Rady School Celebrates Top 15 Accomplishments in 15 Years

It has been 15 years since the Rady School of Management opened its doors to welcome a premier group of students and inspire the next generation of business leaders. Graduates have gone on to lead top companies, and have even launched companies that are leading in their respective industries. Despite less than two decades of operation, the school has reached many remarkable milestones, including earning spots on top ranking lists, launching more than 150 operating student and alumni led startups and graduating students who are now leading global organizations.

Since its founding in 2003, the Rady School MBA program has expanded its curriculum to include additional graduate programs designed to meet the needs of the business world. The Master of Finance, Master of Science in Business Analytics and Master of Professional Accountancy programs joined the stellar MBA programs offered at the Rady School to ensure a holistic and comprehensive approach to tackling important issues in all facets of the vast network of global industries.

Through the generous support of the business community, the school has grown exponentially in its 15 years, expanding the ranks of its world-renowned faculty, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovative thinking and significantly contributing to our economy. Here’s a look at the top 15 accomplishments the Rady School has achieved in its first 15 years.

1. Over 150 operational startup companies have been started by Rady School alumni and students. These startups have revolutionized industries, led to breakthrough medical devices, drastically enhanced the lives of the visually impaired, improved personal wellness monitoring and have forever transformed our world for the better. Many of the startups are a product of the Rady School’s unique Lab to Market core sequence and accelerators.
2. The Rady School community is driving local, national and global economic impact. Rady School start-ups have raised over $1.1 billion in the last 15 years.
3. Founded with the intention to provide quality business education to leaders in innovative industries, the Rady School has launched distinguished graduate programs to serve the needs of the business community, including the school’s flagship Full-Time MBA and FlexMBA programs, which are already recognized among the best.
4. In addition to the MBA programs, three specialty graduate programs have been launched: a Master of Finance, a Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Master of Professional Accountancy.
5. The school also has three robust undergraduate programs, a business minor, an accounting minor, and a entrepreneurship and innovation minor, all of which are among the most popular minors on the UC San Diego campus.
6. Rady School faculty are recognized as leaders for the quality of their research. Over the past 15 years, the school’s faculty have been ranked #1 in the U.S. for intellectual capital by Bloomberg Businessweek, 14^th globally for faculty research by the Financial Times and 12^th globally in student rating of teaching quality by The Economist.
7. Since its inception, the school has received strong support from the business community. The school’s many supporters have been generous with their time and with gifts to support the mission of the school. Notable gifts include: a $100 million gift from Ernest and Evelyn Rady to fund strategic priorities and recruit faculty; a $4 million legacy gift and endowed chair from Nobel Laureate and Rady School Professor Harry Markowitz and his wife Barbara, a $30 million naming gift from Ernest and Evelyn Rady, a $7 million gift from Pauline and Stanley Foster for fellowships and an endowed chair, and a $5 million gift from Carol and William Stensrud for program development and faculty recruitment.
8. The Rady School has established five Centers of Excellence: the California Institute for Innovation and Development (CIID), the Beyster Institute, the Center for Business Analytics, the Center for Social Innovation and Impact, the Institute for Supply Excellence and Innovation, and the  U.S. Israel Center on Innovation and Economic Sustainability. Each of the school’s centers focuses on a different topic of importance and provides additional learning opportunities and experience for students.
9. Launched in 2013, the StartR Accelerator at the Rady School is a non-profit program for Rady School students and alumni designed to provide entrepreneurs the tools needed to start and grow their businesses. The StartR program includes workshops, mentoring, advice and access to other resources for early-stage companies. At the conclusion of the program, teams present their pitches at Demo Day, attended by investors, industry experts and the San Diego community. To date, 61 companies have participated in StartR, raising over $41 million in capital.
10. The Rady School’s mystartupXX program is a one-of-its-kind accelerator that was created to increase and encourage diversity in entrepreneurship. Program participants take workshops on launching startups, team building, leadership, market assessment, consumer feedback, creating a value proposition, validating business models, and understanding financing strategies needed to launch the business. Each team works with a mentor and advisors who monitor and encourage their progress.
11. The Rady Venture Fund, a student-assisted venture capital investment fund, was established to support the Rady School’s educational objectives in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation and transfer of discoveries into the marketplace. Students screen investment leads, perform due diligence, make investment recommendations, and monitor portfolio companies. To date, the fund has invested in five early stage companies.
12. The Rady School’s Center for Executive Development (CED) offers courses and certificates that provide valuable learning experiences to meet the needs of executives and managers in the rapidly changing world of business. Popular CED courses include: leadership, team building, and interpersonal skills. Executive Development faculty are industry experts, renowned researchers, engaging teachers and authors.
13. The Rady School’s D. program began in 2009, attracting top doctoral candidates from around the world. Rady School Ph.D. students have gone on to teach at top schools across the U.S. and the globe.
14. Two state-of-the-art buildings have been constructed to house the Rady School and provide a modern and technology-forward learning space. Otterson Hall opened in 2007 and Wells Fargo Hall Opened in 2012. Wells Fargo Hall has been LEED Gold certified for its sustainable practices.
15. The Rady School earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) in 2011. AACSB International is the premier business education accrediting body, with less than five percent of business schools worldwide achieving accreditation.