Diversity & Inclusion

Shaping the Future Through a Sense of Place

Srishti Sharma — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:52 +0000

Shaping the Future Through a Sense of Place Srishti Sharma Mon, 11/04/2024 - 13:55

In marking Cheyenne Arapaho Hall’s 35th anniversary, CU’s Benny Shendo Jr. shared his personal journey, Native American history, and expanding opportunities for education and business.

What can a room full of first-year business students learn from a half-hour presentation in honor of a building’s birthday? Turns out plenty.

In honor of Cheyenne Arapaho Hall’s anniversary, Benny Shendo Jr. (Bus’87), CU’s associate vice chancellor of Native American affairs, was invited by the Leeds First-Year Experience program to share his personal journey and his special connection to the building. Students got the bonus of a crash course on Native American history and its ties to Colorado.

A storied past

Cheyenne Arapaho Hall sits on the ancestral homelands of the Arapaho and Cheyenne nations. “Nichols Hall: A Report” by CU Associate Professor of History Patricia Nelson Limerick, published in 1987, was instrumental in changing the building’s name in 1989 from Nichols Hall, which it was named in 1961.

Shendo’s efforts played a role in the change, along with the many students, staff, faculty, community members and allies who were part of peaceful demonstrations that had begun in the 1970s to protest the building’s name recognizing David H. Nichols. Those protests were fueled by the discovery that Nichols, one of the founders of CU ��«��Ƶ and the eighth lieutenant governor of Colorado, had participated in the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864.

The Sand Creek Massacre Foundation describes the event as “a chaotic, horrific, tumultuous, and bloody moment in American history and its enduring legacy.” The surprise attack killed more than 200 people who thought they were protected under a treaty. Many were women and children.

Lessons leading to a career

Shendo is an enrolled member of the Jemez Pueblo tribe and was born and raised on the reservation in north central New Mexico, arriving at CU as a transfer student in 1983 to study business. As a child, he spoke his native language and learned English through a Head Start program.

He also loved running, which proved to be an asset. “I ran for CU in the mid-80s. I was fortunate to make the team as a walk-on,” he said.

Those experiences and his business degree shaped Shendo’s career journey. After roles in student programming and recruiting at the University of New Mexico and as assistant dean of students at Stanford, Shendo returned to CU in a newly created position. He serves as a liaison between the campus and tribal communities across Colorado, as well as with the wider region covering the 46 tribes that have a historical connection to Colorado. He focuses on outreach and awareness to support programs for Native Americans and to bring students to campus.

Shendo has been committed to Native American advocacy throughout his inspiring career. He served as a cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs, as a lieutenant governor of his Pueblo, and as New Mexico state senator.

Opportunities for progress

Shendo noted that while Colorado passed a law two years ago allowing students from the 46 tribes with a historical connection to the state to attend institutions of higher education in Colorado at in-state tuition, there’s still room for improvement. While there are 574 recognized tribes across the U.S., Colorado is home to two federally recognized tribes—the Southern Ute and the Ute Mountain Ute.

Creating awareness and shaping policies has been an essential part of Shendo’s work. He strives to promote policies that can endure despite shifting conditions.

He explained that tribes are sovereign political entities with their own elected leaders and govern their own affairs within their respective tribal lands. “Tribes have a unique relationship with the federal government through treaty obligations, supreme court decisions and Congressional actions,” Shendo said.

Implications for business

Shendo discussed the importance of economic development in tribal communities. He pointed to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act as a key moment for tribes in developing gaming operations. With those revenues, tribes have been able to invest in their own communities, creating infrastructure and essential resources, such as senior centers, daycares, roads, water quality and education.

“Some of these tribes have become some of the largest employers in their regions,” he noted, offering career opportunities that didn’t exist when he was an undergraduate.

“Today, tribes need business professionals in all areas to support their operations. Someday you may end up working for a tribe,” he said.

