Last Updated on January 10, 2023 by MBA Gateway Team
Minority students represent between 10 and 25 percent of the enrolled students at top MBA programs. Expanding the ethnic diversity of their program is important to most MBA programs. And like the female-only open house marketing events that target women candidates, MBA Boards offer minority open house events to provide a forum for candidates from minority backgrounds to learn about their programs.
Current students and alumni from minority backgrounds also partner with the MBA Board on their recruitment and yield events. In many of these programs, annual alumni conferences attract a significant amount of prospective minority students who use this opportunity to assess whether the program is a fit for them. For prospective minority students on the fence, these conferences can be instrumental in their decision to apply to the MBA in general and the business school program in particular. Wharton’s Whitney Young Conference (www.wmycon- ference.com) and Harvard’s Naylor Fitzhugh Conference (www.hbsaasu.com) are two examples of the largest minority conferences at top business schools.
There are also organizations that provide resources and support to minority candidates. The Diversity Pipeline Alliance, the MBA Consortium, and Management Leadership for Tomorrow are a few examples of such programs. Diversity Pipeline Alliance: The Diversity Pipeline Alliance (the “Pipeline”) is a network of national organizations that share the common goal of preparing students and professionals of color for leadership and management in the twenty-first-century workforce.
The MBA Consortium: The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is a leading organization for promoting diversity in American business. Starting in the mid-1960s, it provides an annual competition that awards merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to America’s best and brightest diverse candidates. With more than 5000 alumni, fellowship recipients are given access to a robust network.
Management Leadership for Tomorrow: MLT (www.ml4t.org) is another excellent resource for prospective applicants. Started by a Harvard MBA, John Rice, MLT focuses on introducing minorities to business careers and education by providing one-on-one mentoring, boot camps, and a network from the application process to post-graduation career support.
Another good support group for minorities is the Robert Toigo Foundation (RTF) (www.toigofoundation.org), which provides a combination of scholarship, mentorship, and training as well as a robust career network for minorities interested in the financial services industry.
