University at Buffalo School of Management

2 Buffalo Business Spring 2016 Student entrepreneurship gets a major boost UB is among five universities across New York State taking part in a campus entrepreneurship program, the Blackstone LaunchPad. A three-year, $4.5 million grant from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation established a partnership between UB and Cornell University, New York University, Syra- cuse University and University at Albany to introduce entrepreneurship as a viable career option and provide more than 180,000 students, regardless of major, with a network of venture coaches and an entrepreneurial sup- port system. "The Blackstone LaunchPad will support a passion- ate entrepreneurial spirit taking hold at our university and in our city," said President Satish K. Tripathi. "We have a thriving culture of student entrepreneurship at UB, and UB students from many different disciplines are starting their own promising ventures." Tom Ulbrich, executive director of the school's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, also will serve as executive director of UB's Blackstone LaunchPad, which will be located in the Student Union. The LaunchPad will connect the university cam- puses, the business community and local entrepreneurs throughout the state to create an environment that nurtures students and provides them with the skills and network necessary to succeed as entrepreneurs. x Startups B-school rankings—did you know? Of more than 16,000 business schools worldwide, only about 725 (less than 5 percent) are accredited by the prestigious AACSB International. Most B-school rankings start with AACSB-accred- ited schools, yet typically only about 20 percent of those schools make the final rankings. In September, Forbes magazine ranked the School of Management No. 45 based on the return on investment it provides MBA graduates. And in October, Bloomberg Businessweek ranked the school No. 60 in its listing of the nation's best MBA programs. These rankings place the school solidly in the top 10 percent of this elite group of AACSB-accredited schools. The School of Management also has been ranked by the Financial Times and U.S. News & World Report. x Accounting students take top honors It's been an exciting academic year so far for the School of Management's accounting students. In August, the school's chapter of Beta Alpha Psi— an international honor organization for financial infor- mation students and professionals—was once again laud- ed as one of the best in the world at the organization's annual meeting. The chapter received nine accolades, in- cluding the day's highest honor, the KPMG Gold Chal- lenge award. In addition, Kathleen Nesper, clinical assistant pro- fessor of accounting and law, was named Outstanding Faculty Advisor for her contributions to the professional growth and development of students. Among other honors, the chapter also accepted four awards for its successful Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, an annual initiative in which IRS- certified accounting students provide free tax preparation services to qualifying individuals and families. Back on campus, a team of five accounting ju- niors shared a $1,000 prize as winners of the 12th PwC Members of Beta Alpha Psi at the organization's annual meeting in Milwaukee. Ulbrich

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