UC Riverside’s School of Business has been accepted into the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a prestigious global association of leading graduate business schools. The announcement, made jointly by UCR and GMAC on Tuesday, July 15, marks a major milestone for the university and affirms its standing among top business education institutions worldwide.
With its inclusion, UCR becomes the 228th member of the influential nonprofit group—joining the ranks of the world’s elite graduate business schools.
“This is an extraordinary honor and an important step forward for the School of Business,” said Yunzeng Wang, dean of UCR’s business school. “Joining GMAC affirms our commitment to excellence and connects us to a global network focused on innovation, ethical practices, and academic rigor in graduate management education.”
Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC, said UCR’s “fresh perspectives and insights will strengthen GMAC’s work and help us continue contributing to the invaluable development of cross-culturally competent and globally aware business leaders of tomorrow.”
Such perspectives, she said, are especially needed during “one of the most dynamic and fast- changing times we’ve seen, with big shifts in talent mobility, technological advancement, and renewed emphasis on skill development reshaping global business education.”
GMAC is best known for administering the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), a widely used entrance exam for MBA and business master’s programs. But its role extends far beyond testing. The council provides member schools with access to industry research, global conferences, recruiting tools, and digital platforms that guide prospective students in finding programs that match their aspirations.
The membership comes at a pivotal time for UCR’s School of Business. Last September, the school opened the doors to its $87 million, 63,400-square-foot building—a state-of-the-art facility designed to foster collaboration among students, faculty, and industry leaders.
Located on the south side of campus, the four-story building features high-tech classrooms with hybrid teaching capabilities, a finance lab equipped with Bloomberg terminals, and an executive boardroom offering expansive views of the campus and surrounding mountains.
Also last year, the business school jumped 20 positions in a U.S. News & World Report 2024 graduate school rankings. GMAC Membership is highly selective. UCR’s application process began in 2022 and required extensive documentation of the School’s graduate program offerings, faculty credentials, and institutional commitment to ethical and inclusive practices.
“It took a dedicated team effort across the school to meet the high bar GMAC set,” said Patrick Latimer, associate director of graduate admissions, who helped coordinate the application.
The timing of the announcement coincides with the opening session of GMAC’s annual conference this month, where UC Riverside will be formally recognized. A commemorative plaque will be presented by GMAC leadership to UCR representatives during the ceremony.
As the UCR School of Business continues its upward trajectory, leaders see GMAC membership as a springboard for expanded national and international engagement. “This validates the quality of what we offer,” Wang said. “And it positions us to be an even stronger force in shaping the next generation of business leaders.”
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Header image: Maribel Segura and Patrick Latimer of the UCR Business Graduate Admissions team accept an engraved commemorative membership award from GMAC CEO Joy Jones during the 2025 GMAC Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.