Reaching Out MBA Announces 2017-18 Fellowship Class

Reaching Out MBA, the only international organization committed to educating, inspiring, and connecting LGBTQ MBA students and professionals, has released its 2017-2018 fellowship class. The group includes 56 top young LGBTQ and ally scholars from 35 business schools in the United States, the U.K. France and Canada.

Reaching Out's LGBTQ MBA Fellowship recipients each receive a minimum of $10,000 in scholarship support per academic year or $20,000 in total scholarship funds from participating business schools. They are also given access to Reaching Out's robust mentorship and leadership development programming available exclusively to them. The 2017-2018 Fellowship Class will collectively receive more than $3,000,000 during their MBA experience.

"Our fellowship program attracts bright, up-and-coming LGBTQ and ally business students who are poised for greatness in the corporate world," said Reaching Out MBA Executive Director Matt Kidd. "It's our job to guide them toward the resources, the mentors and the opportunities to connect with powerful and influential business leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity and promised to recruit top LGBTQ and ally talent. We are elated to welcome our new class and usher in our third year of this burgeoning academic initiative."

This year's fellowship class includes LGBTQ and ally students from around the United States, as well China, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, and Vietnam. Selected fellows must demonstrate strong academic skills and the capacity to be leaders for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. In addition to financial support from participating schools, LGBTQ MBA Fellows receive benefits designed to: spotlight their credentials for Reaching Out's 95-plus corporate partners; connect them to a network of 10,000-plus peers and alumni that extend beyond their campus; and allow them to develop as out LGBTQ and active ally leaders.

Class of 2018 fellow Ray Phua (Columbia Business School) expressed gratitude for one of the many facets of the program:

"I underestimated how much the 48-hour ROMBA Fellow Retreat would really mean to me. It is incredible to walk away from those two days with a community of almost 40 LGBTQ MBA individuals from unique backgrounds who all have a passion for elevating the LGBTQ community. And, to see these individuals on multiple occasions in different cities, with bright smiles and warm hugs, has broadened my sense of community. I am so grateful for how impactful this program has been for me," he said.

The program began in 2014 with 25 fellows and 18 business schools. Reaching Out MBA has announced that 41 schools will award Fellowships as part of the 2017- 2018 application cycles.

Read fellow bios here: http://www.reachingoutmba.org/Fellows2019

For information about the program and a list of participating MBA programs, visit: http://www.reachingoutmba.org/lgbtmbafellowship.