Valuing Diversity
The Wisconsin School of Business is committed to a diverse learning environment. We continually look for ways to increase our ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic diversity.
Our goal is to provide a learning environment that enables graduates to be effective in the world in which they will live and work.
Throughout the year, the business school explored topics relating to diversity, climate and culture, inclusiveness and fairness. We continue to strive to learn from “best practices” in other departments on campus.
Diversity initiatives included:
Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
We partner with 12 other prestigious schools and more than 100 of America’s foremost corporations, to increase racial and ethnic diversity in corporate America through MBA fellowships. Over the past academic year, 15 Wisconsin MBA students received fellowships and awards. A “boot camp” was held in May 2007 to prepare incoming Wisconsin MBA Consortium students for the annual Consortium Orientation Program in St. Louis.
Diversity Weekend
The MBA Program Office brought prospective students from across the country to campus in fall 2006 for a better understanding of the Wisconsin MBA and the school’s commitment to creating a diverse class of MBAs.
Forté Foundation
The Wisconsin MBA recently became a member of the Forté Foundation, a powerful coalition of major corporations, top business schools and influential non-profit organizations working to substantially increase the number of women business leaders.
Other Wisconsin MBA Diversity Initatives
Several outreach efforts to Consortium alumni were begun over the past year, including creation of a newsletter. Plans for outreach efforts to other campuses across the U.S. where the Wisconsin MBA has Consortium alumni are being developed.
PhD Project Conference
Wisconsin, with its large and highly regarded doctoral program, continues to be a key player in this national program designed to increase the number of minority scholars in PhD programs.
Undergraduate Initiatives
Students from Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Madison-area high schools participated in a special business school program as part of the UW-Madison PEOPLE program (Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence). The six-week summer program offers minority students a broad overview of various business disciplines along with classes to enhance their presentation, communication, writing and math skills.
Total Enrollment |
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| Undergraduate | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Women | 42% | 38.8% | 38.3% | 39.9% |
| Minority | 7.3% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 4.4% |
| International | 7.4% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 6.1% |
| Full-time MBA | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Women | 30% | 35% | 30% | 29% |
| Minority | 11% | 10% | 14% | 15% |
| International | 22% | 22% | 9% | 21% |
Looking Ahead
The School of Business will continue to proactively explore topics of diversity and inclusiveness and strive to create a learning environment that reflects a diverse society.