Contributed by the DBLB leadership team.
Stanford GSB students who are committed to increasing diversity in the MBA applicant pool and equity in the application process for business schools globally are leading the third annual Dream Big Lead Boldly workshop (DBLB). The DBLB initiative helps demystify the MBA experience for students and young professionals who identify as Black. This free, one-day virtual workshop will take place on Sunday, May 21. The workshop will feature keynote speaker Simone Hill Okafor and will cover the following themes:
- Designing your life/career
- Industry breakout conversations
- Deciding if an MBA is right for you
- Paying for business school
- Networking with current business students and alumni
This year’s leadership team is focusing on reaching young professionals and current undergraduate students who identify as Black. They have partnered with organizations that support MBA applicants of color, HBCUs, national Black sororities and fraternities, and more to promote this event to their members. Building on the successes of the previous year’s events, they have also expanded outreach to universities and organizations in Africa and the Caribbean.
The attendees will represent over 100 schools and organizations, including MLT, Riordan, Howard University, Morehouse College, Alabama State University, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, North Carolina A&T State University, Northern Caribbean University (Jamaica), Spelman College, and Stellenbosch University (South Africa).
Dream Big Lead Boldly is a student-led initiative that is supported by GSB Admissions. The 2023 Dream Big Lead Boldly leadership team is composed of 20 MBA students from a wide range of backgrounds. There are more than 40 additional Stanford students, professors, and staff that volunteer during the event. They are unified by the common interest of democratizing access to resources that help students decide if business school is the right path for them.
An attendee from last year’s event said “As someone who’s highly interested in MBA programs I attend a lot of sessions, sometimes ones that are led by students. Not only is it seldom that I’ve seen an event like this geared to helping the target demographic… Moreover it’s evident that they are doing this out of passion and not just hosting another pre-mba recruiting event.”
Nate Schlein, the Dream Big Lead Boldly lead and a second-year MBA student, “this program has been such a formative part of my experience at Stanford GSB. My classmates and I have made lifelong connections with DBLB participants, and we hope to play a small part in their future success. We know that they will certainly play a large role in ours.”
Ore Obiwumi, a first-year MBA student, adds “DBLB is more than just a workshop — it’s an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of people who might not otherwise have access to information about business school. For so many Black students and professionals, tailored, relevant information about business school can be hard to come by. DBLB’s mission is crucial to breaking down barriers and helping these students make informed decisions about their lives and their futures.”
Dream Big, Lead Boldly will take place on Sunday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with networking from 3-4 p.m. Participants from all schools, majors, GPAs, and job roles are welcome. More details and a registration form are available on the Dream Big Lead Boldly website.
