GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
A COMPASS FOR
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION 2021 (VOL. 1)
DEFINING DEI
AT GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH
DIVERSITY
EQUITY INCLUSION
The composition of the student body, staff, and faculty in terms of key demographic and identity groups—often in terms of similarities to and differences from the composition of the larger population. The extent to which treatment of—and allocation of resources for—members of our business school community is fair and transparent. The extent to which members of our community feel heard, respected, and engaged regardless of their demographics, identities, or backgrounds.
FROM DEAN PAUL ALMEIDA Here at Georgetown McDonough, we think a lot about service to others. It is built right into our foundational values—women and men for others—as a Jesuit institution, but it goes deeper than that. Our faculty, staff, and students believe not in business for business’ sake, but in business for impact in the world around them. It is only natural, then, that we all take a hard look at that impact and which members of our school community it reaches. With that in mind, we have placed a new scholarly and strategic emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Starting in October 2020, we convened a Dean’s Office Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Georgetown McDonough, composed of a group of faculty, students, and staff from our school. Their charge: to gather data and report on the state of DEI at the school and make recommendations on where to go next. The report you are reading is one output of that work—an open and transparent baseline on where we are now according to data, as well as our strategic approach to enhancing DEI at Georgetown McDonough. The work is far-reaching and will be ongoing. Diversity champions in the form of the Baker Trust McDonough DEI Fellows are assessing our core curriculum and pedagogy within each area of the school. Our committee leaders have crafted a roadmap to improve everything from the composition of our students, staff, and faculty to our course and co-curricular offerings—all meant to support academic excellence. Each step along the way comes with a plan for both measurement and accountability.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
2
From Dean Paul Almeida DEI by the Numbers
6
The Georgetown McDonough Approach to DEI
8
Action and Accountability
9
Changing Culture from the Ground Up
12
Work in Progress
14
Beyond Awareness to Action
16
Progress in the Plan
17
Stepping Up for Representation
18
Solving Business Problems through DEI
19
How to Get Involved
20
2020–2021 Standing Committee on DEI
Why? Because women and men for others exists alongside equally important values such as community in diversity. And because “others” means everyone, regardless of background or identity. If we are truly to be the best in the world and the best for the world, this work is critical. We ask you to join us on this journey. You can find ways to get involved within this report. Sincerely, Paul Almeida Dean and William R. Berkley Chair Professor of Strategy GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
1
DIVERSITY
In its first year, the DEI Standing Committee researched various data points around the diversity of the Georgetown McDonough community as a baseline for future initiatives and growth as a school. The following provides a snapshot of the past five academic years of data.
BY THE NUMBERS
STUDENTS BY RACE AND ETHNICITY
Undergraduate (Total, 2020–2021: 1,270) American Indian or Alaskan Native
Specialized Masters Programs (Total, 2020–2021: 364)
KEY
2016–2017 2017–2018 2018–2019 2019–2020 2020–2021
Asian Black or African American Hispanic/ Latino
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Black or African American Hispanic/ Latino International, Nonresident
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Two or More Races
Two or More Races
Unknown
Unknown
White
White
15%
30%
45%
60%
75%
MBA (Total, 2020–2021: 883)
0%
KEY
2016–2017 2017–2018 2018–2019 2019–2020 2020–2021
Asian Black or African American Hispanic/ Latino
45%
60%
75%
Hispanic/ Latino
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Two or More Races
Two or More Races
Unknown
Unknown
White
White
45%
60%
75%
2016–2017 2017–2018 2018–2019 2019–2020 2020–2021
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
30%
KEY
Asian
International, Nonresident
2
30%
American Indian or Alaskan Native
International, Nonresident
15%
15%
Executive MBA (Total, 2020–2021: 113)
American Indian or Alaskan Native
0%
2016–2017 2017–2018 2018–2019 2019–2020 2020–2021
Asian
International, Nonresident
0%
KEY
0%
15%
30%
45%
60%
75%
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
All McDonough Students by Sexual Identity
Asexual, 7
Heterosexual, 473
(541 respondents, 2020–2021) Self reported
Prefer Not to Respond, 13 Queer, 10
Gay or Lesbian, 23
Questioning or Unsure, 6
Bisexual, 26
FACULTY
Full-time Faculty by Race or Ethnicity (Total, 2020–2021: 117)
MALE
81
2016–2017
FEMALE
31
2018–2019
34
79
2019–2020
35
81
2020–2021
36
76
2016–2017 2017–2018 2018–2019 2019–2020 2020–2021
Black or African American
28
2017–2018
81
KEY
Asian
Full-time Faculty by Gender
Hispanic/ Latino
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
From 2010–2011 to 2021–2022, the percentage of female full-time faculty increased from 24% to 31%. The percentage of minority full-time faculty increased from 27% to 37%.