Understanding the past to shape the future

Shendo’s career is a testament to moving forward as we understand our history. With Cheyenne Arapaho Hall as a symbol of what’s possible, Shendo encouraged students to reflect on the places where they live and their historical significance, and to honor and respect them. “The spaces and places where we reside have their own history, and I hope that you will have an appreciation for this place that you live in because it’s named after the tribes that literally called this home,” he said. “I hope someday we can have our Arapaho, Cheyenne and other tribal brothers and sisters attending CU as well.”

As students returned to their rooms, no doubt they had an altered sense of the place they call home. Shendo left them with a deeper understanding of history and its impact—a promising prospect as they are poised to move forward in life and in business making some history of their own.

Learn more about the Leeds Residential Academic Program.

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Shaping the Future Through a Sense of Place

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 21:14:39 +0000

Shaping the Future Through a Sense of Place Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 10/15/2024 - 15:14

Jane Majkiewicz

In marking Cheyenne Arapaho Hall’s 35th anniversary, CU’s Benny Shendo Jr. shared his personal journey, Native American history, and expanding opportunities for education and business.

What can a room full of first-year business students learn from a half-hour presentation in honor of a building’s birthday? Turns out plenty.

A storied past

Lessons leading to a career

He also loved running, which proved to be an asset. “I ran for CU in the mid-80s. I was fortunate to make the team as a walk-on,” he said.

Opportunities for progress

Creating awareness and shaping policies has been an essential part of Shendo’s work. He strives to promote policies that can endure despite shifting conditions.

Implications for business

“Some of these tribes have become some of the largest employers in their regions,” he noted, offering career opportunities that didn’t exist when he was an undergraduate.

“Today, tribes need business professionals in all areas to support their operations. Someday you may end up working for a tribe,” he said.

Understanding the past to shape the future

Learn more about the Leeds Residential Academic Program.

In marking Cheyenne Arapaho Hall’s 35th anniversary, CU’s Benny Shendo Jr. shared his personal journey, Native American history, and expanding opportunities for education and business.

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Remarkable Service: New Scholarship Honors Leeds’ Student Veterans

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 16:15:06 +0000

Remarkable Service: New Scholarship Honors Leeds’ Student Veterans Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/10/2023 - 09:15

Leadership professor and student organization advisor Douglas Bennett recognizes veterans’ contributions and leadership excellence.

Douglas Bennett, a Leeds School of Business professor and West Point graduate with a storied military career himself, has taught hundreds of student veterans over his career. Through the years his students, some of whom even became colleagues, have come to rely on him for understanding what it means to serve their country.

In Spring 2023, Bennett decided to honor his fellow patriots by establishing the Leeds Student Veteran Leadership Award in memory of a dear friend, whose demeanor was characterized by his allegiance to the priorities of ‘Duty, Honor and Country.’

More about Leeds’ Student Veterans and Resources:

Deming Center for Entrepreneurship Helps Start New Ventures
Faces of Leeds: Student Veteran and Alumnus Harrison GreenMaki (MBA’22)
Former Marine Turned MBA Student and Entrepreneur Creates First-Ever Coffee Company to Donate 100% of Profits to First Responders and Veterans
MBA Blog: Leeds MBA Veterans Club Supports Members’ Transition to the Civilian World
MBA Blog: Second Year Student Spotlight, Zakhar Kravtsov
Military and Veteran Admissions Resources for Prospective MBA Students
Veterans Show Strength Serving in Private Sector (Colorado Business Review)

“He was a remarkable patriot,” Bennett said. “I want to recognize his contributions to our country through this annual award.”

The award will celebrate his friend and former colleague’s memory by providing recognition of student veterans who during their years of academic pursuit at Leeds have demonstrated the qualities of leadership excellence.

“As a Leadership professor and advisor to the Leeds Student Veterans undergraduate and graduate organizations, I believe deeply that our Leeds veterans through their leadership excellence have contributed unselfishly in service to the people of our nation,” said Bennett. “We need to recognize them.”

United States Marine Corps veteran Brendan Mulcahy (RelEst’24) received the inaugural $2,000 award in May 2023. The award will be given annually as determined through a committee, including Bennett, Leeds faculty and veterans from the ��«��Ƶ community.

