Duquesne University - Palumbo-Donahue School of Business

Duquesne is devoted to teaching and supporting ethical business practices, and all students are required to take an “Applied Business Ethics” course. The Institute for Ethics in Business promotes “business ethics, responsible financial management, and sustainability in the global marketplace,” and hosts the Distinguished Ethics Speaker Series. The “varied work backgrounds of [my fellow] students” and the presence of international students ensure everyone is exposed to global viewpoints.

Teamwork is a big part of academic life at Duquesne, where “small class sizes” allow students to work with each other on rewarding projects “that collaborate across all classes.” Professors are “enthusiastic” and “knowledgeable in their respective fields,” and bring “real-world application to the material.” They are “friendly” and “accessible,” and “show a genuine interest in the success of their students.” Students looking to enrich their academic experience or become more involved in the school can apply for a graduate assistantship. These competitive appointments employ students in one of three areas: assisting with faculty research; tutoring in accounting, economics, finance, or statistics; or working in administrative offices. Students are not eligible for these positions until they are accepted, and they must maintain a 3.5 GPA while holding them.

Duquesne’s “excellent reputation” means it is able to attract a wide range of companies to its events. Employers who recently visited campus include Allegheny Technologies, Alcoa, Bank of New York Mellon, Deloitte, PNC Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, T. Rowe Price, US Steel, Westinghouse.

Many students commute and work part- or full-time, which means classes are filled with people with “interesting and diverse” professional experience. “I appreciate the varied work backgrounds of my fellow students,” one student says. “It helps to provide insight to other industries and fields.”

Despite its large commuter population, the school still manages to provide a “close-knit community” and a “personal” educational experience. One commuter says that even students who live off campus feel like they live on campus because they’re “constantly in the buildings.” Students love Duquesne’s location in downtown Pittsburgh, which makes the school “convenient for working professionals” and puts students in “close proximity to downtown Pittsburgh’s business and professional climate.” The school is also “close to some of the most popular entertainment districts” of Pittsburgh “as well as within a five-mile radius of four other colleges,” so there are lots of opportunities for socializing and meeting people.