Atkinson Graduate School of Management

Infobox_University

---

name = Atkinson Graduate School of Management
established = 1974
type = Private
dean = Debra J. Ringold
city = Salem
state = Oregon
country = USA
students = 230
faculty = 16
staff = 20
campus = Urban
website = [http://www.willamette.edu/agsm/ www.willamette.edu/agsm/]
endowment =

The George H. Atkinson Graduate School of Management (Atkinson) is the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) program at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. It is one of only two MBA programs in the world accredited for both Business Administration (AACSB International) and Public Administration (NASPAA). Atkinson was established by Willamette in 1974 and has an enrollment of approximately 230 students.

History

Atkinson Graduate School was founded at Willamette University in 1974.NorthWest Point of Capitalism. "The Oregonian", January 4 1988.] The school was first named as the Willamette University School of Administration before being renamed as the George H. Atkinson Graduate School of Management.Hamburg, Ken. Atkinson teaches success. "The Oregonian", January 17 1988.] The first year had 52 students and five professors, and the program is older than the management program at Yale University. Stephen Archer served as the school's first dean.

In 1988, the school was recognized by U.S. News & World Report and the fifth best business school in the Midwest and West region. It was the highest ranked of any school in the Pacific Northwest. Enrollment was 130 students with 10 full-time professors. At that time the program was led by Dean David L. Puryear with a tuition of just over $8,000 per year. From 1998 to 2002, Atkinson was led by Dean Bryan Johnston. [Balas, Monique. [http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/NEWS0107/703110319/1001&nav_category=&template=print Two vie for top post at OSU campus.] "The Bulletin". Retrieved December 12 2007.] Johnston had been interim president at Willamette and a member of the Oregon House of Representatives. [Willamette names Johnston dean of Atkinson grad school. "The Oregonian", June 2 1998.]

In 2006, the school began offering an MBA program in Portland, Oregon, in association with Babson College, [Willamette to offer MBA with Babson College. "Statesman Journal", March 10 2006.] with the MBA for Professional program later expanded to the Salem campus. In February 2007, the Jeld-Wen Foundation made a $2.5 million dollar donation to endow a free-enterprise professorship at the school, the largest donation ever for the graduate program. [Rose, Michael. Willamette: Jeld-Wen will donate $2.5 million. "Statesman Journal", February 1 2007.] Dean Jim Goodrich, who joined Atkinson in 2003, retired from the school in June 2007, [Loew, Tracy. Management school dean set to retire in June. "Statesman Journal", November 18 2006.] with Debra Ringold serving as interim dean. [Ticker. "Statesman Journal", September 4 2007.] Previously the JELD-WEN Professor in Free Enterprise, Ringold was named as the permanent dean in January 2008. [ [http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/potm/2008-01-21/ People on the Move.] "Portland Business Journal", January 21 2008.] In 2007, the Center for Business Education ranked the school 58th in their Beyond Grey Pinstripes rankings for emphasizing social and environmental awareness in the business world. [cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/11/05/focus1.html|title=Introducing green MBAs|last=Earnshaw|first=Aliza|date=November 2, 2007|work=Portland Business Journal|accessdate=2008-08-18]

Academics

Atkinson offers several different graduate programs. The school offers full-time, part-time, and evening enrollment. [http://www.princetonreview.com/mba/research/profiles/schoolsays.asp?category=1&listing=1011185&LTID=2&intbucketid= Willamette University.] The Princeton Review. Retrieved December 11 2007.] MBA programs include the MBA for Professionals, Accelerated, Early Career MBA and MBA for Career Change. In the Early Career and MBA for Career Change, students can choose areas of interests including accounting, finance, general management, human resources, information systems, marketing, organizational analysis, public management, international management, and quantitative analysis/management science. [http://www.princetonreview.com/mba/research/profiles/schoolSaysMore.asp?listing=1011185&category=5&LTID=2 What Atkinson Says About.] The Princeton Review. Retrieved December 11 2007.] Students in their first year in a program are required to enroll in an entrepreneurship course called PACE that includes strategies that are used to develop a business plan. [Entrepreneurship programs at Oregon universities. "The Oregonian", June 10 2007.] The graduate programs also require courses in business ethics, including the Oregon Ethics in Business Awards evaluation program. [Carter, Steven. Enron offers case for ethics courses. "The Oregonian", August 19 2002.] Located across the street from the Oregon State Capitol, unlike similar management schools, Atkinson has been able to maintain some of its focus on public management programs. [Stokes, Donald E. The Changing Environment of Education for Public Service. "Journal of Policy Analysis and Management", Vol. 15, No. 2. (Spring, 1996), p. 161.]

