Gannon University’s Dahlkemper School of Business has received reaccreditation status
by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. The school has received accreditation status for
the maximum period of ten years, beginning June 2020.
This achievement continues a tradition of excellence for the Dahlkemper School of Business. In 2000, it became the
first business school in northwestern Pennsylvania to have undergraduate and graduate business programs that are
both nationally accredited. In 2010, the school successfully reaffirmed its ACBSP accreditation status.
ACBSP ignites a standard of excellence with an accreditation process based on the Baldrige Education Criteria for
Performance Excellence. By evaluating aspects of leadership, strategic planning, relationships with stakeholders,
quality of academic programs, faculty credentials and educational support, ACBSP assesses whether or not business
programs offer a rigorous educational experience and commitment to continuous quality improvement.
Karinna Vernaza, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Business, spoke to the significance of the
accreditation.
“The Dahlkemper School of Business has been committed to offering exceptional and innovative education for over
70 years. The successful implementation of the ACBSP benchmarks demonstrates a level of quality that gives
external validation to our programs,” Vernaza said.
Amy Doolan, DBA, associate dean of the Dahlkemper School of Business, also expressed her sentiments on the
news.
“We are thrilled that ACBSP has affirmed the quality of the business programs at Gannon,” Doolan said. “The highly
respected reaffirmation is a testament to the outstanding work of our faculty, providing quality educational
experiences to our students while simultaneously showing a commitment to the accreditation process and continuous
quality improvement to our business programs.”