White
0%
15%
30%
45%
60%
75%
STAFF
2020–2021 Staff by Gender (131 respondents)
One did not respond
Male: 36.9% (48)
Female: 63.1% (82)
2020–2021 Staff by Race or Ethnicity 16 did not respond International, 3.8% (5)
Black or African American, 12.2% (16) Asian, 9.9% (13)
White, 61.1% (80) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 0.7% (1)
Among speakers at the school’s signature events in 2020–2021
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
38% were women
42%
were minorities or international 3
STUDENTS BY GENDER
Georgetown McDonough strives to move toward greater gender diversity through increased recruitment and retention efforts. Below is a look at the gender breakdown of students over the past five academic years.
Undergraduate
MBA MALE
MALE
FEMALE
809
2016–2017
507
640
812
2017–2018
484
650
813
2018–2019
476
638
811
2019–2020
463
811
2020–2021
459
Executive MBA
4
2018–2019
608
2019–2020
567
2020–2021
MALE
69
2018–2019
2019–2020
2020–2021
104
42
2016–2017
2017–2018
70
346
2017–2018
FEMALE
69
62
333
2016–2017
326 306 315
Master of Science in Finance MALE
60
FEMALE
113
35 142
40 169
46 43
212
FEMALE 2016–2017
2017–2018
2018–2019
2019–2020
2020–2021
35 41 51 61 65
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
46%
46%
of undergraduate student club leaders in 2020–2021 were female
of undergraduate student club leaders in 2020–2021 were minorities
MALE
MALE
FEMALE
25
12
2019–2020
13
Master’s in Management
17 27
FEMALE 2019–2020
14 41
2020–2021
FEMALE
16
2017–2018
19
2018–2019
2019–2020
15
2020–2021
15
Note: The M.A. in International Business and Policy program launched in 2017–2018.
13
2020–2021
MALE
21
17
2018–2019
15
16
12
2017–2018
13
12
14
2016–2017
18
of Georgetown McDonough first-year or transfer students were first-generation students in Fall 2020
M.A. in International Business and Policy
Executive Master’s in Leadership
13
8%
Launched in 2019–2020, The Master’s in Management program jumped from 45% female students to 60% in its second academic year.
Note: The Master’s in Management program launched in 2019–2020.
Master of Science in Business Analytics MALE
37
FEMALE 2020–2021
20
Note: The Master of Science in Business Analytics program launched in 2020–21.
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
Enrollment in the Executive Master’s in Leadership program has been at gender parity two of the past five years and had more women than men in one class. 5
THE GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH
APPROACH TO DEI Longtime McDonough community members Patricia Grant and Michael O’Leary have participated in efforts to improve DEI at the school since before DEI became a widespread movement.
Grant, senior associate dean for the Undergraduate Program, has witnessed the data-backed success of programs such as Smart Start, a McDonough initiative designed to help underrepresented first- and second-year students find success (see page 12 for more on Smart Start’s success). O’Leary, teaching professor and senior associate dean for Custom Executive Education, has helped design programs that draw business leaders from around the world who want to make their workplaces more equitable, and edited the book 60 Years of Alumnae: Memories, Milestones, and Momentum. Now, Grant and O’Leary are helping to develop a systematic approach to DEI at Georgetown McDonough as co-chairs of the school’s Standing Committee on DEI. Below, the two offer perspective about those efforts.
