Historical Context
Offering business classes at Shenandoah University dates back to 1889 when a Commercial Department was established. Since that early beginning, the Shenandoah University School of Business has come a long way. It currently offers both baccalaureate and graduate degrees in business to students pursuing study in Winchester as well as at the Northern Virginia Campus. Its value-added approach to education through intense student-faculty interaction is achieved through a foundation of:
- experiential and team-learning
- instructional technology
- principled leadership
- global education
- an academic mindset of entrepreneurship, internship, and study-abroad experiences
Mission
The mission of the Shenandoah University School of Business is to educate its students to become successful, principled leaders with a global perspective.
Vision
The Shenandoah University School of Business strives to be recognized as a provider of individualized business education driven by entrepreneurial thinking, global understanding and ethical practice.
Guiding Principles
The Shenandoah University School of Business carries out is mission through its commitment to the following guiding principles and values as shown in the following four areas.
Learning
- Commitment to providing students with a high quality learning experience
- Dedicated to the pursuit and promulgation of knowledge and understanding, including discovery, innovation, and application Continued expansion of personal knowledge and skills
Integrity
- Treat others with dignity and respect
- Recognize and support diversity within the school
- Act with professionalism, fairness, honesty, impartiality, and without discrimination
- Address student and constituency needs in a timely manner
- Take responsibility and be accountable for our actions
Contribution of others
- Recognize staff and other stakeholders have an important role to play in the success of the school
- Listen, consult, involve, and respond to others
- Collaborate and cooperate with each other, sharing expertise and good practice
- Are open and transparent
- Expect, through our action agenda, to be supported by the university and other colleagues
Continuous improvement
- Promote entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship
- Recognize good performance and celebrate success
- Are enthusiastic about what we do
- Review and develop existing ideas and practices in order to maintain high quality and to pursue excellence
- Actively committed to all values of the university
Strategic Direction & Goals
Guided by the above principles, a set of strategic goals have been established for the Shenandoah University School of Business. These strategic goals center around developing a well-functioning external ecosystem for the School of Business. This ecosystem will enable the Shenandoah University School of Business to pursue its mission and deliver transformational educational experiences by more effectively engaging students with the academic, professional and the broader community through a multitude of activities such as experiential learning, internships, mentoring, professional development, industry centered skill acquisition and certification, and job placement.
Goals for building a vibrant well-functioning external ecosystem
- Develop faculty support to engage the external ecosystem
- Integrate delivery and assessment of curriculum with external ecosystem
- Develop and strengthen relationship with employers
- Develop and strengthen relationship with alumni
- Build customized experience for high-performing students
- Provide meaningful global experiential learning opportunities for students