Ivey has renewed its commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and will be focusing on substantial improvements in this area. There are many organizations, both inside and outside of the school, working with us to build a more inclusive community. Here’s a glance at how Reaching Out MBA is educating, inspiring, and connecting the LGBTQ+ MBA community.
What is Reaching Out MBA?
Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) is a non-profit organization that focuses on educating, inspiring, and connecting students and alumni from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) MBA and Graduate communities in an ongoing effort to create the next generation of out business leaders. Its programming and services centre on leadership development and building connections. It also works with multinational corporations and other organizational partners to create appropriate and sustainable employment opportunities for LGBTQ MBA association members as they move into their professional careers. ROMBA partners with a group of leading business schools for the ROMBA Fellowship, which provides scholarships. Ivey became a ROMBA partner this past summer.
Events for MBA students and alumni
ROMBA organizes a variety of events including:
- An annual ROMBA Conference that features C-suite panels, workshops, competitions, and a career fair with corporate partners across industries recruiting LGBT+ MBA talent. This year, the conference will be virtual;
- A business conference for LBT+ women with guest speakers and networking;
- A student leadership summit to learn about best practices and support for student clubs;
- A summer retreat for the LGBTQ MBA Fellows; and,
- Summer treks in various cities for MBA students to connect with top-tier companies looking for talent.
Learn more
Visit the website or connect with ROMBA on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
In its 20-year history, Reaching Out MBA has expanded from an annual event to year-round programming serving the growing and increasingly diverse LGBTQ MBA community. Beyond 2020, our organization will focus on offering career-long resources for our community, including a more structured alumni network that allows LGBT+ MBA professionals to engage and offer mentorship to current students.”
– Aidan Currie, Executive Director, Reaching Out MBA
We are so excited to become a ROMBA partner school this year. Not only does it give our LGBTQ+ students the chance to connect with other members and allies in this community, but it provides tangible support with connections to corporate partners, MBA financing through Fellowships, and professional networking and development opportunities. As all schools work towards providing more diverse and inclusive communities, these partnerships are more important than ever in making sure that LGBTQ+ students are supported and empowered, and that allies, schools, and companies continue to educate themselves about what true inclusion looks like.”
– Julia Michienzi, Associate Director of MBA Recruiting & Admissions at Ivey and Ivey’s lead ROMBA contact
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