Why is establishing a systematic DEI effort important?
Grant: At the root of it, we’re trying to create an environment where all members of our McDonough
community feel like they have not only a stake, but a place and a sense of belonging that allows them to have a voice that’s recognized and valued. That’s not to say that it doesn’t exist currently, but there are times when different members of our community feel like they are outsiders looking in. That’s true for every organization, but for us, we decided that’s not okay. This is an opportunity for us to address any gaps in our organization.
What framework are you using?
Grant: We’re using a “7 Cs” framing that allows us to have a compass for the work that lies ahead.
It’s an opportunity to recognize that curriculum and co-curriculum have a role to play in addition to our student, faculty, and staff composition. We’re looking at how we approach careers and how we communicate our values and our vision. We’re thinking about how all of those elements create community and culture.
O’Leary: There are aspects of diversity that have to do with people’s identities that are not always
visible. We also have objective measures and legal standards, like those of the AACSB (McDonough’s accrediting organization). We’re working on an approach that takes everything into account.
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GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
The
7Cs of DEI
Composition Communication
Culture
Community
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Careers
Curriculum
Co-curriculum
Our approach includes a central coordinating function and resourcing, which we have through our standing DEI committee. From there, we’re taking a more organic, decentralized approach, recognizing that in academic aspects of the school, changing things like curriculum or culture within a department or area is most successful if it happens from the bottom up. (See page 9 for Baker Trust McDonough DEI Fellows.)
Grant: In many ways, committee members, fellows, and students coming up with ideas around DEI in the curriculum and co-curriculum serve as diversity champions. That’s helped us to marshall resources that weren’t really connected before and hopefully will allow us to be even more systematic as we go forward.
What role do Georgetown’s values play in this?
Grant: We focus on a couple of our core values very keenly: cura personalis and women and men for others.
But as we talk about our DEI efforts, we begin to talk about community in diversity and are also thinking a lot about academic excellence, who that touches, and whether or not it touches all students at present. Academic excellence is not just something on a list—it’s our responsibility as a university to create a learning environment that is equitable, accessible, and inclusive. There are areas to tighten up so all students can achieve the academic excellence they expect from a place like Georgetown.
O’Leary: Being at a Jesuit-based institution, a moral and ethical case is a natural one to make, but I think our faculty also are interested in helping people think about the business case—the reality that companies will be more successful when they focus on DEI issues too. The companies that are hiring our students are very interested in these issues too. They’re interested, by and large, in hiring a diverse group of employees and creating inclusive organizational cultures. So there’s a connection between what we’re trying to do and what one key stakeholder group—employers of our students—is trying to do. GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
7
ACTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Using Georgetown McDonough’s 7 Cs framework for DEI, we have established the following goals and already have begun the associated work for 2021–2022.
COMPOSITION What it means We should recruit, admit, retain, and graduate or promote more diverse students, staff, and faculty, especially in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender.
Our goals
> Increasing the percentage of
BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) students, staff, and faculty
> Increase the percentage of
The work underway
> Analysing and correcting
current sources of imbalance
> Reviewing and revising testing, admissions, and application processes
women students and faculty
> Ensuring diverse admissions
diversity of faculty
> Expanding scholarship
related to diversity
> Improving pipelines for student,
> Significantly increase the
> Increase recruiting capacity
panels
opportunities
faculty, and staff recruitment
COMMUNICATION What it means We should communicate more often and more transparently about the composition of the school and our DEI initiatives, data, and outcomes.
