One of many affinity groups within AACSB International, the Entrepreneurship Affinity Group helps enhance the quality and reputation of business school entrepreneurship programs, centers, faculty, and students, while providing a forum to serve the programs’ specialized needs.

Membership in the Entrepreneurship Affinity Group is open to AACSB International institutions that offer one of the following: an identified major, minor, or concentration in entrepreneurship; a dedicated entrepreneurship center, a faculty endowed position in entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship courses within programs. 

"Recently, we have spent a lot of time trying to be more inclusive of entrepreneurship that is more broadly defined at AACSB schools," says Tim Mescon, dean of the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University and group co-chair, along with Patti Greene, dean of the Undergraduate School at Babson College.

"This includes everything from family business to franchising to small business. Through our group, many business schools that offer various entrepreneurship courses have an excellent opportunity to explore best practices that tie to financial development opportunities."

"We’re also trying to formally connect deans with entrepreneurship discipline associations and leadership, such as the entrepreneurship division of the Academy of Management and the Family Firm Institute. We’re specifically pulling in thought leadership to make our group as dynamic as possible."

The group has scheduled a seminar Oct. 1 during the first day of the AACSB Continuous Improvement Conference in Philadelphia. Members will gather from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a panel discussion "Integrating Entrepreneurship across the Curriculum." Taking part in the panel discussion will be Ted Schoen of Rowan University, Patti Greene of Babson College, Richard Klimoski of George Mason University, Jamie Kraft of the University of Florida, and Sherry Hoskinson of the University of Arizona.

"This will be our first panel discussion format and we have five diverse, but very interesting participants from business schools that are doing very interesting things in entrepreneurship."

Other activities of the Entrepreneurship Affinity Group:

• Establishing and maintaining a database of group members (listing is available to AACSB International members and used to establish and maintain an affinity group listserv)
• Identifying and assisting in the preparation of specialized data, information, reports and resources on issues to support the affinity group and the goals and objectives of AACSB International
• Sharing information on professional and career development opportunities for entrepreneurship academic and professional staff
• Establishing mechanisms, as appropriate, for mentoring of current and potential affinity group members
• Creating appropriate linkages between AACSB International and other related associations or groups that support entrepreneurship education