“It is my strong belief that those who have worn the uniform as members of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Coast Guard, the National Guard, the Space Force and the Marine Corps have stood and fought for the precious rights all Americans are given,” said Bennett. “A member of the Armed Forces understands those leadership qualities of assignability, responsibility and accountability when carrying out their assigned duties…we can depend on them.”

Leeds is proud to have a strong veterans community with 125 students who are veterans across business programs.

To those students, Bennett has a special message: “I am proud of them and have been honored to serve with them as it has been an honor to serve my country.”

Leadership professor and student organization advisor Douglas Bennett recognizes veterans’ contributions and leadership excellence.

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Open for Business: What Did Leeds Do This Summer?

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:56:38 +0000

Open for Business: What Did Leeds Do This Summer? Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/01/2023 - 12:56

Students in the Office of Diversity Affairs KeyBank Business Leadership Program worked to solve a business challenge with corporate partners KeyBank, Key Equipment Finance, Deloitte and Enterprise, as well as two of Leeds’ Centers for Excellence, the CU Real Estate Center and Burridge Center for Finance. They presented their solutions to judges and peers.

The new academic year doesn’t officially kick off until late August, but students are still filling the classrooms at Leeds School of Business.

Each summer, the school’s Office of Diversity Affairs hosts several programs designed for underrepresented high school students who want to start exploring college and career opportunities.

During the KeyBank Business Leadership Program (BLP), held June 11-17, rising high school seniors and incoming first-year Leeds students came to campus to learn more about business topics and collaboratively solve real-world problems. As teams, they worked on a case challenge presented by a corporate or school partner and presented their teams' solutions to judges and their peers, with members of the winning team taking home $2,000 scholarships upon their acceptance and enrollment.

In addition to the case challenge, BLP students participated in professional and academic development sessions with school staff as well as sessions preparing them to apply to Leeds and start their college journey.

Just a few weeks later, another group of rising seniors and incoming first-year Business Buffs were on hand for the Women in Business Case Competition. Participants were tasked with helping partner Rudi’s Rocky Mountain Bakery minimize waste, maximize operational efficiency and manage surplus.

Workshops throughout the program—led by faculty members including Bonnie Auslander and Stacey Edgar—helped students develop their understanding of key concepts and polish their presentation skills. Competitors came away with more than an unforgettable experience: They all received $500 scholarships to attend Leeds upon their acceptance. Members of the winning team received an additional scholarship and the chance to visit Rudi’s facility and meet with the CEO.

A select group of incoming students also participated in KeyBank Summer Bridge Program, part of the Leeds EXCEL Scholars Program. During the three-week program in July, EXCEL Scholars received an in-depth introduction to their first-semester business courses, met with corporate partners, and connected with Leeds faculty, staff and students. This immersive experience served to familiarize the scholars with the various academic support systems that Leeds provides.

“The program has played an integral part in setting up my academic success while allowing me to shine professionally,” said Roy Park (InfoMgmt, BA’24), who participated in the Summer Bridge before coming to Leeds and now serves as its student coordinator. “The EXCEL Scholars Program changed my life forever.”

Gearing Up for Graduate School

Incoming undergraduates aren’t the only students experiencing what Leeds offers. Orientation for the school’s graduate programs kicked off in the spring and continues through late August.

Sessions bring together people from each program to meet others in their cohort as well as program faculty and staff, explained Lydia Supplee, assistant director for Leeds Graduate Student Services. This year’s orientations also include information to help Business Buffs in and out of the classroom, including programming on defining self-care as a graduate student and bystander intervention training.

Professional MBA students enjoyed a keynote from alumnus Michael Leeds, and Professor Joshua Nunziato led an engaging session focused on values and ethical principles for navigating the mid-career workplace that will also be shared with full-time MBAs. Upcoming orientations for master’s in finance and real estate students will include workshops and bootcamps focused on accounting and Excel skills.