Our goals
> Communicate openly and
transparently about DEI data
> Improve mechanisms for
reporting and addressing incidents
> Actively solicit feedback from staff on issues related to DEI
The work underway
> Publishing this DEI report yearly for easy access to data
> Hosting listening sessions with students, faculty, and staff
> Creating new roles (e.g., a student ombuds role) and channels to address communication
> Creating new DEI Council
bringing together students from all McDonough programs and levels
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GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
CHANGING CULTURE FROM THE GROUND UP The Baker Trust McDonough DEI Fellows program provides resources for six faculty members (one from each academic area), three students, and one staff member, all dedicated to assessing and improving teaching and resources related to DEI within their department or program. The Baker Trust Fellows are committed to:
> Reviewing core undergraduate courses > Identifying creative ways to include more diverse materials
> Identifying opportunities for discussions of diversity, equity, and inclusion
> Supporting faculty who are committed to
enhancing the ways in which they address DEI
CURRICULUM What it means We should increase the number of courses that focus on DEI, the extent to which all courses address it, and the diversity of readings, speakers, resources, and other material used in our classes.
Our goals
> Expand diversity of course content
> Enhance access to DEI
resources for faculty, staff, and students
The work underway
> Reviewing core courses to
identify opportunities for diverse content
> Piloting programs for DEI pedagogy
> Support faculty in DEI
> Ensuring course evaluations
> Develop a uniquely Georgetown
> Creating new Executive in
pedagogy and other initiatives approach to DEI in the curriculum
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
include DEI questions
Residence positions with DEI emphasis
9
“Having a position devoted to our URM students is vital to our DEI efforts, and if we are successful, will have a tremendous impact on the broader business world through their continued success.” —George Comer Director of Underrepresented Minority (URM) Student Support
CO-CURRICULUM What it means Our co-curricular activities and organizations should reflect our commitment to DEI because much of the McDonough experience occurs outside the classroom.
Our goals
> Enhance communication and collaboration among student leaders
> Improve the inclusivity of student clubs
> Expand the diversity of alumni
and others engaged with clubs
> Increase diversity among invited speakers, panelists, and event participants
The work underway
> Reviewing and revising club selection processes
> Tracking/improving diversity of speakers and events
> Helping student organizations
recruit and promote diverse members and leaders, as well as enhance their own inclusivity
> Expand continuing education related to DEI
CAREERS What it means We should ensure the firms and organizations where our students work are as committed to DEI as we are, and we should help each other advance our DEI goals.
Our goals
> Partner to create more
opportunities and scholarships for women and Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students
> Expand recruitment by
companies with strong DEI commitments
> Ensure career-related events
The work underway
> Publicizing and creating
outreach about scholarship and partnership opportunities
> Identifying and expanding firms for recruitment
> Reviewing and revising
processes for career-related events
are inclusive
> Increase learning and
development resources for staff to enhance their careers
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GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
COMMUNITY What it means
Our goals
We should be committed to DEI in our community beyond the Hilltop in ways that enhance DEI through our partnerships, purchasing, and participation.
> Engage alumni as advisers to
increase diversity of speakers, events, and more
> Support vendors who are committed to DEI
The work underway
> Creating vendor-management standards and practices that support DEI commitments
> Identifying, adapting, and
communicating best practices
> Recruiting DEI advisers who are leaders in their own organizations
> Expanding our partnerships
with people and organizations in our community
CULTURE What it means McDonough’s culture should reflect and reinforce our commitment to DEI and our Jesuit values.
Our goal
> Improve culture at the
department, school, and university level through all other aspects of DEI
The work underway
> Creating and hiring leadership roles to lead and focus DEI efforts
> Identifying staff, faculty and students to lead DEI efforts
> Regularly communicating DEI initiatives and data
> Engaging staff and faculty, from all programs in bias-related programming
“Academic excellence is not just something on a list. It’s our responsibility as a university to create a learning environment that is equitable, accessible, and inclusive.” —Patricia Grant Senior Associate Dean for the Undergraduate Program
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
11
DEI
WORK IN PROGRESS The report you hold in your hands is a baseline—a starting point for Georgetown McDonough’s systematic DEI efforts—but work has been underway already, for years in some cases. Read about highlights from our DEI efforts below.
