UW-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics celebrates 110th anniversary
March 01, 2024
UW-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics celebrates 110th anniversary
WHITEWATER, WI: March 1, 2024- The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics, the state’s largest business school, is celebrating 110 years of offering business education and 25 years of offering online courses and degrees during the 2023-24 academic year.
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the college is among less than 2 percent of business schools in the world that hold dual accreditation in business and accounting.
“We are proud of our College of Business and Economics,” said UW-Whitewater chancellor Corey A. King. “For more than a century, business education has been a source of pride for our university. The college’s reputation for excellence is founded on exceptional student experiences, and it delivers relevant and rigorous curriculum that is conveyed through innovative and effective teaching.
The college places 99 percent of graduates in jobs or graduate school within six months of graduation. Nearly 90 percent of graduates are employed in Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.
“We help create a stronger economy for Wisconsin,” said Paul Ambrose, dean of the College of Business and Economics. “When students earn a degree in business from UW-Whitewater or UW-Whitewater Online, employers can be sure that they are looking at a quality candidate.”
Outside of its rigorous curriculum, UW-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics provides students with hands-on experience through championship-caliber student groups with the support of faculty advisors, including its chapters in the American Marketing Association, DECA, College Entrepreneurs Organization and Enactus, a group that creates sustainable business models for causes that positively impact lives around the world.
Emma Hager, a senior marketing major, has engaged in sales competitions through the college in addition to playing on the Warhawk women’s soccer team. After graduating this May, she will begin her professional career at Motorola Solutions in Chicago.
“My undergraduate career has prepared me for this,” Hager said. “The lectures are good, but I think the main thing is the hands-on experiences — the sales competitions we do. All those role-plays help you get more comfortable talking with others and really help you prepare for what the business world is actually like.”
Renee Kraft, who earned a BBA in accounting in 2012 and a Master of Professional Accountancy in 2013, also pointed to the hands-on experiences the university provides, including internships with companies around the region.
“UW-Whitewater has such a great internship program,” said Kraft, who works as a senior manager for planning and forecasting at Molson Coors. “They bring in all the different employers on site for interviews and have a match process. I can’t imagine every school does that… they made it so seamless and got us so prepared for it.”
Steve Flunker, a 1993 BBA graduate, recently joined the Dean’s Advisory Board. He currently resides in Barrington, Illinois, and works as vice president of transportation for Cornerstone Brands.
Flunker previously held positions at Kohl’s, Nike, JCPenney, Abercrombie & Fitch, and other national brands. He was originally drawn to UW-Whitewater after attending a band camp on campus as an eighth grader.
“I’m trying to explain to these business leaders in the Midwest that you’ve got this great gem that’s turning out great students,” Flunker said. “I’m hoping we can continue to ingrain that connection between these top companies and our university.”
The university launched UW-Whitewater Online in 1998. Its programs include 16 undergraduate majors, 15 master’s degrees and 34 certificates. Subjects include business, communication, math and science, liberal studies, political science and special education.
The college ranked No. 1 in the state in the 2024 U.S. News and World Report review of online programs. UW-Whitewater is home to Wisconsin’s top-ranked single school in the following categories:
- Best Online MBA
- Best Online Business Graduate Program
- Best Online Business Undergraduate Program
- Best Online MBA Program for Veterans
- Best Online Business Graduate Program for Veterans
“Business programs offered in the online format are taught by the same faculty and have the same learning outcomes as on-campus programs,” Ambrose said. “We are proud to say that our online degree has the same quality, the same impact, and, in fact, the same diploma as our on-campus programs.”