An education that extends well beyond the classroom

Lehigh’s College of Business and Economics has once again earned high marks from Bloomberg BusinessWeek,  ranking among the nation’s top 30 undergraduate business schools for the fifth straight year.

The college finished 27th in 2010 and 13th in academic quality in the survey by the nation’s leading weekly business magazine. It also received an “A+” from students in the teaching and job placement categories, and an “A” in facilities and services.

The high marks are a reflection of the college’s collaborative working environment, says Paul R. Brown, dean of the College of Business and Economics (CBE).

“We are focused on making this as distinct a learning experience as you’ll find anywhere,” says Brown. “Make no mistake about it, the world of business has changed substantially—and the college has evolved along with it. We firmly believe our students are strongly positioned to succeed in whatever path they choose.”

The depth of experience outside of the classroom is another hallmark of the CBE’s programs. Lehigh finished 10th in the “experience wanted” category, which scores the number of students with internship experiences. Lehigh students also spend a lot of hours on class work, finishing 14th overall in the “hitting the books” category.

Among the nation’s hundreds of business schools, 111 met the eligibility requirements for this year’s survey, making the 2010 pool the largest since the survey was launched in 2006. Lehigh’s part-time MBA program has also earned accolades from Bloomberg BusinessWeek, finishing as the fifth-best program in the Mid-Atlantic region last year.
Bloomberg BusinessWeek was known as BusinessWeek until 2009, when it was purchased by Bloomberg L.P.

The CBE, which is celebrating 100 years of business education, gives students an education that extends well beyond the classroom, says Katrina Zalatan, associate dean and director of the college’s undergraduate programs office.

“Our students are both well-rounded and grounded in a variety of disciplines, and are able to work collaboratively with colleagues from different professional backgrounds. The marketplace demands this,” says Zalatan.

Donna Goldfeder, director of Lehigh’s career services office, says the CBE’s curriculums give Lehigh students an edge heading into their first job. She points to a survey of 2009 CBE graduates, which shows that 92 percent found career-related opportunities of their choice.

Starting salaries for CBE students are high. The National Association of Colleges and Employers recently reported that Lehigh business school graduates earned an average of $53,027—nearly 10 percent more than the national average. A BusinessWeek report from 2009 reported similar findings.

Despite a challenging economic environment, the CBE has been aggressive in strengthening its program, says Brown, who announced the biggest faculty recruiting campaign in the college’s history when he became dean three years ago. The college has added almost 20 professors at all levels in the last few years—including naming three Joseph R. Perella and Amy M. Perella chair holders.

The CBE has also sought opportunities to form partnerships with its 15,000 alumni. The resurgent Wall Street Council and the ongoing popularity of the college’s award-winning Accounting Professionalism Conference are two of the many alumni support activities that help students network with professionals in their fields.