COMPOSITION
A proven Smart Start: Now in its 11th year, the Smart Start program consists of events, workshops, and tools for first- and second-year underrepresented minority students. “If you haven’t been around business or business education, you can be at a disadvantage,” said Patricia Grant, senior associate dean and one of the program’s architects. “This levels the playing field. We’ve seen 100% graduation rates, which is remarkable—and not true for students with the same demographics without this program.” The program is a partnership with PwC, which has become a leader in DEI under the stewardship of Chairman Tim Ryan. Diversifying the student pipeline: Georgetown Reach is a free five-year program that supports underrepresented minority students and their parents from eighth grade through the college application process with expertise and resources. Other efforts to enhance recruiting include hiring Serafina Smith, director of MBA Admissions with a focus on diversity partnerships, and new initiatives. Among the partnerships she oversees are:
> The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
> Forté > Pat Tillman Foundation
> Prospanica > Reaching Out MBA Fellowship > Yellow Ribbon
University Partner
Increasing diversity by program: The percentage of underrepresented minorities among students in Georgetown McDonough’s MSBA program is one of the highest in any such program across the country, including 41% women and 24% U.S. underrepresented minorities. In the Master of Science in Management Program 2022 cohort includes 36% of underrepresented U.S. minorities, 51% are women, and 51% represent overall U.S. diversity.
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GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
COMMUNICATION
CURRICULUM
Foundational analysis: The DEI Standing Committee (see Culture) completed a staff survey and summary of results—meant to drive strategy and tactics for DEI work, including this report and the development of msb. georgetown.edu/dei. Celebrating a milestone: In 2021, Georgetown McDonough published 60 Years of Alumnae: Memories, Milestones, and Momentum, a book surveying the landscape for women at Georgetown and in business since the school’s first female student graduated in 1960. Innovative coursework: In fall 2020, Ella Washington, professor of the practice (see page 18), welcomed the first cohort of MBA students in her course Innovation through Inclusion, designed with a focus on practical problem-solving, dialogue, and critical thinking about DEI issues. DEI at the core: The Baker Trust McDonough DEI Fellows (see page 9) are charged with reviewing and revising undergraduate curriculum from the bottom up. Students envisioning an anti-racist future: Bob Bies, professor of management, has never shied away from social justice. In the past year, he redesigned both undergraduate and graduate courses to put DEI at the forefront and challenge students to develop ideas for a more anti-racist university. “I want to create opportunities for students to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their role in racial equity,” Bies said. DEI across programs: DEI across programs: A two-day opening residency in the Executive Master’s in Leadership program is devoted to responding to other people’s needs and concerns with an inclusive mindset. Master’s in Management courses on statistics, machine learning, fintech, and more include discussions about bias. The McDonough Business Scholars Program leverages the success of the Community Scholars Program led by the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access to offer first-year McDonough students targeted support, academic resources, and co-curricular programming to promote the success and retention of underserved and first-generation college students who pursue studies in the business field.
