We here at MetroMBA do not mind glass ceilings. They let in lots of light, keep the elements at bay. Metaphorical glass ceilings, on the other hand, we do not like. And so when every week or so we hear about a new one shattering, we feel an obligation to let you know.
This week it’s George Washington University looking to break some glass. Its school of business has started a new fellowship intended to help women take seats on corporate boards. Called “On the Board,” the fellowship hosts some of the world’s most powerful women each year, offering them training and development sessions in three intensive residencies, with full access to GWU’s expert faculty and its base of alumni and corporate connections.
Though women have caught up with or surpassed men in obtaining advanced degrees and purchasing power, they still comprise only 16 percent of corporate boards. That’s far lower than the share of MBAs they are receiving–which is currently around 30%.
GWU’s On the Board Fellowship is currently being funded by Linda Rabbitt, CEO of Rand Construction, America’s largest women-owned construction company. In its first year, it received 88 applications for its 15 spots.
The program is for experienced executives, so if you’re applying for an MBA, you might need to wait a few years. But it is a good sampling of the resources for women at GWU, which has an unusually high 42% female enrollment and recently won the MBA Women International’s Hall of Heroes award for its efforts to address issues of gender in business.