Shenandoah University Earns AACSB International Accreditation
Shenandoah University earned AACSB International initial accreditation of its business programs on April 12, 2007. AACSB International accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools, worldwide.
AACSB International accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools, worldwide, a hallmark of excellence in management education. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
Shenandoah University earned initial accreditation of its business programs on April 12, 2007, from AACSB International –The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Eight other institutions from across the globe also received initial accreditation.
“AACSB accreditation is one of the major achievements of the university over the past two decades,”said President James A. Davis. “This will enhance student recruitment, elevate the status of graduates and put the business school in elite company in higher education throughout the United States. Dr. Randy Boxx did an outstanding job completing the work started by Dean Emeritus Stan Harrison to move the faculty and university constituencies to the level of excellence required for AACSB International accreditation. It’s a banner day for Shenandoah University and the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business.”
According to Dr. W. Randy Boxx, dean of Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, AACSB International accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in management and business education. It represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.
"Achieving accreditation from AACSB International signifies to all stakeholders of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business that the school offers high-quality business programs, and that processes are in place to ensure continuous improvement in the future,”said Dr. Boxx. “As a mission-driven enterprise adhering to a carefully formulated strategic plan, students and alumni can be proud of earning a degree from an institution that has taken its place among other world-wide leaders in business education."
"Achieving accreditation from AACSB International signifies to all stakeholders of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business that the school offers high-quality business programs, and that processes are in place to ensure continuous improvement in the future,”said Dr. Boxx. “As a mission-driven enterprise adhering to a carefully formulated strategic plan, students and alumni can be proud of earning a degree from an institution that has taken its place among other world-wide leaders in business education."
According to Boxx, who has himself served on 20 domestic and international accreditation team visits for AACSB International, less than 10 percent of business schools worldwide hold AACSB International accreditation status, which translates to approximately 549 schools, of which 456 are located in the United States.
“Receiving AACSB accreditation is a badge of honor not only for the business school, but for the entire university,”said Tracy Fitzsimmons, former senior vice president and vice president of academic affairs (now president of Shenandoah University). “The efforts of Dean Randy Boxx, Dean Emeritus Stan Harrison and the business school faculty earned Shenandoah University this honor. AACSB accreditation places Shenandoah among an influential group of institutions, and it will have a positive impact on attracting high-quality students, faculty and supporters.”
Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest-serving and largest global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in business and accounting. For more information about AACSB International, go to www.aacsb.edu.
The mission of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business is to educate its students to become successful, principled leaders with a global perspective. The school is currently located in Mary M. Henkel Hall on the main campus of Shenandoah University, but construction is underway for a new business school facility, Halpin-Harrison Hall, on the corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Millwood Avenue in Winchester. Halpin-Harrison Hall honors the Halpin and Harrison families of Northern Virginia, Winchester and Jackson Hole, Wyo., who have supported the university for many years. For more information about the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, go to www.su.edu