Mission Statement
The BGS mission is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business, foster personal and professional excellence, advance the values of the Society, and serve its lifelong members. The Society’s name is composed of three letters of the Greek alphabet which signify honour (Bebaeos), wisdom (Gnosis), and earnestness (Spoude).
Chapter Pforzheim
In January 2014, Pforzheim Business School opened its Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter. As the Business School has been AACSB accredited since 2012, the opening of the BGS Chapter was the next consequential step. The possibility to nominate and induct its best students to become Beta Gamma Sigma members is a very valuable chance the Business School can now use to become even more attractive for collegiate high-potentials.
Induction Ceremony 2022
On June 21st, 2022, the 9th induction ceremony of lifelong BGS members of Pforzheim BGS Chapter took place. After two ceremonies which were celebrated online due to COVID 19, it was the first onsite induction ceremeny. This time, 92 new bachelor and 25 new master students received their membership certificate.
Induction Ceremony 2021
On June 15th, 2021, the 8th induction ceremony of lifelong BGS members of Pforzheim BGS Chapter took place. Due to COVID 19, it was the second induction ceremony we celebrated online. This time, 88 new bachelor and 31 new master students received their membership certificate.
Induction Ceremony 2014
Since the AACSB accreditation in summer 2011, the Business School pursued the installation of a Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter; the initial steps to realize this were taken at the beginning of 2014. Prof. Dr. Dirk Wentzel, who holds the Jean Monnet Chair in European Economic Integration, was nominated Chapter Advisor. The inauguration ceremony was sponsored by honorary senator Siegfried Weiser, CEO of La Biosthétique, who has been a principal supporter of the internationalization strategy during the last years. Furthermore, the Business School reached an agreement with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: all new student members will receive a one-year subscription of the daily newspaper for free. On May 6th, 2014, the installation of the Beta Gamma Sigma Pforzheim Chapter was celebrated. The best 161 bachelor and 18 best master students received their lifelong membership. The acceptance rate of over 90% among those students invited for membership was considered a wonderful start for the new Chapter. This quota will be awarded by Beta Gamma Sigma. The professors of the Faculty Board, comprising Dean Prof. Dr. Ulrich Jautz, Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Thomas Cleff, Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Elke Theobald, Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Katja Rade and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Prof. Dr. Matthias Kropp, received their membership, as well as Chapter Advisor Prof. Dr. Dirk Wentzel, Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Hanno Weber and 12 other professors.
Chapter Officers & Members
Prof. Dr. Thomas Cleff
Dean Pforzheim Business School
President BGS Chapter Pforzheim
Tel. +49 7231-28 6101
thomas.cleff(at)hs-pforzheim(dot)de
Prof. Dr. Dirk Wentzel
Jean-Monnet Chair Pforzheim Business School
Advisor BGS Chapter Pforzheim
Tel. +49 7231-28-6293
dirk.wentzel(at)hs-pforzheim(dot)de
Bianca Höger-Klittich
Issue and Communication Management
Pforzheim Business School
Admin BGS Chapter Pforzheim
+49 7231-28 6366
bgs@hs-pforzheim.de
Prof. Dr. Urban Bacher, Professor of General Business Administration
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Bremser, Professor of International Business
Prof. Dr. Thomas Cleff, Dean Pforzheim Business School, Professor of Quantitative Methods
Prof. Dr. Claudius Eisenberg, Professor of Business Law
Prof. Dr. Stefan Haugrund, Professor of General Business Administration
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Jautz, Rector of Pforzheim University, Professor of Business Law
Prof. Dr. Matthias Kropp, Professor of General Business Administration
Prof. Dr. Manfred Manthey, Professor of General Business Administration
Prof. Dr. Frank Morelli, Professor of Information Management
Prof. Dr. Hans-Manfred Niedetzky, Professor of General Business Administration
Prof. Michael Paetsch, Professor of Marketing
Prof. Dr. Waldemar Pförtsch, Professor of International Business
Prof. Dr. Katja Rade, Professor of Economics
Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Rau, Professor of Information Management
Prof. Dr. Kai Saldsieder, Professor of General and International Business Administration
Prof. Dr. Marcus Scholz, Professor of Genral Business Administration and Corporate Finance
Prof. Dr. Joachim Schuler, Professor of Information Management
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Schweizer, Professor of Business Law
Prof. Dr. Elke Theobald, Professor of Computer-Assisted Media
Prof. Dr. Stephan Thesmann, Professor of Business Information Systems
Prof. Dr. Nadine Walter, Professor of International Marketing
Prof. Dr. Hanno Weber, Prorector of Pforzheim University, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Prof. Dr. Dirk Wentzel, Professor of Economics
More Information
About
Founded in 1913, Beta Gamma Sigma is the international business honor society for AACSB-accredited schools, which are the top 5% of business school programs around the world. Inducted as students, BGS members go on to serve in critical leadership roles in corporate, entrepreneurial, government, non-profit, and academic sectors. Members currently reside in all 50 U. S. states and more than 190 countries.
Mission
The Mission of the International Honor Society Beta Gamma Sigma is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business, to cultivate and celebrate leadership and professional excellence, to advance the values of the Society, and to serve its lifelong members.
Objectives
- Encourage and honor academic achievement by students of business and management through chapters in business programs accredited by AACSB International
- Develop Beta Gamma Sigma members as student and professional leaders, and celebrate continuing leadership and excellence
- Foster in Beta Gamma Sigma members an enduring commitment to the founding principles and values of the Society: honor and integrity, the pursuit of wisdom, earnestness, and service
- Connect Beta Gamma Sigma student and alumni members to each other and to opportunities in their professional lives
Criteria
The membership is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in an undergraduate, masters or doctoral program at a school accredited by AACSB International – and this by invitation only. Invited members are nominated for membership once a year based on criteria that are set according to the BGS rules. Membership certificates are awarded at an induction ceremony.
Bachelor Student Membership
Candidates for bachelor degrees whose academic rank is in the upper 10 percent of their class may be inducted.
Students in the next to last year of study (equivalent in course work: 2/3 of credits) ranked among the upper 10 percent of their class may be inducted in the last term or semester of that year.
Students in their final year who were not previously inducted may be inducted at any time during their final year if their academic rank is in the upper 10 percent of their class.
Graduate Student Membership
Candidates for master degrees whose academic rank is in the upper 20 percent of their master class may be inducted following completion of at least 50 percent of their degree program.
Once it is determined that the student has met all academic qualifications he or she will receive an invitation with instructions on how to become a member. Students who are invited to join must pay a Beta Gamma Sigma initiation fee (75$), which when processed and verified, will grant them all the privileges of membership.
Benefits
- Lifetime membership is the key benefit of Beta Gamma Sigma. Members will forever be connected to the CEO's, CFO's and presidents of some of the world's most important organizations. Beta Gamma Sigma members now number more than 900,000.
- Worldwide, there are more than 30 alumni chapters and over 10 alumni networking groups to help you connect with fellow BGS members. The Alumni Network provides members with unique professional development opportunities, networking events, and a variety of ways to give back to the community and local business school students.
- BGS Members are lifelong learners: The Best in Business know that learning doesn't end with the first degree. Beta Gamma Sigma members have access to unique educational resources.
- Professional Benefits: Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma provides valuable benefits for members on campus and throughout their professional lives.
Contact
Please visit the Beta Gamma Sigma website or go directly to the BGS FAQs to learn more about the society.
Should you have any questions or wish to recieve additional Information regarding your BGS Membership, please contact our Chapter Advisor Professor Dr. Dirk Wentzel.
