Feb. 28, 2001

CONTACT:
Dr. Ben Oviatt, 404-651-3021
Director, Herman J. Russell International Center for Entrepreneurship

Success Magazine Ranks Entrepreneurship Program at Georgia State Among Best in Nation

ATLANTA - The entrepreneurship program in the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University has been named among the nation's best by SUCCESS magazine. The College's program ranked 37th out of 50 ranked programs and placed 19th among public universities. It is the only entrepreneurship program in Georgia to be recognized by Success. The list appears in the magazine's February/March issue, currently available on newsstands, and online at successmagazine.com.

The top 50 programs were ranked from more than 250 entrepreneurship programs nationwide on a number of criteria, including caliber of students, faculty, curriculum, outreach to the community, innovative programs, follow up of graduates and reputation among fellow schools. The questionnaire was developed over several years by the magazine's editors with the assistance of leading business school deans, and was tallied by the New York independent marketing and media firm Erdos & Morgan.

"The faculty of the Herrman J. Russell Sr. International Center for Entrepreneurship is pleased by this recognition and determined to move even higher in the rankings," said Dr. Ben Oviatt, director of the Center. "Since Mr. Russell's generous endowment of the center in 1999, faculty and students in the College have worked hard to make Georgia State University a highly valued educational resource for the community of entrepreneurs," he said.

The Herman J. Russell Sr. International Center for Entrepreneurship was named on behalf of Herman J. Russell in the fall of 1999 in honor of his entrepreneurial accomplishments. Russell founded the Atlanta-based H.J. Russell & Company construction firm and serves as its chairman. The company is one of the nation's largest minority-owned firms and one of Atlanta's largest real estate and construction companies. Russell has contributed $1 million in support of the College's entrepreneurship program.

"I am very pleased to be associated with the faculty and students in the entreprenership program in the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State," said Herman Russell. "This recognition by SUCCESS magazine is an indication of great things to come from the Center. I am confident that Dean Sidney Harris, Dr. Oviatt and his staff will continue to make very good use of the resources provided to them as they help educate and supply a new breed of entrepreneuers for Atlanta and the state."

The Center offers courses in entreprenership at the graduate and undergraduate levels, including business plan development, e-commerce, corporate entrepreneurship, family business, and one of the few international entrepreneurship courses offered anywhere. Students also may gain academic credit for an internship, and those pursuing an MBA can take a four-hour course concentration in entrepreneurship. In addition, several scholarships are offered as well as an opportunity to enter a business plan competition while in school. Entrepreneurship students also benefit from the resources available with the Georgia State University Society of Entrepreneurs, comprised of many successful Atlanta entrepreneurs, which meets monthly.