The March 27 Charleston Daily Mail piece below includes a mention of Generation Charleston and the role it could play in the University of Charleston's new business school.

UC Grad School Work Gets Down to Business

by George Hohmann
Daily Mail Business Editor

Charles Ryan was named dean of the school in November. He said that over the last several months the school has established a mission, brand and curriculum; drawn up a floor plan for its campus on the second floor of the former Boll Furniture building; is recruiting students for its inaugural class; and is recruiting faculty and staff.

The school's mission is "Preparing and Enabling Great Leaders" through entrepreneurial leadership, international commerce and communications. The brand is fast-track, problem-based learning that leads to a Master of Business Administration and Leadership degree and creates a deep pool of career opportunities.

Ryan said problem-based learning, which is rooted in medical education, aligns teaching with real-world problems and solutions. He said students will work in small cohort groups to seek information and propose solutions to business problems.

"We'll try to assign students real-time issues and projects," Ryan said. "Some business problems will be real. We want to offer problem-based learning that's almost as real as the actual world."
Ryan is recruiting local executives who want to be mentors and provide students with advice and guidance.

Enhancing the mentoring is the fact the school will be in the former Boll Furniture building. Triana Energy, headed by Henry Harmon, is remodeling the structure. He has donated the second floor to the school. Triana and related companies will have offices on other floors.

Ryan is optimistic there will be lots of interaction among students and Triana's executives. "The students will be rubbing elbows with serial entrepreneurs - people who are trying to create businesses and wealth in a very distinct financial center," he said.

Also, Ryan is working with Generation Charleston, the Charleston Alliance's young professionals group. "We want Generation Charleston participants in our school as often as possible, interacting with our students," he said.

One feature of the graduate program will be a six-week summer semester abroad. This component will take place between the second and third year of studies. Ryan said students will most likely go to Italy, Germany, Sweden or Japan.

Another feature will be a requirement that students serve on a nonprofit community organization's board of directors during the second and third year of studies. "This is important because it's a real-world situation," Ryan said. "Every business is involved in its community to give back, network and learn from others who also serve."

The third year of the program will feature several capstone activities, including production of a thesis.

Ryan said 30 students will be recruited annually for the next three years, with a goal of reaching a total enrollment of 90 in 2010.

The program is open to all sophomores at the University of Charleston at the end of their sophomore year and to sophomores from any other college or university who have at least one year of business education. There also will be a program for juniors, seniors and people who have just received an undergraduate degree and have at least three years of business education.

Students with little business background who enroll at the end of their sophomore year can graduate in three years; individuals with a business background who have just received an undergraduate degree can graduate in two years.

Annual tuition is $23,500 and there is a $1,000 annual technology fee. The tuition for the summer semester abroad is $3,800. Ryan said some grants and loans are available.
In addition to recruiting students, the school is advertising for two faculty members who have doctorates, entrepreneurial skills, and experience in problem-based learning and international commerce.

Ryan also expects to recruit several adjunct professors and expects to receive help from the university's business faculty. Robert Bliss, chairman of the Jones Division of Business, will have an office at the downtown campus and on the university's main campus.

In addition to the Master of Business Administration and Leadership program, the downtown campus will host the university's executive Master of Business Administration Program and a forensic accounting program, Ryan said.

The forensic accounting program is currently a certificate program. It will evolve into an Executive Master of Forensic Accounting program, he said.
For more information about the Graduate School of Business, visit the program's Web site at www.ucwv.edu/gsob.