The school also offers a four-year joint MBA-JD degree in association with the Willamette University College of Law. [http://www.princetonreview.com/mba/research/profiles/academics.asp?listing=1011185&LTID=2&intbucketid= Academics.] The Princeton Review. Retrieved December 11 2007.] Willamette's MBA for Professionals program in Portland and Salem focuses management skill development, broad based strategic thinking and cross-functional knowledge.cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/05/28/focus1.html|title=MBA programs vie to distinguish their curriculum from run-of-the-mill|last=Meyers|first=Sean|date=May 25, 2007|work=Portland Business Journal|accessdate=2008-08-18] Classrooms are located in the Brewery Block II building in the Pearl District and on the Salem campus. [cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/03/10/story9.html|title=Ernst & Young ditches downtown for the Pearl|last=Smith|first=Rob|date=March 7, 2008|work=Portland Business Journal|accessdate=2008-08-18] The partnership with Babson consists of co-sponsorship of some class.

Atkinson offers two study abroad programs, Copenhagen Business School in Denmark and Bordeaux Business School in France. [http://www.princetonreview.com/mba/research/profiles/academics.asp?listing=1011185&LTID=2&intbucketid= Academics.] The Princeton Review. Retrieved December 11 2007.] In addition to student programs, AGSM also offers an Executive Development Center (EDC) designed to educate businesses and organizations as consultants to those groups. [ [http://www.willamette.edu/agsm/executive/ EDC: Executive Development Center.] Willamette University. Retrieved December 11 2007.] The school’s PACE program allows students to start real businesses that are then closed or sold at the end of the program. [ Goral, Tim. SPECIAL REPORT: Trends & Trendsetters. "University Business"; Mar2004, Vol. 7 Issue 3, p52-56, 5p, 2c.]

Rankings and accreditation

AGSM is accredited by the AACSB in business, [ [https://datadirect.aacsb.edu/public/profiles/profile.cfm?runReport=1&unitid=55060&userType=All Willamette University, Atkinson Graduate School of Management.] AACSB. Retrieved December 11 2007.] by NASPAA for government and not for profit administration, [ [http://www.naspaa.org/accreditation/document/OfficialAccProgr06-07asof1.07Final.pdf 2006-07 Roster of Accredited Programs.] NASPAA. Retrieved December 11 2007.] and the law school has been accredited by the American Bar Association since 1938. [ [http://www.abanet.org/legaled/approvedlawschools/year.html ABA-Approved Law Schools by Year.] American Bar Association. Retrieved December 11 2007.] It was the first school in the world to be accredited by both the NASPAA and AACSB. [Tom, Susan. Willamette names new business dean. "Statesman Journal", January 15 2003.] Atkinson was selected as one of the top 91 programs for preparing MBA's for social and environmental stewardship by "Beyond Grey Pinstripes" [ [http://www.beyondgreypinstripes.org/schools/index.cfm?cid=566 Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management.] Beyond Gray Pinstripes. Retrieved December 11 2007.] and ranked 28th for the specialty of "Public Affairs, Public Finance and Budgeting" by U.S. News & World Reports.

Facilities

The school is housed in the Seeley G. Mudd Building on the west end of the Willamette University campus in Salem. The building is named after Seeley G. Mudd, a physician, educator, and philanthropist who has many buildings across the country named in his honor. [ [http://www.princeton.edu/mudd/news/faq/topics/mudd.shtml Who was Seeley G. Mudd?] Princeton University: Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. Retrieved on December 12 2007.] The Mudd building was completed in 1975. This structure was designed by architect Phil Settecase. [De Carbonel, Dan. Two receive chamber awards. "Statesman Journal", February 2 2004.] In 2000, the school installed a wireless network in the building. [Marta, Suzanne. Change helps Willamette avoid rewiring classrooms. "Statesman Journal", November 7 2000.] Law classes are held in the neighboring Truman Wesley Collins Legal Center. Collins was built in 1967 and expanded in 1992.

tudents

Atkinson has an enrollment of 230 students in all programs. Students have an average entering GPA of 3.30 and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score of 610.Fact|date=September 2008 Select students are eligible for induction into Beta Gamma Sigma, the honor society for business students. [ [http://www.betagammasigma.org/chapterlist.htm Chapter List.] Beta Gamma Sigma. Retrieved December 11 2007.]

Notable alumni

*Jason Atkinson, Oregon politician
*Sandy Baruah, U.S. Commerce Department official

References

External links

* [http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2006/03/06/daily28.html Rivals team on new executive education program,] "Portland Business Journal"