Dateline: Bowling Green – BGSU’s Schmidthorst College of Business continues to grow
By Terry Troy
Home to some of the most innovative and comprehensive business education programs in the United States, Bowling Green State University’s Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business is growing. Not only are its graduates successful, but word is getting out.
Consistently ranked among top business programs by Poets&Quants, U.S. News and World Report, the Princeton Review and Bloomberg Businessweek, the AACSB-accredited Schmidthorst College of Business is also home to the Robert W. and Patricia A. Maurer Center, which features high-concept, high-tech learning facilities and amenities in a state-of-the-art building modeled after modern corporate offices. Its students learn in a professional environment, with many feeling right at home when they land a first job.
A hub for economic development, partnerships and entrepreneurship, the Maurer Center is one of the most modern and innovative learning environments for business education in the nation. It is also home to the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Insurance and Risk Management Institute and the Supply Chain Management Institute.
With those kinds of assets and facilities, it only makes sense that Schmidthorst continues to experience growth in enrollment and retention. This fall, the college welcomed 441 new, incoming undergraduate students, one of its largest cohorts in history. Additionally, the college achieved an 84% retention rate of continuing students, reflecting a resounding vote of confidence from students and their supporters.
“Selecting a college or university is a big decision and we are humbled by the trust students and their families have placed in BGSU to provide an education of value that meets workforce needs of today and tomorrow,” says Jennifer Percival, dean of the Schmidthorst College of Business.
This fall, more than 43% of students enrolled in the college are considered first-generation. The college also experienced a 20% growth in students from traditionally underrepresented groups and backgrounds.
“As dean, I am proud of our inclusive culture and the dedication our faculty, staff, students and alumni demonstrate each day,” Percival says. “Our connected learning community is just one of the many reasons BGSU is consistently ranked as a top university for student experience.”
New this academic year is the introduction of the pre-business pathway in partnership for deciding students. The innovative program offers students undecided on a major a structured route to explore and prepare for a business education.
More than 40 students elected to participate in the pathway program this fall, allowing the college to provide learners a strong educational foundation that prepares them for academic and professional growth.
“This year, we have partnered with the Radbill Center for College and Life Design to integrate the university’s innovative Life Design program into our first-year curriculum,” Percival says. “This enhancement to our flexible curriculum ensures students are empowered to take advantage of our personalized experience.”
Grounded in design thinking principles, Life Design at BGSU empowers students to maximize their academic experience, prioritize their well-being, make connections that build an invaluable network and jump-start their careers before graduation. BGSU is the only university in the country offering Life Design on such a broad scale for all undergraduate students.