Lauren Black, class of 2019 accounting and information systems double major, writes about the Women’s Empowerment Institute at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Only 6.4 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. Out of these 32 women, zero are African American or Hispanic. As a minority woman, there are countless challenges facing leaders in a male-dominated climate. To address these concerns, the Women’s Empowerment Institute was born.

Retired KPMG partner Terry Iannaconi, MBA ’78, did not start her career looking for a fight. As a college graduate in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, she just wanted a job. Her grades earned her an interview with one of the big accounting firms at the time, but the hiring managers made a false assumption when they screened her résumé.

The Forté Foundation this week reports women’s full-time enrollment in MBA programs is 35 percent and higher in fall 2015 at “16 elite business schools.” This includes the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, where women comprised 38 percent of the enrollment, up from 34 percent the previous year. 

School to Announce ‘50/50 by 2020’ Plan at Community Event  COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Feb. 16, 2015) — Women remain underrepresented in MBA programs across the United States, but the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business is pledging to close the gap within five years. The school will announce its 50/50 by 2020 Pledge on March 23, 2015 (rescheduled from March 5 due to inclement weather), during the school’s fourth annual Women Leading Women symposium and International Women’s Day celebration.

Roundabout Path No Role Model, No Excuse  A business mentor would have been helpful for Cara Weikel, MBA ’12, during her high school or undergraduate studies. “My skills and my interests were well-aligned with business,” she said. “I just had no idea. Business just was not on the radar because I had no role models at all in business.”

Work-Life Harmony Manager Learns to Blend Multiple Roles  Sherika Shaw Ekpo, MBA ’09, made her time count at Smith. She was the first in her class to secure an internship offer and the first to secure a job offer, and she did this while working 20 hours a week on campus. She also brought together students from the full-time, part-time and executive programs as president of the Smith Association of Women MBAs. By the time she graduated, she had competing job offers to consider.

Smith will take center stage Oc. 9-11, 2014, when female business leaders and students from around the world gather for the MBA Women International Conference and Career Fair in Washington, D.C.

Thinking Globally International Perspective Shapes Gender Discussions Chinese expatriate Stella Liu, MS ’13, had the full support of her parents when she arrived in the United States to study business at the Smith School. “My parents seldom hinder my decisions,” she said. “There was no one standing in my way.”

The Reluctant Radical Boundary Spanner Puts Civil Rights Act to the Test Retired KPMG partner Terry Iannaconi, MBA ’78, did not start her career looking for a fight. As a new college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, she just wanted a job in 1965. Her grades earned her an interview with one of the Big Eight accounting firms at the time, but the hiring managers made a false assumption when they screened her resume.

A New Norm Rising Generation of Women Shifts the Conversation Fulbright Scholar Stephanie Graf ’14 never saw herself as a barrier breaker when she came to the Smith School as an undergraduate student. She has an analytical mind and aptitude for business, so she enrolled as a double major in finance and marketing. “Gender never entered my mind,” she said. “All opportunities were equal.” While Graf understands the importance of talking about diversity, she sees a potential downside when conversations dwell too much on old narratives.