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
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BEYOND AWARENESS TO ACTION
When Leena Jube (MBA’21) was working with Professor of the Practice Ella Washington (see page 18) to develop the Innovation Through Inclusion course, she landed on a valuable bit of guidance. “It’s not just about being aware of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but it’s about how you use it,” says Jube, who at the time was student government vice president for DEI for the MBA program. Her quote refers specifically to how Washington and team approached building the course for MBA students, but it also applies handily to Jube’s work before, during, and after her time at Georgetown McDonough. Jube previously had a career in brand management, including stints with Dove and Ben & Jerry’s. “I was able to see a lot of social empowerment work. I could see the value in that early in my career. So when it came to school, I was looking for that.” What she found was a chance to explore DEI from a curricular, co-curricular, and cultural perspective. “I had three main goals. One was future-proofing the student experience. Second was driving access for admissions—looking at how to create more opportunities for diverse candidates to engage with Georgetown before coming here. And third was amplifying inclusivity within the classroom and extracurriculars.” In practice, that meant everything from the course design mentioned above to designing DEI-focused content series and bringing special speakers to campus. Jube carried forward her experience to work on Georgetown McDonough’s DEI Standing 14
Committee. And now she’s hoping to apply her knowledge further in a brand-new position with Deloitte, where she’s already been asked to participate in DEI initiatives based on her past work. “I’m so excited, because it’s a thread that’s been there throughout my career,” said Jube. “I’ve formalized this journey. I have an understanding and tools to move others along this journey, step by step.” GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
CO-CURRICULUM
Speakers on campus: The DEI Standing Committee and others continue to work to diversify topics and speakers for campus events. Examples include the DEI Research Speaker series in 2021 and the Stanton Distinguished Leaders Series of 2020–2021. The latter featured an alumnae panel with female entrepreneurs and leaders including Melissa Bradley (B’89), Fatema Dewji (B’10), Jennifer Sheehy (MBA’97), and Regina Wolfe (B’68). An EMBA student also created a Q&A session with diversity consultant Tiffani Donaldson-Berry. Student advisory and affinity groups: Across all of our masters programs, we have an increasing enrollment of veterans. 2018 saw the creation of MSF Women in Finance, followed by MSF Veterans in 2019. Georgetown LGBTQ+ Mentors and Resources (GLMR) rebranded and expanded in 2019. And Georgetown GAMBLE (Georgetown Aspiring Minority Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs), has been a resource for underrepresented minority undergraduates since 2008. McDonough Women similarly advances networking and professional development exposure for undergraduate women in business. BUILD a community: Like Smart Start (see Composition), Business Undergraduates Invested in Leadership Development (BUILD) offers programming and resources for first-year underrepresented minority students. BUILD also exposes those students to the business community around Georgetown before orientation. Students are mentored by upperclass peers. The program enhances community throughout the first year with a series of ReBUILD activities.
CAREERS
The company focus: Career services teams across McDonough highlight companies recognized by employees and outside groups for supporting a diverse workforce, specifically those rated highly for individuals with disabilities, veterans, women, Black and Latinix employees, and LGBTQ+ employees. For example, in 2019, M.S. in Finance began highlighting job and internship postings and events for diverse populations. Venturing into women’s leadership: A study by Different Funds noted that Georgetown is the second-best university in graduating women who lead venture capital firms.
“BUILD made the Hilltop authentic for me. One thing that plagues a lot of students when they come to Georgetown is they overcommit to things they don’t actually want to be involved in because they’re looking for some form of community. BUILD prepped me by giving me my own community before this pressure kicked in.” —Bryce Badger (B’21) BUILD Participant and Coordinator
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
15
PROGRESS IN THE PLAN
When asked about positive progress in DEI at Georgetown McDonough, Kerry Pace, associate dean for MBA programs, points to two recent policy changes. “Number one, all student leaders now do bystander training,” said Pace. “Number two, implicit bias is built into the curriculum.” It’s no mistake Pace focuses on integrating DEI into both curriculum and co-curriculum. She’s been with Georgetown since 1997 and with McDonough since 2013. At the school, she’s responsible for the entire student experience for MBA students, and she has seen DEI progress. “It’s a blessing and a curse that we’ve had so many people here committed and passionate about working in the DEI realm, but it has been in little pockets,” said Pace. “That’s less effective, and there’s no economy of scale. So I’m really optimistic about what the DEI Committee can do looking across the whole school.” Pace and colleague Lisa Kahn, assistant dean of academic affairs, are both members of that committee. Both had been involved in those “pockets” of effort in the past. They’d helped evolve short orientation presentations about bias into a curriculum-based approach. They reached out to management faculty and helped design the Leading Teams for Performance and Impact course, which covers cross-cultural communication, unconscious bias, equity, inclusion, and more from a scholarly perspective.
COMMUNITY
Making a pivot: The Georgetown Pivot Program serves formerly incarcerated individuals with empowerment via education. The certificate program in business and entrepreneurship has a heavy emphasis on practicality. “Pivot graduates confirm the accumulating research that second-chance hires are loyal and committed, resulting in higher productivity and lower turnover. Their successes have positive ripple effects for their families, the local economy, and our entire community,” according to Damian Dwin (B’97), founder and CEO of Lafayette Square and Pivot Program volunteer; Alyssa Lovegrove, teaching professor and academic director for the program; and Pietra Rivoli, professor of finance and international business, writing in the Washington Business Journal.
