More than 200 people took part in the GW School of Business Diversity and Allyship Week 2024, which included a workshop in partnership with the Trevor Project exploring facets of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.
The Trevor Project is a suicide-prevention organization focused on LGBTQ+ and young people.
“What we learned in this session was eye-opening from many aspects. When we take the time to understand these important concepts, and use the correct pronouns for others, we create an environment where everyone feels valued and accepted,” said GWSB Chief Diversity Officer Şenay Ağca. “Using correct pronouns reduces risk of depression and suicide by 50 percent.
“It was very helpful to have this workshop as part of Diversity and Allyship Week,” she added.
Diversity and Allyship Week, which ran from Feb. 5-9, opened with a Diversity Roundtable Breakfast attended by representatives of companies and organizations with strong diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments. They discussed their workplace culture and recruitment programs.
In a special episode of George Talks Business, Interim Dean Vanessa G. Perry interviewed Sharifa Anderson, senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer at Fannie Mae. They discussed Fannie Mae’s role in the housing market, as well as equity in homeownership and housing finance. Meanwhile, a Career Town Hall and networking event brought together alumni, employee resource group leaders, employers, recruiters and students to talk about strategies for building diverse professional networks. Personal stories and advice anchored the town hall discussion.
The Women in Global Careers Roundtable, which focused on the tech industry, took place just four days before the Financial Times released new rankings, with the GW School of Business as No. 1 globally for the percentage of women enrolled in its full-time MBA program. Women account for more than 65 percent of the school’s 2025 enrollment, making GWSB one of only three MBA programs around the world and the only one in the United States to surpass the 60 percent mark.
It is the fourth year in a row that the GW School of Business has led U.S. colleges and universities in full-time MBA enrollment of women.
The Women in Global Careers Roundtable was organized by the GW Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER), and the GW Women in Business (GWWIB), GW Women's MBA Association (WMBAA) and GW Forté Fellows student organizations.
Diversity and Allyship Week closed with an Employee Resource Groups Panel moderated by Christina Cherry, Global MBA ’25. Cherry is vice president of external affairs for the Black Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) Association and a Forté Fellow.
Ağca, a professor of finance and chair of the school’s Dean’s Diversity Council, said recurring themes during the week of events included:
- Diverse networks and affinity groups can provide lasting social and professional value.
- Inclusive environments and workplaces can contribute to career growth, domestically and internationally.
- Employee resource groups can bolster workplace inclusivity and innovation by offering networks for sharing experiences and encouraging professional development.
Diversity and Allyship Week is an annual event hosted by the Dean’s Diversity Council and the F. David Fowler Career Center.