Graduates of EKUBusiness, the undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration at Eastern Kentucky University, have joined the ranks of those from some of the nation's top business schools.

EKUBusiness, located in the College of Business and Technology, has received accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International for its undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business administration.

AACSB International accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide and is the hallmark of excellence in business education. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review. Founding members of the agency include many Ivy League schools, including Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard and Yale, and such top-ranked schools as The University of California at Berkeley, the University of Chicago and Northwestern also hold AACSB accreditation. Only 17 percent of the nation's business schools hold the certificate.

EKU senior Mary Hall, who will graduate May 10 with a bachelor's degree in Marketing, said she was thrilled with the news and planned to note the accreditation on her resume. "I had no doubt about the high quality of education I've received, but this accreditation will help others recognize that quality too. It makes my degree and those of all my fellow students that much more valuable."

The official announcement of EKU's accreditation was made in New Orleans at the AACSB annual meeting on April 24. College Dean Robert Rogow, Associate Dean Janna Vice and MBA Director Richard Robinson represented EKUBusiness at the meeting and received the official accreditation certificate.

To achieve accreditation, EKUBusiness satisfied a wide range of quality standards related to strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students in the educational process, and achievement of learning goals in degree programs.

"EKUBusiness is proud to become an accredited member of AACSB International," said Rogow. "EKU and EKUBusiness have affirmed their commitment to educational quality in business education through the achievement of accreditation. The faculty, staff and students associated with EKUBusiness are to be commended for their efforts in achieving this important milestone in the growth and development of the business programs at Eastern."

EKU President Joanne K. Glasser agreed. "This accreditation has been a long-time goal for the College and University and reflects the hard work and vision of Dean Bob Rogow and all the faculty and staff in the College. It sends a strong signal to the business community that our business programs meet the highest standards, and adds tremendous value to our students' degrees."

There are currently 2,000 undergraduate and 135 graduate students in the EKUBusiness program. The College of Business and Technology has a student-faculty ratio of 15-1.

For more information about EKUBusiness or the AACSB accreditation, contact Dean Bob Rogow at 859-622-1409.