LRU’s Asheville campus adds new business programs

Press release from Lenoir-Rhyne:

 Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville entered its fifth year of operations in January of 2017. There are currently nearly 230 students enrolled in graduate level studies at the Center which is now offering new business programs scheduled to begin this fall.

The new programs include a Master of Business Administration in either Social Entrepreneurship or Non-Profit Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration undergraduate degree, specifically geared toward adult learners seeking a bachelor’s degree.

“The BSBA program is an expansions of the program we offer on the Hickory campus, and will be delivered online from both campuses,” said Dr. Larry Hall, University Provost. “Core courses will be offered either fully online or face-to-face from one of the two campus sites. The cohort will include both Hickory and Asheville students together.” According to Hall, the BSBA in Asheville caters to adults by offering courses that are far more accessible to people who are going back to school while working full-time. “Students can take part in classes online, view a video of the class if they cannot attend, or attend a class on either the Asheville or Hickory campus.”LRU is expanding upon its current MBA program by offering business programs in Social Entrepreneurship and in Non-Profit Management. According to Dr. Amy Wood, Assistant Provost and Dean of Graduate and Adult Education at LRU, Asheville is an ideal location to offer these programs, as it has become a hub for business innovation and growth, as well as a thriving community for entrepreneurs.

The Non-Profit Management program will integrate and enhance the core of the traditional MBA by expanding the curriculum to focus on several issues central to nonprofit management and operations. These areas will be focused upon both in the MBA core and in the elective courses, furnishing students greater attention to these areas of specialization. “Asheville has one of the highest, if not the highest, per-capita rates for nonprofit organizations in the state,” Wood said. “This quickly came onto our radar when we opened the Asheville Center, because several nonprofit leaders approached us about the need for expanded education in their economic sector.” According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are more than 1.5 million non-profit organizations registered in the United States, with Asheville having among the greatest per-capita numbers in the nation. The innovative MBA in Non-Profit Management program is designed to advance students academically and professionally who are in or wish to enter this employment sector.

According to Dr. Michael Dempsey, Dean and Director of the Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville, the area is also a hotbed for social entrepreneurial activity. “The idea of the ‘triple bottom line’ is prevalent in Asheville,” said Dempsey in reference to the societal, environmental, and financial values that are espoused in social entrepreneurship. “Our intent through offering this degree is to develop professionals who possess the acumen and business skills to launch thriving nonprofit and for-profit enterprises that generate positive returns for society.”

Concentrations in Business Administration are also offered through LRU’s MBA program including Accounting; Business Analytics and Information Technology; Entrepreneurship; Global Business; Healthcare Administration; Innovation and Change Management; and Leadership Development. While all MBA students study the same or similar core curriculum in Business, these concentrations offer options for greater specialization within the program.

To learn more visit lr.edu/Asheville.