Dean Zaheer Discusses Best Practices for Women in Business Schools at White House Meeting

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

On August 5, Carlson School Dean Sri Zaheer met with other business school deans as well as senior administration officials at the White House to sign on to a document describing best practices for women in business schools. This meeting, hosted by the White House Council on Women and Girls and the Council of Economic Advisers, was a follow-up to an earlier meeting at which the group drafted “Best Practices for Business Schools to Lead in Expanding Opportunities for Women in Business and Adapt to the Changing Workforce.” 

“Best Practices” was developed from discussions about the challenges facing business schools as they continue to expand opportunities for women students. This document’s best practice recommendations are summarized as “ensuring access to business school and business careers,” “build a business school experience that prepares students for the workforce of tomorrow,” “ensure career services that go beyond the needs of traditional students,” and “exemplify how organizations should be run.”

About 50 business schools across the country are committing to the best practices, which are now under the purview of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). 

The Carlson School has had a long tradition of supporting and nurturing its female students: the Carlson School will expand several programs that focus on women over the next three years.

Women Mean Business

For the first time this year, the Carlson School hosted 38 high school girls as they explored the world of opportunities that business can offer. The seven-day Women Mean Business leadership experience guided high-achieving girls entering their junior or senior year of high school interested in science, technology, engineering, and math to imagine how their skills translate to business careers in finance, management information systems, and supply chain and operations fields.

MBA Leadership Development Program

The Carlson MBA now offers a two-year program that empowers students to embrace and develop their leadership abilities. The program emerged from research conducted as part of the school’s efforts to better understand the barriers to entry and advancement for women in the workforce.

Women’s Leadership Conference  

The annual Women's Leadership Conference is a forum for leadership and professional development designed to inspire and extend one’s leadership effectiveness today and career aspirations for tomorrow. This event attracts about 400 business-minded women from the upper Midwest.