(February 21, 2022)
Dear Kellogg Community,
I hope this message finds you well and in good health. I’m writing today to share a Kellogg Inclusion Coalition (KIC) update, which provides a brief overview on our diversity, inclusion and equity progress at your Kellogg School of Management.
We remain focused on fostering an environment where our community members feel they belong here, are respected, and fully supported to be their best selves. We are intent on ensuring this transpires every single day. Thus, fostering continual improvement lies at the core of how Kellogg approaches its programmatic efforts.
Currently, I have commissioned a group of MBA students through the Dean’s Consulting Alliance (a for-credit course) to conduct an examination of how KIC can be re-imagined in service of amplifying its potential impact. I am excited to receive the team’s recommendations at the end of this quarter, and I look forward to acting on their insights to the greatest extent possible!
While there continues to be much work to do and many barriers to break down, I want to share some highlights of progress across the community:
We’ve added two new courses to the DEI Pathway, which prepares students to lead in diversity, equity and inclusion — whether they are building a diverse workforce, having difficult conversations regarding equity or ensuring inclusive experiences for all employees. The first course, “Leading With Empathy,” is designed to enhance emotional intelligence with an emphasis on empathy such that one can become more effective when interacting with and leading others in diverse settings.
The second course, “Venture Equity Investment Program,” educates students on the challenges facing companies founded and led by underrepresented leaders. The course includes both academic and experiential learning opportunities with companies led by underrepresented founders. Students will provide consultative services and help businesses seek investments from the program’s dedicated venture equity investment fund.
Kellogg faculty members continue to explore and be recognized for their path-breaking research and industry-shaping thought leadership to help us better understand the dimensions of diversity, equity and inclusion, including:
Ivuoma Ngozi Onyeador, Assistant Professor of Management & Organizations, explores how organizations can move beyond implicit bias training and develop a set of evidence-based recommendations for a robust, multifaceted approach to achieving diversity goals. She was recently recognized by The Society of Personality and Social Psychology with the SAGE Early Career Trajectory Award for outstanding achievements by early career scholars in social and personality psychology.
Nicholas Pearce, Clinical Professor of Management & Organizations, is the recipient of the 2021 Ideas Worth Teaching Award by Aspen Institute’s Business & Society Program for his class “Beyond Diversity: The Fundamentals of Inclusive Leadership.” Throughout this course, students are encouraged to examine the implications and impact of bias on society.
Mohanbir Sawhney, Associate Dean of Digital Innovation and the McCormick Foundation Chair of Technology, co-authored a white paper entitled “Fostering Inclusive Growth: How Digital Tools Benefit Entrepreneurs from Marginalized Groups,” which synthesizes findings across countries, highlighting both similarities and nuances in the experiences of minority entrepreneurs.
Suzanne Muchin, Clinical Associate Professor of Leadership Development & Communications, is the recipient of the 2022 American Jewish Committee’s Human Rights Medallion Award along with her husband David Brown. They were designated to receive the award in recognition of their efforts to build a more enlightened and compassionate society.
Kellogg students, faculty, staff and alumni continue to create opportunities for the community with great energy and dedication to improve the inclusion experience at Kellogg. Just a few examples include:
We continue to forge ahead with initiatives to advance DEI. Some of the immediate work underway includes:
I encourage each of you to find ways to further our commitment to fostering an inclusive community for all.
Sincerely,
Bernie
Bernard B. Banks ’08
Associate Dean for Leadership Development and Inclusion