Both also see the value in a more systematic approach, backed by official resources and support. “That sort of approach gets you closer to moving the needle,” said Khan. “It’s important to not just have the same introductory conversations where you’re getting up to speed, but to cover these issues throughout the student experience. It’s how you make progress with people who have not traditionally been involved, and it helps elevate and amplify new initiatives and projects.”
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GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
STEPPING UP FOR REPRESENTATION CULTURE
Perspectives and analysis: Georgetown McDonough’s Standing Committee on DEI, established in October 2020, consists of students, faculty, and staff. The committee’s analysis and recommendations have been critical to this inaugural report and all DEI efforts. Leadership: The school appointed longtime faculty member George Comer as its first director of underrepresented minority student support. Comer, an associate professor of finance, has been a leader and mentor for underrepresented minority students for years, advising on programs such as Smart Start and serving as co-director for Georgetown Reach (see Composition). The appointment recognizes this leadership and came as a recommendation of the DEI Standing Committee to identify opportunities for DEIfocused leadership within McDonough. A board focus: The Georgetown McDonough Board of Advisors and Parents Advisory Council meetings for 2021 have focused on DEI-related issues. Sharing best practices: Georgetown McDonough and DEI leaders at other business schools—specifically signatories to the CEO Action pledge, such as University of Virginia Darden School of Business, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, and NYU Stern School of Business—developed a collaborative group for sharing best practices and coordinating with AACSB.
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
When Melissa Bradley (B’89) was in school, she felt fortunate. Despite looking around and seeing only one other Black female finance major, she felt welcome because of support from leaders such as Gordon Chavis, assistant director of the Center for Minority Student Affairs, and from a community of underrepresented students looking after each other. After graduating, Bradley’s career focused on promoting and investing in entrepreneurship in historically marginalized communities—a passion she originally found at Georgetown. While continuing her work with Project 500 and 1863 Ventures, she also has returned to the Hilltop as a professor, with the goal of improving the experience and representation of students, and particularly women of color in business on campus. Representation came into play, as well. “I realized the one thing that plagued my experience at Georgetown was a lack of people of color as professors. I had only one, so I figured out how I could improve that myself,” Bradley said in the book 60 Years of Alumnae: Memories, Milestones, and Momentum. It’s why, along with a successful career as an entrepreneur promoting and investing in historically marginalized communities, she also serves as an adjunct professor at Georgetown McDonough. She teaches courses on impact investing, social innovation, and more. “I have become committed to using my financial and business acumen to empower and support historically marginalized communities,” Bradley said. “That has evolved from just Black communities, to LGBTQ communities, to all communities that are marginalized. I also decided I wanted to teach. I wanted to give back.”
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SOLVING BUSINESS PROBLEMS THROUGH DEI
Ella Washington has worked at the intersection of business and DEI for years, from advising global clients on diversity at Ernst & Young to helping build a DEI-focused practice at Gallup from the ground up. When Washington, a professor of practice in management and an organizational psychologist, had the opportunity to join Georgetown McDonough in 2019, she saw the chance to put years of personal and professional experience to work educating future business leaders. She now has served on McDonough’s DEI Standing Committee, reshaped aspects of the curriculum, and is currently serving as a special adviser to the dean. Below, Washington offers perspective on what DEI brings to the business world.
How did you first become interested in DEI as a field of study and work? It comes from personal experience—seeing bias, seeing lack of opportunities, a lack of the ability to bring your authentic self to work. People talk about it, but it’s not a reality to all people. It’s important to recognize that we all have bias. The first way we manage bias is to acknowledge that it exists, and the more you understand it, the more you can manage it. We need to create environments where people can understand their biases, then manage them.
