Each week we collect all the MBA news that’s fit to print and provide a quick overview of the latest trending topics from top schools around the world.
Here’s your quick MBA News You Need digest for the week of June 14, 2018.
MBA Students at Yale SOM Tackle Workplace Gender Disparities
Gender disparity in the workplace is prevalent and impossible to ignore. So, when first-year MBA students at Yale SOM had the opportunity to unpack several issues related to the gender pay gap as part of the class “State and Society,” not surprisingly, the conversation grew quite spirited both within and beyond the classroom. In fact, the ensuing discussion inspired several students to seek further guidance in preparation for upcoming summer internships. Students spoke with Professor Mushfiq Mobarak to figure out exactly how they could tackle the gender issue head on.
Unfortunately, fixing the gender gap is easier said than done. According to Mobarak, women MBA graduates can have substantial earning penalties imposed on them if they choose to become mothers. For many women, it’s a gap that never narrows. However, for most of the students, the key was to create awareness of these gender-based struggles. “The topic is top of mind as we go through the recruiting process,” Amy Zhu, MBA ‘19, said. “You can’t argue with the statistics. For me, the biggest piece of this is building advocacy and awareness.”
To read more about the in-class discussion and how other Yale SOM MBA students are tackling gender disparity, read the recent news story.
Haas Partners with Ripple on Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
Thanks to a multi-year, multi-million-dollar gift from Ripple, the UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business will be able to delve deeper into blockchain, cryptocurrency, and digital payments through academic research, technical development, and innovation. Ripple’s gift will support the University Blockchain Research Initiative, a new partnership between Haas and Wharton. Haas, Wharton, and Ripple plan to work together to develop a comprehensive program focused on blockchain.
“Exploring and advancing uses of blockchain to solve business and societal problems are core to the mission of Berkeley Haas and its Institute for Business and Social Impact,” said IBSI Faculty Director Laura Tyson. “This partnership with Ripple comes at the perfect time for UC Berkeley, as our students across campus are demanding even more classes, research opportunities, and activities related to blockchain.” (Haas News)
17 Wharton Alumni Committed to Social Impact Receive Bendheim Loan Forgiveness Fellowships
The Wharton School honored 17 MBA alumni for their incredible social impact and mission-driven career work with John M. Bendheim Loan Forgiveness Fund Fellowships. The fund, established in 2005, has granted more than $1.7 million in loan forgiveness to nearly 100 different alumni. The alumni come from a diverse set of backgrounds—including finance, management, marketing, entrepreneurship, and more—but all demonstrate exceptional business acumen in the nonprofit, public, and social impact sectors.
The loan forgiveness fund is managed by the Wharton Social Impact Initiative, which chooses Wharton alumni by committee. Each fellowship applicant is evaluated on the social impact he or she has had as part of careers in areas ranging from economic development to youth education and international health and development. To learn more about this year’s 17 Fellows, read the Wharton Story.
