News & Events

Lloyd Greif Center ranked #1 in The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine 2007 Ranking (October 23, 2007)

The USC Marshall School's Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies was highlighted in a story introducing the 2007 rankings of entrepreneurship programs by The Princeton Review, and Entrepreneur magazine. USC was ranked No. 1 among graduate programs in the field. The first thing that incoming students at USC's program learn is how to evaluate the feasibility of their ideas, said Thomas O'Malia of the Marshall School, who directs the Greif Center. It helps that many of the professors are veteran entrepreneurs themselves, the story stated. "We're dealing with a culture that blends the best of academic research with the people who have been out doing it," O'Malia said.

"It was the best decision I've ever made," said Marshall School alumna Karen Jashinsky of her decision to study entrepreneurship at the Greif Center. "USC has such a strong alumni network," she explained. "The Greif Center is like a close-knit family." USC Marshall alumnus Alton Johnson said that his entrepreneurial education at USC sharpened his business skills and taught him to better articulate his vision. "We learned a great structure for evaluating opportunity," he said. Johnson added that this education helped his company, Bossa Nova Beverage Group, reach $25 million in sales.

Greif Center honors Dr. Sidney Harman as Entrepreneur of the year 2007 (October 23, 2007)

Dr. Sidney Harman, founder of Harman/Kardon Inc., was honored as the 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. The ceremony was held at the USC Galen Center on October 23, 2007.

Dr. Harman is one of the handful of pioneers who began the high-fidelity industry with the founding of Harman/Kardon, Inc. in 1952. Harman/Kardon grew into Harman International Industries, a Fortune 500 company.

The Greif Center, in partnership with the Center for Technology Commercialization, offer an annual university-wide opportunity for students to realize their dreams and start their own company. Student participants bring the product, service, and technology ideas that they hope to turn into a successful new venture. In exchange, they get mentoring and coaching plus the possibility of $50,000 in seed capital.

The Center for Technology Commercialization Thought Leader Forum enables attendees to spend the day with some of the most creative thinkers from industry, academe, and government as they consider trends and issues in innovation and technology commercialization. The days speakers, roundtable discussions, and interactive sessions are designed to provoke discussion and debate around these critical issues and their impact on Southern California. This year's forum is titled "Space Billionaires: The Next Generation of Entrepreneurs." It will consider the enormous opportunities and exciting careers that are rapidly growing out of the emerging private space industry and the effect this will have on entrepreneurial education.