Stanford’s Graduate School of Business recently discussed its Future Leaders Program, which gives rising undergraduate juniors from underdeveloped communities and diverse majors a peek at its MBA.
The Future Leaders Program was designed to “increase the breadth of backgrounds and perspectives represented in the business school” by exposing students to the Stanford GSB experience. Future Leaders undergo “a class immersion exercise, a hands-on design thinking event, a career design workshop, company visits to learn about career opportunities in a range of industries, and an MBA boot camp explaining the admissions process.” Future Leaders also “meet alumni, and work with the career management center to brainstorm post-college plans.”
Stanford MBA admissions officer Simone Hill, MBA/MA ’14 hopes that the program helps Future Leaders eventually see themselves at Stanford. “So many of the changes we make are guided by the access and exposure we have. How can we expect students who are the first in their family to go to college to know Stanford is the place for them if they’ve never experienced Stanford or know anyone who has experienced it?”
UC Berkeley psychology and interdisciplinary studies double major Karen Rodriguez-Ponciano explains how the Future Leaders Program expanded her career purview: “I’m the first in my family to go to college. I come from a humble family of fieldworkers in Mexico. You can’t be what you can’t see. This program has allowed me to see myself at Stanford GSB.”
College of William of Mary finance and Asian American Studies double major Hayden Choir confirms the impact of Hill’s vision for the Future Leaders Program: “It’s feeling you just don’t belong. But I’ve begun to realize these people have accomplished amazing things, and you equally have this same potential.”