Education for Execs

The Colorado business community also looked to Leeds for summer learning opportunities. May 15-19, the school hosted the LEED: Executive Leadership Program in partnership with the University of Colorado’s Center for Leadership. The highly-interactive program helped participants cultivate key competencies in leadership areas ranging from emotional intelligence to diversity management and developing and implementing a strategic vision, and put them into practice while sharing their own insights on leadership from across industries.

Additionally, Leeds partners with the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) annually to deliver programming in executive leadership available exclusively to GSBC alumni July 24-26. Taught by Leeds faculty, the curriculum covers leading through organizational change and crisis, creating an ethical climate and more. The education from Leeds coincides with GSBC’s own curriculum for bankers as part of the Community Bankers Summit, a continuing education and networking opportunity hosted at Leeds in late July.

Diversity Programs Graduate Programs Executive Education

The new academic year doesn’t officially kick off until late August, but there's plenty of learning happening at Leeds this summer.

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First Class of Graduates Reflect on EMBA's Leadership Lessons

Anonymous — Thu, 11 May 2023 15:12:56 +0000

First Class of Graduates Reflect on EMBA's Leadership Lessons Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/11/2023 - 09:12

Global experiences, a thoughtful program design and emphasis on DEI helped students forge tight bonds while reflecting on their aspirations as leaders.

Students in the Executive MBA program pose for a group shot during their retreat to Vail. Graduates completed six one-week residences during their two years at Leeds, including visits to campus, the mountains, London and Lisbon. Pictured below are Max Perez Maryel Barron.

Ask the students, and they’ll tell you it’s more than the convenience of a hybrid structure, the high level of support or the picturesque retreat locations.

Graduation 2023

Complete coverage of the commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2023 at Leeds.
Teamwork, tomorrows the themes at graduation ceremonies.
When it comes to impact, the Class of 2023 is just getting started.
David Drake honored as a top teacher with Frascona Award.
New award recognizes professor whose innovations tamed one of Leeds' most difficult courses.

What stands out most to the first graduating class of the Executive MBA program at the Leeds School of Business are the people.

“I did not expect my relationships to develop to such depths,” said Max Perez (EMBA’23), who is graduating this spring. “The relationships I built with my team, my cohort and the faculty are something I expect to carry with me for the rest of my career.”

Making meaningful connections with an accomplished group of leaders is a hallmark of the EMBA at Leeds. In designing the program, Lori Seward, professor and faculty director of MBA programs, felt strongly that it provide “rich opportunities for exceptional professionals—from a variety of industries, functions and fields—to make lifelong relationships.” She understood that these powerful contacts would help advance careers, launch new endeavors and facilitate impact at organizations.

Perez agreed. Now vice president of strategic initiatives at a cutting-edge quantum technology company, he directly attributed his current role to his EMBA experience.

“I had classmates working in finance, energy, mining, sales, operations, medicine, small business and so on,” he said. “Everyone brings a distinct perspective to the coursework and discussions. This will be my network beyond my core tech industry for the next phase of my career, and I hope it will enable the kind of cross-collaborations that I really enjoy.

“Ultimately, business is about people—and that is at the heart of the Leeds EMBA.”

Maryel Barron (EMBA’23) valued her cohort’s rich diversity, as well. “The program's emphasis on global perspectives and diverse industry experiences provided exposure to different viewpoints,” she said. “It was precious in broadening my understanding of various business practices and cultures, which is essential in developing effective strategies for managing diverse teams and addressing systemic gaps.”

When the program started, Barron worked at ��«��Ƶ County Public Health. Thanks to her Leeds EMBA, she was able to transition into a financial controller role at Salud Family Health, where she’s working to create equitable access for vulnerable populations.

A special format

Soon after Leeds launched the EMBA in 2021, Executive MBA—the global trade magazine for EMBA programs—celebrated the program for its innovative, hybrid structure.

Even more importantly, that structure has been a hit with students.

“The Leeds EMBA is ready-made for a working professional,” said Dr. Brad Fehrenbach (EMBA’23), a radiologist who is graduating this May. “They’ve got all the logistics down. And I like our class size, because you get to know each other very well.”

