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Simmons School of Management Named One of Top 20 Socially Responsible MBA Programs in the World

Only School in Massachusetts to Make Top 20 List

BOSTON (October 21, 2009) — The Simmons College School of Management in Boston has been ranked No. 15 in the "Global 100" list of business schools by the Aspen Institute in its 2009-2010 MBA ranking, "Beyond Grey Pinstripes." Simmons is the only school in Massachusetts to make the top 20 list.

A total of 149 business schools from 24 countries participated in the 2009-2010 Aspen Institute ranking. The biennial survey ranks business schools that have demonstrated significant leadership in preparing MBA students for the social, environmental and ethical complexities of modern-day business. The Aspen Institute is considered the premier resource on socially responsible business education in the world.

"A commitment to principled leadership is integral to the school's mission," said Simmons School of Management Dean Deborah Merrill-Sands. "Our students learn to hold themselves accountable as leaders to promote ethical decision-making in their organizations, to negotiate and balance the interests of multiple stakeholder groups, to build inclusive organizations, and to steward the environment from which they draw critical resources. These are the skills required to lead and build enduring organizations in the 21st century."

Below are some examples of how Simmons has incorporated social responsibility into its curriculum and day-to-day operations:

• "Leadership, Governance, and Accountability" is a required MBA capstone course that pulls together all the facets of the school's mission of principled leadership

• The 2009 opening of the first Gold LEED-certified building on the Simmons College campus, which houses the School of Management

• More than half of the faculty engaged in active scholarship and research with a focus on corporate social responsibility, ethics, and sustainability

• A nationally recognized entrepreneurship program (ranked as a top-25 program by Entrepreneur magazine and the Princeton Review) noted for its integration of social ventures and social entrepreneurship

• Students actively involved with Net Impact, a national organization for MBA students committed to integrating social responsibility into business strategy and practice

"I was drawn to Simmons because of the strength and relevance of the mission to educate women for powerful and principled leadership," said Erin Dopfel, current MBA student and a leader of Simmons's Net Impact chapter. "At Simmons, you learn that success is about more than simply turning a profit; it's about the impact of business decisions on all stakeholders, and on society and the environment more broadly."

To read the full list of the Aspen Institute's "Global 100" business schools, visit: www.BeyondGreyPinstripes.org.

The Simmons College School of Management is the first business school in the world designed specifically to educate women for power and principled leadership, and the only school of its kind accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Simmons College is a nationally recognized private university located in the heart of Boston.