The U.S. News & World Report ranks all liberal arts schools, national universities, and A-Plus schools for B Students in America. Each program’s ranking is determined by different sets of standards. The undergraduate business program rankings were solely based on peer assessment surveys. In order to show on the survey, the program first must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

“Our ranking is a reflection of thoughtful leadership, strategic investments and partnerships with our industry and academic partners, including our Information Systems Program Advisory Board, a cadre of senior executives who come to Le Moyne twice a year to review our program,” Distinguished Chair of Information Systems Dr. Martha Grabowski said. “They provide guidance for our curriculum and programs, and provide pathways and opportunities for our students and alumni.”

One of those established partnerships is with Syracuse University. The 4+1 FastTrack MSIS program allows IS students to take classes at SU that are not offered at Le Moyne, and SU students who want to earn their B.S. or M.S. in information systems can attend Le Moyne.

Dr. Grabowski also credits the achievement to the work accomplished by the McDevitt Information Systems Research Fellows in areas such as safety-critical systems, power plant installation, construction logistics architectures in remote settings, health information systems analytics, and risk visualization.

“Many industries are moving in the direction of heavier use in technology, so it’s helpful that our program can rank this high and it’s a huge factor when students are looking to get internships,” McDevitt Research Fellow Irfan Tihìc said.

Le Moyne has had students intern with companies such as Ernst & Young, JP Morgan, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and Lockheed Martin in their respected industries. “Dr. Grabowski has been instrumental in the success of this program,” said McDevitt Research Fellow Sadina Mehmedovic. “She helps steer you in the right direction letting you know of work opportunities and internships, but of course with a little tough love.”

To put Le Moyne’s award into perspective, the Massachusetts Institution of Technology’s information systems program is ranked number one in the country.

“When comparing Le Moyne to a school like MIT it’s pretty extraordinary we’re right there with them,” said Tichìc. “This institution has exceeded my expectations in that it has gained such prestige.”

Other programs in the Madden School of Business such as finance and analytics are looking to copy some of the successful strategies the IS program has done to further grow the business school as a whole.