The Ball State University Entrepreneur Center is ranked toe-to-toe with 24 other top entrepreneurship programs in the nation, according to Fortune's Small Business magazine.
Larry Cox, director of Midwest Entrepreneurial Education Center, said that it was great to be recognized nationally.
"It's great when you're recognized by outside organizations for something that you're doing and enjoy doing," Cox said. "It's nice to be recognized for doing a unique and special job."
The magazine released an article explaining why universities were chosen for the top 25 entrepreneurship programs in the nation.
The article included universities such as Indiana, DePaul and Stanford universities.
Program Coordinator Maggie Ailes said the major reason why Ball State stands out is because of its Senior Sweat course.
In order to graduate, students must present a business plan to judges who determine if the idea is good.
"The premise is what do students have to put on the line; how do you make them sweat," Ailes said. "The only way to make them sweat is to put their graduation on the line."
Instead of professors judging students, business professionals decide whether students pass the course or not, Ailes said.
"Whatever the evaluation panel says goes," she said. "If they fail, they are able to came back and take the course as long as they don't graduate with a different degree."
The Entrepreneurship Center averages 75 percent pass and 25 percent fail ratio, she said.
Larry Cox said most people focus on the Senior Sweat course.
"We do a lot of other things and the way we integrate our course together set us apart," Cox said. "People focus on [Senior Sweat]. It captures their imagination."
Cox said the Entrepreneurship Center continues to work toward getting Ball State's name out in public.
"We're always developing new programs, and we want to make our major a better major," he said, "and we're always thinking of programs that will get us national recognition."
Ailes said one example of a nationaly-recognized program is a national business plan competition.
"[Students] are put in limos and are given a lap around the track and they have 500 seconds to pitch their idea with a panel of judges," she said.
The top three of the 12 contestants will move to a formal presentation and then the winner receives $10,000, a traveling trophy, a quart of milk and a fast lap around the track.
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