“Ultimately, business is about people—and that is at the heart of the Leeds EMBA.”

Max Perez (EMBA’23)

Those logistics include three one-week, in-person residencies each year—in the mountains, on the ��«��Ƶ campus and abroad—that allow professionals to escape outside distractions while applying new skills, working in teams, and building relationships with their classmates and instructors. Between residencies, they build their business knowledge through high-quality online instruction, which provides the flexibility needed to continue meeting the demands of their careers and personal lives.

Over the course of the two-year program, the EMBA Class of 2023 visited international destinations, including Lisbon and London, that featured visits to innovative companies like the Techstars London Accelerator and Disney. The trip also allowed time for absorbing the culture—whether at Lisbon’s oldest winery or London’s historic theater district.

“The international residency brought together all the relationships built over the course of two years through teamwork and local residencies, and extended that engagement to the wider international community,” Perez said. “It was truly life-changing.”

Emily Ryan (EMBA’23), chief client officer for Valuize and the winner of Leeds’ first Executive MBA Student Excellence Award, also said the bonds between students are a crucial feature of the program.

“The thing that stands out to me the most, beyond the stellar faculty and care that was taken in developing our cohort, is the thoughtful design of the program itself,” she said.

A hallmark

That design includes special emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion—crucial leadership skills that are nonetheless nascent concepts in most business curricula. One year after the program began, Executive Connections again praised Leeds’ EMBA program, this time for its emphasis on DEI. The publication extolled Leeds for the intentional curriculum of the program, which is based on three interwoven pillars considered critical for leadership: inclusion, innovation and leadership. The program’s emphasis ensures DEI goes further than ensuring student teams are adequately represented—it emphasizes that each team member feels heard and appreciated.

In addition to business fundamentals, leadership and innovation, the curriculum focuses on inclusive leadership, which challenges students to explore their unconscious biases around gender, race, class and sexual orientation. Given Leeds' expertise in this area, program designers decided DEI was just as important to integrate into the curriculum as fundamental business disciplines.

The emphasis on DEI is what motivated Barron, a self-described Latina leader, to apply.

“As someone who has faced systemic barriers and discrimination in my career, I appreciated the program's focus on understanding and addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the workplace,” she said, “and developing leaders equipped to lead diverse teams.”

Why Leeds Executive MBA Program Graduate Business Programs

As they head to new roles and promotions, graduates explain why the Leeds program was the right fit for them.

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Leeds Applauded for Integrating DEI into EMBA Curriculum

Anonymous — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 19:39:05 +0000

Leeds Applauded for Integrating DEI into EMBA Curriculum Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 11/05/2022 - 13:39

Leeds School of Business’ Executive MBA program was recently recognized for its emphasis on DEI in the Executive MBA Council’s (EMBAC) magazine, Executive Connections—the global voice of the Executive MBA industry.

They lauded Leeds for the intentional design of its EMBA program, based on three interwoven pillars considered critical for successful leaders: inclusion, innovation and leadership. The program takes its DEI education further than just ensuring teams are adequately represented; it emphasizes that each team member must feel heard and appreciated.

Part of the curriculum is the Inclusive Leadership course, which helps students evolve into inclusive leaders by exploring their unconscious biases around gender, race, class and sexual orientation. Given Leeds’ expertise in this area, program directors decided DEI was just as important to integrate into the curriculum as fundamental business disciplines.

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REAPing the Rewards of Leeds’ Focus on Inclusion

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 15:47:26 +0000

REAPing the Rewards of Leeds’ Focus on Inclusion Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/13/2022 - 09:47

CUREC sets aside 50 seats in commercial real estate certificate for graduates of a diversity program. 

Denver's Civic Center neighborhood at dusk. Leeds is reserving seats in a new executive education program for graduates of REAP, a program designed to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the real estate industry.

“If you build it, they will come” might work if you’re building a ballpark in an Iowa cornfield—but anyone working in real estate will tell you that’s not a strategy for success.

That’s why, when it comes to its vision for increasing diversity in the real estate industry, the Leeds School of Business isn’t content to be a casual observer.