How did the Innovation Through Inclusion course come about? I really wanted to create a course that allows us to think outside the box in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We’re training future business leaders. What do they need? A major component of that is innovation. This course pushes students to think about how DEI can help people and how inclusive teams can bring fresh perspectives to problems. They’re asked to think about an unmet need in a cross-section of an industry. They choose a population or cause or topic, such as gender equity in a particular industry. They must have a foundational understanding of both the topic and the field. But then the task is coming up with a practical proposal to address this inequality. How would you meet this need? How would you change? Doing this work pushes students beyond their normal bounds to contribute to a working environment. 18
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
Since this is an MBA course, does students’ experience come into play? It happens all the time, and I welcome it. That’s the beauty of doing this with MBA students. We’re able to discuss and infuse our lived experiences. Some will say they’ve experienced a certain issue but never talked about it before. It’s uncomfortable. People disagree—we are talking about people and human nature. But here, they enjoy the opportunity to participate and ideate in a safe space.
How might your approach differ for undergraduates? It’s probably less about pushing the boundaries and making sure there’s a foundational understanding for undergraduates. Asking, “What should work feel like?” in a way that benefits from the experiences of the past generation. This next generation, they will never have a time when working from home was not a reality. We’re starting off with them thinking about hybrid teams. How do we prepare them and relearn what it means to be inclusive in a new environment?
Why do you think a systematic approach to DEI so important now? For any organization, you have to have both a topdown and bottom-up approach for DEI to really work. So we’ve had a lot of bottom-up, organic efforts over the years. But the top-down, central effort has been missing. It’s adding a clear vision. It’s adding resources. It’s adding accountability.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED Contact
To learn more about DEI at Georgetown McDonough, or to offer feedback or resources, visit msb.georgetown.edu/dei. Support The McDonough Success Fund was established to support students who are experiencing a financial barrier to their personal, academic, or professional success. The fund, which has supported 200-plus students since April 2019, covers the following areas: academics (such as tutoring and school supplies), global opportunities (such as Global Business Experience and summer study abroad), professional development opportunities (such as conferences and interview attire), and emergency funding (including for family or personal health emergencies). Support the McDonough Success Fund and learn more at msb.georgetown.edu/dei. Learn Read Georgetown McDonough’s ongoing DEI stories and review additional data at msb.georgetown.edu/dei.
The efforts at the student and faculty levels have to continue, of course. That’s where we see impact. But if we want them to be sustainable—through changes in leadership, changes in the student population, changes in the economy—it has to be systematic. Change at the individual level matters, too. People think, “It’s the DEI person’s job,” and don’t see themselves as critical to contributing to change. “I’m a professor, so this doesn’t apply to me.” But it does. Everyone has a role in this change effort.
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
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2020–2021 STANDING COMMITTEE ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Patricia Grant
Co-chair, Senior Associate Dean, Undergraduate Program
Michael O’Leary
Co-chair, Teaching Professor and Senior Associate Dean, Custom Executive Education
Diana Banks
Assistant Dean, Executive Career Center
Mario Ramirez Basora Professor of the Practice
Cristy Breto
Assistant Director of Academic Administration
Ashley Clingman-Jackson (EMBA’22) Victor Jose
Kerry Pace
Associate Dean, MBA Program Office
Neeru Paharia
Associate Professor
Sandra Sirjue
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Dean
Jessica Steinberg
Director of Strategic Operatoins, McDonough Career Services
Xiaoli Tian
Associate Professor
Catherine Tinsley
Raffini Professor and Academic Director, EML Program
William and Karen Sonneborn Associate Professor
Love Victor (B’22)
Leena Jube (MBA’21)
Ella Washington
Lisa Kahn
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, MBA Program
Nick Lovegrove
Professor of the Practice
Rohan Williamson, (ex-officio)
Bolton Sullivan and Thomas A. Dean Chair of International Business and Vice Provost for Education
Professor of the Practice
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GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
Sources: AACSB reporting data, Georgetown McDonough internal data
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
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msb.georgetown.edu/DEI
GEORGETOWN MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I DEI Report 2021
