Charlotte Business Doctorate Program Wins Prestigious National Diversity Award
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Belk College of Business has garnered national acclaim, securing the 2024 Inspiring Programs in Business Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, a leading voice in diversity and inclusion within higher education. This accolade highlights the university’s Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) program for its exceptional efforts in supporting students from underrepresented groups.
Insight Into Diversity, renowned for being the largest and oldest publication focusing on diversity in higher education, will showcase the UNC Charlotte program alongside 27 other distinguished recipients in its April 2024 issue. This recognition places UNC Charlotte among the elite, as it is one of just two institutions in North Carolina honored this year.
“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,” shared Dolly King, Interim Dean of Belk College. She emphasized that this award underscores the university’s dedication to fostering a supportive and enriching environment for all students.
The DBA program at Charlotte has made significant strides in inclusivity, ranking as a national leader in awarding degrees to students from underrepresented groups. According to the Diverse 100 rankings by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, based on data from the U.S. Department of Education, the program is second in the nation for degrees conferred to underrepresented students and fourth for degrees to African Americans.
Reginald Silver, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Executive Education at Belk College, attributes this success to the program’s proactive recruitment strategies and its commitment to diversity. “We recruit from historically Black universities, professional societies, major corporations, and historically African American fraternities and sororities, among other sources,” Silver explained, highlighting the broad approach to attracting a diverse student body.
The DBA program’s structure fosters a tight-knit community among its cohorts, enhancing the educational experience through a wealth of perspectives and backgrounds. This sense of community and mutual respect among students amplifies the program’s impact, making it a beacon of diversity and inclusion in higher education.
Charlotte’s commitment to diversity has been recognized repeatedly by Insight Into Diversity, with the university receiving the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award for the past two years. Additionally, the J. Murrey Atkins Library was honored earlier this year with the 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity Award.
Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Diversity, praised the awarded programs for their role in shaping the future of business education. “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,” Pearlstein said, affirming the magazine’s commitment to celebrating institutions that serve as pillars of inspiration and inclusivity.
This award not only recognizes UNC Charlotte’s DBA program for its academic excellence but also for its pivotal role in fostering a diverse and inclusive business community for the future.