The school has reserved 50 seats in its inaugural commercial real estate executive certificate program for graduates of a nationwide diversity program.

“Making the real estate industry more diverse requires that we make a real estate education accessible for all students,” said Mike Kercheval, executive director of the CU Real Estate Center. “Raising awareness among diverse students and providing resources to support their study is an important first step toward this goal.”

Select graduates of Project REAP—short for Real Estate Associate Program—will have tuition waived for the first modules of the Executive Certificate in Commercial Real Estate. The group’s mission is to advance DEI in real estate through education, mentorship, and partnerships; “having access to the most relevant information and opportunities to expand their skill sets is key to advancing their careers,” Manikka Bowman, REAP executive director, said of the organization’s graduates.

Skill and network development

The certificate program consists of three modules designed to provide certification maintenance and upskilling for those in the industry, as well as a path for professionals curious about transitioning into real estate. The courses are taught by seasoned industry professionals as well as CU ��«��Ƶ faculty, ensuring students learn immediately applicable skills while developing a network of peers and professionals.

“Whether you’re a college student or a business professional, to succeed in real estate you have to know the skills, the terminology, the laws, so you can make sure the deal gets made,” said Madison Gross, a 23-year commercial real estate veteran and consultant to CUREC who helped build the program. “These classes are designed to fill any gaps and to provide tangible value, both to the graduates and to the organizations who employ them.”

Reserving seats in the program for REAP graduates is just CUREC’s latest initiative to bring diverse audiences to this lucrative industry.

Programs like Changing the Face of Real Estate, a scholarship fund to encourage women, students of color and first-generation college students to study real estate, are important in turning around historic practices that reinforced discrimination, such as redlining. Offering REAP graduates these modules for free is a partnership designed to support the diversification of an industry that’s long been homogeneous.

Each course is delivered online one night a week after hours, to minimize disruptions to busy professional and personal schedules. The modules can be taken separately; students who complete all three are awarded an executive certificate as well as Colorado Continuing Education Units for each hour. Registration for the Fundaments of Real Estate for Non-Financial Professionals course, which starts Nov. 1, is now open.

Why Leeds CU Real Estate Center Executive Certificate Programs

Leeds has set aside 50 seats in an executive education program for graduates of a real estate diversity program.

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KeyBank Business Leadership Program Brings Future Buffs to Campus

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 17:11:02 +0000

KeyBank Business Leadership Program Brings Future Buffs to Campus Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/01/2022 - 11:11

Students won $2,000 scholarships to attend Leeds.

Students came from across the state to participate in the 2022 KeyBank Business Leadership Program, a weeklong experience hosted on campus.

Rising high school seniors and incoming first-year students were introduced to life at Leeds through the annual KeyBank Business Leadership Program (BLP). Hosted June 19-25 by the Office of Diversity Affairs, BLP brought students to the CU ��«��Ƶ campus, where they learned more about business topics and worked to solve real-world problems.

After breaking into teams, participants collaborated to create and implement a marketing campaign for corporate partners including KeyBank, Key Equipment Finance, Arrow Electronics, Enterprise, Gogo Business Aviation and TD SYNNEX. Throughout the week, partners gave ongoing support to their teams and answered questions related to their case challenges. Current Leeds students served as team counselors, providing feedback and helping develop innovative solutions, and participants attended lectures led by Leeds faculty to help them tackle the cases.

The program culminated with students presenting their campaigns to judges and peers. Key Equipment Finance was selected as the winning team, and each team member received a $2,000 scholarship to attend Leeds upon acceptance.

In addition to strengthening participants’ business and leadership skills, the program allowed students to build community with other Future Buffs from around the state. They also participated in professional and academic development sessions with school staff covering topics including diversity, inclusion and social identities; networking; social media and LinkedIn; and building a business. Other sessions were designed to prepare students for applying to and starting their Leeds journey.

