Duke Fuqua Invests in MBA Students with a New Management Leadership for Tomorrow Sponsorship
May 2023 – Duke Fuqua School of Business, a long-term partner of Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), is sponsoring costs for students to participate in MLT’s MBA Professional Development (MBA PD) program. This expansion of a nearly 20-year partnership exists to improve, enhance, and bring innovation to students’ diverse MBA experiences.
The school decided to deepen its partnership with MLT after hearing positive feedback from MBA PD Fellows and seeing the program’s positive influence on participants. Duke’s investment presents an opportunity for their students to augment the resources and support from the Fuqua Career Management Center with the networking and coaching resources of MLT.
“Fuqua has a long history of identifying, supporting, and enrolling diverse talent across all of our programs. We strive to be a leader among business schools in delivering the best possible student experience and career outcomes. Therefore, when considering new opportunities for enhancing the experience of our underrepresented students, it was only natural for us to look to our long-time partnership with MLT.” said Sharon Thompson, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Fuqua.
The MBA PD program prepares Black, Hispanic/Latine, and Native American professionals to be senior leaders in business and social sector organizations. The participants, called Fellows, enter top business schools with a competitive advantage. In this program, students receive one-on-one coaching, access to top employers post-MBA, and gain a powerful network of peers and recruiters. Program participants start business school more prepared, better resourced, and ready to maximize their MBA experiences.
“MBA PD is a wonderful opportunity to broaden your network and your knowledge about career paths prior to business school. During the program, I was allowed to pressure test what I thought I wanted to do and get to know companies and career paths I hadn’t even considered. I learned that although I was right in what I wanted to pursue functionally I could also pursue that in diverse industries,” said Stephanie Gomez Menzies of her experience.
This partnership aligns with Fuqua’s commitment to developing and supporting diversity initiatives that increase representation of Black, Hispanic/Latine, and Native American students in business school. Fuqua also works with a number of other partner organizations that support minority groups such as women and first generation college students. In 2022, the school celebrated its 40th year of the MBA Workshop for Minority students. This flagship event attracts more than 100 prospective students to experience the life of an MBA student. The school has also served as the host for MBA PD’s annual kickoff event for four out of the last five years.
Since their decision to partner with MBA PD, more of MLT’s partner business schools have followed Duke Fuqua’s leading example. Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and the University of Rochester Simon Business School are also sponsoring costs for their MBA PD Fellows this year. These partnerships exist to help people of color become senior leaders of impact and influence. The Fellows’ success benefits their organizations and communities at large, triggering a multiplier effect that goes beyond their time in business school.
About MLT
MLT is a national nonprofit organization that is advancing racial equity by elevating the career opportunities for high-achieving individuals from underrepresented communities- Black, Hispanic, and Native American. The organization also provides a comprehensive solution for employers that combines best-in-class recruitment and retention tactics as well as DEI strategy and rigor. These practices can help decrease institutional racism, close racial wealth gaps, and change the narrative on race. Visit us at https://mlt.org/.
Contact:
Chloë Abu-Jaber
Associate Director, Communications