Prospective Students | Q&A with Gwyneth Slocum Bailey - Associate Director for Under-represented Minorities

BCG conducted a study and estimated that only 7% of students at what the firm considered 'top' 20 M.B.A. programs are minorities. What is the Ross School of Business doing to continue to attract and recruit minority/underrepresented talent?

The current MBA classes at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan include 11% underrepresented minorities. We work very hard to recruit an MBA class that reflects diversity in a broad sense. The fact that we have a strong general management program results in students coming from a variety of backgrounds whose career goals and interests are very diverse, which adds breadth and depth to class discussions and team experiences. We are continuing to attract and recruit underrepresented minorities in a variety of ways.

We are fortunate to be a member school in the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in American business. As a result, prospective MBAs who may not initially have had the Ross School of Business on their list of schools get exposure to Ross through the Consortium website, mailings, and events.

We participate in events sponsored by other organizations - such as Management Leadership for Tomorrow and Riordan Fellows, and the NBMBA and NSHMBA Conferences- that are committed to developing African American, Hispanic and Native American business leaders.

Our students and alumni are our best recruiters. They refer prospective MBAs to the Ross MBA program. Their enthusiasm for Ross is infectious, and they are involved in every stage of the recruitment process, including talking with newly admitted students to answer questions about Ross, host students during visits, etc.

We have an annual Diversity weekend called UpClose, during which prospective underrepresented minority students can experience Ann Arbor and the Ross School of Business first hand.

E-newsletters with information of specific interest to various segments of our inquiry base are sent to prospective MBAs who have registered on our website.
Members of the Ross faculty and staff are available to meet with all our prospective MBAs.

How important are alumni in the effort to recruit talent into the program?

As indicated above, alumni are involved at every step of the process in recruiting talent into the program. And we’ve got wonderful alumni! I could list a variety of ways in which alumni are involved with recruiting and tell all kinds of stories about the impact alumni have in bringing top talent to Ross (and often hiring them afterward!), but here are few recent examples:

About a month ago I met a prospective MBA who wants to get an MBA in order to switch into the hospitality industry. She read about one of our Consortium alumni in a related industry and asked me about getting in touch with him. I wrote the alum at 10:05 p.m. one evening and asked if he would be willing to contact the prospective student. At 10:46 p.m. the alum wrote me that he would be more than happy to talk with prospective MBAs, and at 11:01 p.m. he wrote to the prospective MBA. This is not an isolated incident, but is repeated in various ways again and again by our alumni.

Two weeks ago I sent a message to alumni in Russia requesting their help at recruiting events in Moscow this week. One alum wrote back, saying that he was not in Moscow, but he would be happy to help with recruiting. So I asked him, “Where are you exactly, and what are you doing, so that I know what types of prospective students to put in touch with you?” It turns out he’s working for a major oil company on an island off the eastern coast of Russia. As for the type of prospective students whom I should put in touch with him, he replied, “I'd be willing to talk to any prospective student no matter what their background or career interests. Michigan is a great place to go regardless of what you want to do in the future.”

What steps would you recommend prospective students take to decide if Ross is the best MBA program for them?

I give all prospective students interested in getting an MBA and trying to decide whether Ross is the right the same advice:

Know Yourself: Take time to reflect on:
o what you’ve done – and what you enjoyed
o what you would like to do
o how you like to learn
o in what type of environment you thrive
o why will an MBA help you bridge what you have done with what you want to do

Get to know the Ross School of Business:
o Request materials and “register with us so that you receive our e-newsletter @Ross
o Attend a Ross Event
o Connect with a current student
o Check out Student Organizations and Clubs related to your interests
o Visit Ann Arbor and the Ross School of Business

What advice would you give to a prospective student who is interested in applying to business school but is concerned with juggling the responsibilities of parenthood?

This question resonates with me personally as my newborn son was three weeks old when I started my MBA. That child is now married and working on a graduate degree himself. From this vantage point I can tell you that if/when you are a parent, you will be juggling the responsibilities of parenthood with other responsibilities for decades, not just while you are getting your MBA. In fact, juggling these responsibilities may be easier while in school because as a student you will probably have more discretionary time than you would in most jobs. You will be able to adjust many parts of your schedule to fit parenting responsibilities.

So, should you get an MBA at all, given that many post-MBA careers are very demanding? I would say that while it’s true that MBA career paths can have demanding responsibilities, an MBA can give you the expertise and credibility you’ll need to negotiate a job or career with flexible work arrangements, due to the value you will bring to a company or organization, or your MBA may be the credential that enables you to network your way back into a career if you stop out for a time to be your child’s primary caregiver. As with most decisions, I recommend talking with people who are doing the things you think you’d like to do and asking them about issues of juggling various responsibilities in that particular career path.

If you decide to get your MBA, I can tell you that going to business school as a new mother was challenging, but doable. The Ann Arbor community has excellent resources for children and families. Some MBA student parents get involved in the “Baby MBA” group of our Ross Partners Club. The University of Michigan offers very affordable family housing that comes with instant neighbors and friends. The size of Ann Arbor makes it relatively easy to get around to the places you’ll need to get to, which is a help when you have deadlines and appointments related to school, your career search and your children.


All the best in your endeavors, and thank you for your interest in the Ross School of Business.

Gwyneth Slocum Bailey
Associate Director of Admissions
Ross School of Business