ISSUED: 23 September 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, — The International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) has reaffirmed the accreditation of Shepherd University’s Bachelor of Science in business administration and the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) programs.
IACBE, founded in 1997, is a professional accreditation agency for business and management education in colleges and universities whose primary mission is excellence in teaching and learning. The IACBE’s accreditation process emphasizes efforts to improve the overall effectiveness of the academic business unit.
Dr. Kathleen Reid, associate dean for the College of Business, oversaw the process.
“Dr. Reid was able to weave together the report that produced this positive result,” said Dr. Ben Martz, dean, College of Business. “Her leadership included gathering and organizing data for the required report, authoring the report, developing assessment guidelines, and meeting with the site visit team.”
Others who contributed include Chris Korcsmaros, IT database analyst, Dr. George Ray, assistant professor of business administration, and Dr. Michael Lynch, assistant professor of business administration.
The final report from the IACBE site visit team lauded the programs in three areas of recognition: the creation of a College of Business for a stronger presence with students, alumni, and community; experiential and active learning built into the programs; and the engagement with local business community.
“This is a great milestone for our college in year three after its formation,” Martz said. “It impacts faculty, students, and employers working with Shepherd’s College of Business. For faculty, it affirms the importance of good performance. For our students, knowing that they are working through an accredited program provides some assurance that final result of their work—a bachelor’s or master’s degree—has recognized value. Employers know and look for the skillsets associated with accredited programs as the starting point for recruiting students.”
The reaffirmation of accreditation by IACBE continues through December 2027.
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