“While participants had a busy week, the success of KeyBank Business Leadership Program is seen in the growth of participants and the innovative solutions each team proposed for their case challenges,” said Gerardo Ceballos, program manager for Leeds’ Office of Diversity Affairs. “Through BLP’s experiential learning, our participants gained a newfound confidence in their business skills, professional connections, and business knowledge.

“Most importantly, participants experienced the welcoming community Leeds creates for business students through the Office of Diversity Affairs and Diverse Scholars Program. I look forward to seeing BLP rising seniors and incoming first-year students continued success in the upcoming academic year.”

BLP is offered annually at no cost to participants. The program is open to Colorado students who identify as underrepresented, diverse, students of color, or first-generation; or students who have an interest in gaining a diverse business experience. Applications for next summer’s program, scheduled for June 25-July 1, 2023, open Dec. 1.

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‘The Future Is Bright’: Case Competition Gives ��«��Ƶ Tech Company Valuable DEI Insights

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 20:01:02 +0000

‘The Future Is Bright’: Case Competition Gives ��«��Ƶ Tech Company Valuable DEI Insights Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/21/2022 - 14:01

Optera taps Leeds underclassmen in helping it attract and retain diverse talent as it grows.

Grace Vaughn walks a panel of judges, including two CU alumni from Optera, through her team's recommendations for how the company can improve its diversity talent pipeline. 'You're a data company. You know how to do this,' she told the panel. Below right, the judging panel, including alumni Kelvin Davis, left, and Nancy Schoemann, center, both of Optera.

When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, it’s easy to talk the talk.

For Optera—a ��«��Ƶ-based sustainability software company—talk isn’t nearly enough.

The growing business is interested in attracting and retaining diverse talent, along with measuring progress on its diversity initiatives and finding ways to track inclusion. To help get there, it turned to teams of undergraduates at the ��«��Ƶ’s Leeds School of Business.

Four student teams completed in an extracurricular case competition for Optera after attending a series of workshops covering topics such as implicit bias, microaggression, sexism and racism. They then developed and pitched strategies to a panel of judges from Optera and Leeds.

“There is such a huge value to us in listening to and learning from the students,” said Nancy Schoemann (MBA’16), vice president of operations at Optera and a member of the judging panel. “These are individuals who are going to be entering the job market in a few years—they’re looking at DEI from an angle we don’t necessarily see. Getting their insight and perspective is so helpful to us as we decide where to focus our time and resources.”

The winning team, consisting of Caroline Horn (Bus’25) and Grace Vaughn (Bus’24), drew praise for creating solutions designed with a small company like Optera in mind. Both have participated in case competitions before, “but working with a small company was a great experience,” Horn said. “We were really challenged to fine-tune our recommendations to what they needed.”

For Vaughn—the lone sophomore to participate—past case competitions were hypothetical. “Being able to interact with a real company, to really research them and think about what they were doing to address these particular challenges, was so much more valuable to me,” she said.

A detailed set of recommendations

During their presentation, Horn and Vaughn walked the judges through an ambitious set of recommendations that touched on everything from better visibility of the company’s commitment to DEI to restructuring its interview practices to avoid bias. They also spent considerable time walking through the feasibility of their plans—especially costs and time—against the potential risks, including drowning in survey data.

“You’re a data company. You know how to do this,” Vaughn said.

Other teams also brought up the idea of surveys, often backed by incentives; cultural intelligence tests for employees; sponsoring internships and scholarships; and creating pathways for talented employees to move them up the ladder.

Kelvin Davis (CompSci’20), a software engineer at Optera, asked participating teams difficult questions, challenging the reliance on surveys to provide useful data and pushing teams to consider how they could be authentic in their approaches to DEI.

“The future is bright,” Davis said. “These are freshmen talking about some very difficult challenges we’re all facing. They came up with a lot of great solutions that we can take home, discuss further and refine.”

The extracurricular project and case competition were led by Marcia Kwaramba and Stacey Edgar, both faculty in Leeds’ social responsibility and sustainability area. The project, including prizes for the student teams, was supported by the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Grant from CU’s Office of Academic Affairs.

