Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management has been named one of the most outstanding business schools in the country by the Princeton Review. A detailed profile of the school appears in the 2017 edition of the education services company’s annual book, “The Best 294 Business Schools,” as well as on its companion website.
“The inclusion of the Willamette University MBA in Princeton Review’s Best Business Schools list is a testament to the hard work of the entire Willamette University MBA community – 
students, alumni, faculty, staff, administrators, employers and friends – of which we are very proud,” said Dean and JELD-WEN Professor of Free Enterprise Debra Ringold. “During the last academic year, the Willamette University MBA has been ranked in the U.S. top tier by Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, CEO Magazine and Poets and Quants. We are delighted to be included, as well, in the top tier by Princeton Review.”
The Princeton Review administered 80-question surveys to 25,000 students at these 294 business schools. The students were asked to share their opinions about their institutions’ academics, student body and campus life, as well as information about themselves and their career plans.
According to Willamette MBA’s profile in the book, students lauded the school’s excellent entrepreneurship courses; its emphasis on sustainable development; as well as the real-world experience of its faculty. Students also praised the administration, with one first-year student quoted as saying that “every single person makes you feel at home and is always available to help you with any situation you encounter.”
The book’s profile of Willamette MBA spotlighted the school’s one-of-a-kind Angel Investor course, in which students are coupled with financiers and given access to $1 million in funding for their business ideas. The attractive job prospects for graduates were also noted, with the administration’s “amazing networking opportunities” credited as a contributing factor, along with high praise for the Career Services office and its comprehensive mentorship program.
“One of the unique aspects of our entrepreneurship program is the direct contact between real world entrepreneurs, early stage investors and the students,” said Associate Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice and Executive Director of the Willamette University Angel Investment Fund Wade T. Brooks. “Our students do one-on-one interviews with current CEOs, internships inside of startups, start their own ventures, and work alongside hundreds of seasoned angel investors across multiple states, making direct investments in early stage companies.”
The Princeton Review does not rank these 294 schools hierarchically or name one business school best overall. “The Best 294 Business Schools” is one of more than 150 Princeton Review books published by Penguin Random House.
About the Program: Willamette University’s full-time Early Career and Career Change MBA program continues to thrive as the top-ranked MBA program in Oregon. By focusing on students who are early in their professional lives or looking to shift career direction, our MBA maximizes the return on investment for alumni by providing the experience, skills and confidence that help them shape their career. Our full-time MBA is one of only two in the nation with a rare dual accreditation from AASCB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration).