were not involved in the McGuire Program. In short, the results of the investigation are stunning. Whether you are a college dean seeking justification for the allocation of limited resources… an alumnus considering a donation for university development opportunities… a professor redesigning your course curriculum… or a student considering various majors and their prospects for your professional career, you will find the results impressive.

 Findings Summary: The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education: An
      Evaluation of the Berger Entrepreneurship Program at The University
      of Arizona, 1985-1999
      13 K PDF, Opens in new window

 The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education: An Evaluation of the
      Berger Entrepreneurship Program at The University of Arizona,
      1985-1999
      2 MB PDF, Opens in new window
  

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