Why Leeds Undergraduate Programs Financial Aid and Scholarships

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A Wealth (Management) of Expertise: Alumnae, Recruiters Share Industry Insights at Leeds

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:45:01 +0000

A Wealth (Management) of Expertise: Alumnae, Recruiters Share Industry Insights at Leeds Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/22/2022 - 09:45

Female financial planners encourage students to explore opportunities within a dynamic discipline.

Diane Hirschhorn, left, emphasizes a point during her talk as fellow panelist Raquel Hinman (Fin'92), founder and principal of Hinman Financial Planning, listens. More than 100 students registered for the event, a discussion and networking session for prospective financial planners.

Like many aspects of finance, wealth management has long been a male-dominated field. But that’s starting to change, and alumnae from the ��«��Ƶ are helping to rewrite that narrative.

“When you see this industry portrayed on TV or in the media, you don’t see a lot of women,” said Maeve Schmid (Bus’18), a certified financial planner at Mercer Advisors. “But that’s definitely changing, especially as more women see what a good career this is to be in, long term.”

Schmid was among 50 advisors who attended a panel discussion and networking event on women in wealth management at the Leeds School of Business in early March. More than 100 students registered for the opportunity to meet with professional wealth managers and learn more about the school’s certificate program in personal financial planning.

The panel discussion featured three women in wealth management, who shared their perspectives on the growing opportunities for women in this space, especially as a result of demographic changes that have challenged women to be more involved in their investment planning.

The panelists spoke about the value of relationship development, which they said is increasingly important in connecting with younger investors who may be new to financial planning. At the same time, said Nancy Falkenberg Tuck, you have to be comfortable speaking to that younger audience.

“The students here are exceptional. We've hired a couple of people from the program ... and every single one has been above and beyond.”

Maeve Schmid, certified financial planner, Mercer Advisors

“Be able to talk about things like cryptocurrency, and communicate efficiently with clients using tech and social media,” said Tuck, co-founder and managing director of Lyell Wealth Management. “Be comfortable with putting yourself out there to position yourself in wealth management.”

That also means investing time in building those relationships, a strategy Diane Hirschhorn said helped her advance her career when she struggled to break into the industry 20 years ago.

“In this way, I ultimately didn’t have to look for clients, but rather ended up having to turn them away for my other priorities,” said Hirschhorn, a lecturer at CU ��«��Ƶ with experience at Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and First Republic.

Strong alumni turnout

Harry Starn, director of the PFP program at Leeds, said he was energized by the turnout from both industry and students, noting that many of the invited guests were alumni who had completed the program.

“Our alumni know the value of the education here and the strength of this network,” Starn said. “Our students gravitate right to them, because they were in their shoes a couple years ago. And for the firms, that pipeline is important because they get youth and access to all this knowledge.”

That was certainly the case for Schmid, whose table was overrun with students seeking insight on careers in the discipline.

“The students here are exceptional,” she said. “I was part of the first class to graduate from this program, and it’s really nice to see where it’s gone since then. And we’ve hired a couple of people from the program since then, and every single one has been above and beyond.”

The PFP program at Leeds is a six-course certificate that prepares students to sit for the prestigious CFP exam. The courses cover estate planning, portfolio management, retirement planning and more.

“The industry is clamoring for women advisors,” Starn said. “By 2030, there will be something like $30 trillion in the hands of women—the firms need female advisors to engage with those potential clients.”

Where women can make an impact, he said, is in forming relationships with potential customers. That was a major theme for the panelists. Raquel Hinman, founder and principal at Hinman Financial Planning, said helping to design solutions for her clients is the most gratifying part of her work.

“It feels good to help people find joy in their life and find financial resolution,” she said.

Why Leeds Personal Financial Planning certificate End the Gap

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Diversity & Inclusion

Shaping the Future Through a Sense of Place

A storied past

Lessons leading to a career

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Implications for business

Understanding the past to shape the future

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Shaping the Future Through a Sense of Place

A storied past

Lessons leading to a career

Opportunities for progress

Implications for business

Understanding the past to shape the future

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