UNC Charlotte has received the 2024 Inspiring Programs in Business Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine for the Doctorate in Business Administration in the Belk College of Business. The magazine is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. Charlotte is one of only two universities in North Carolina to receive this recognition this year.
This national award spotlights colleges and universities that encourage and equip students from underrepresented groups to enter the field of business through intentional initiatives. The magazine will feature Charlotte, along with 27 other recipients, in its April 2024 issue.
“This distinct honor is the latest recognition of our concerted efforts to support each student as they advance in their studies and their careers,” said Belk College Interim Dean Dolly King. “Our DBA is the only AACSB-accredited program of its kind in the Carolinas, centered on research methodology, students’ original research addressing contemporary issues and the close collaboration among expert faculty and students.”
Charlotte’s DBA program in late 2023 was among the best in the nation for awarding degrees to students from underrepresented groups. The program ranked No. 2 in the U.S. for degrees conferred to underrepresented students and No. 4 in the U.S. for degrees conferred to African Americans in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education’s Diverse 100, based on analysis of U.S. Department of Education reports.
Since its inception seven years ago, the DBA program has excelled in attracting students with varied experiences and backgrounds, said Reginald Silver, associate dean of graduate programs and executive education for the Belk College of Business.
“The volume of applications that we receive, including applications from students from underrepresented groups, is a testament to our focus on sustaining the most diverse program possible,” Silver said. “We are intentional about our use of social networking theory to attract top talent from all walks of life. We recruit from historically Black universities, professional societies, major corporations and historically African American fraternities and sororities among other sources.”
Student cohorts stay intact as they progress, leading to strong, sustained relationships. The program emphasizes that each person’s story is unique and adds value; students often comment that the diversity they find within the program multiplies its impact.
The Inspiring Programs in Business award is the latest recognition by Insight Into Diversity of efforts at Charlotte. For the past two years, the University has received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award or the HEED Award. Earlier this year, J. Murrey Atkins Library received the 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity Award.
“We want to honor the schools and organizations that have created programs that inspire and encourage young people who may currently be in or are interested in a future career in business,” said Lenore Pearlstein, the magazine owner and publisher. “We are proud to honor these programs as role models to other institutions of higher education and beyond.”
Read the entire article on the Belk College of Business website.
Photo: DBA graduate Denise Wynn, center, receives her hood from the Belk College’s Reginald Silver and Pinku Mukherjee, interim associate provost and dean of the Graduate School.