Smith Takes Leadership Role at Reaching Out Conference

MBA students and career coaches at the Robert H. Smith School of Business were highly involved in making the recent 2008 Reaching Out Conference a major success. "Reaching Out" is the largest annual conference of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) graduate business school students. From Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 2008, nearly 1,000 students, business leaders, and recruiters gathered at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. to network and celebrate diversity.

The conference presented a dynamic line-up of industry speakers and workshop panelists representing all sectors of the business community, from finance and marketing to government and the arts. The conference also featured several new elements, including a dedicated career management center headed up by Smith’s Office of Career Management; a mentorship program to encourage lasting relationships between students and professionals; and a series of panels focused on corporate social responsibility, international LGBT challenges, and the business implications of the presidential election.

Second-year MBA student Dan Figg, president of the Smith Pride Alliance, was instrumental in coordinating all of Smith’s efforts for this conference. “Reaching Out was an exciting opportunity to connect with other sexual minority MBA's and professionals,” remarked Figg. “Although there were a number of really great employers at the Career Fair, it was not overcrowded, which made for about as relaxed an atmosphere as you can expect at this kind of event.” 

A team of Smith students, consisting of Figg, Rebecca Sawyer and Johnny Hsu, entered in a case competition. And although the Smith team did not place, they all found the case competition – and the conference itself – to be a worthwhile experience.
 
Pete Baird, MBA Candidate 2009, Smith Media Group