Female M.B.A. students aim to increase their numbers in b-school and the workplace

Oct. 24, 2006 -- The balance of power in law and medical schools in the past 20 years has shifted; women now represent at least half — if not more — of the students enrolled. During this same period, M.B.A. programs haven't experienced the same rapid rise in gender parity.

However, that is beginning to change, and the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis is leading the charge in making business schools as much a woman's place as a man's.

As a pioneer of this trend, the Olin School of Business is hosting the National Association of Women M.B.A.s (NAWMBA) National Conference and Career Fair November 3-5 at the Knight Center, Simon Hall and other venues on Washington University's campus.

Sponsoring the NAWMBA conference isn't the only sign of Olin's commitment to encouraging women in business. The school was recently invited to become a member of the Forté Foundation, a consortium of leading business schools, companies and nonprofit groups that encourages women in M.B.A. programs and business enterprises to pursue leadership positions.

On average, women account for 20 percent of most business school's enrollment. Olin has consistently attracted about 30 percent in recent years, which reflects the school's support for women — a factor that many women consider when choosing where to go to school.

"Within weeks of starting school, I found other women and administrators reaching out to me, encouraging me to get involved," said Danette Wilson, a second-year M.B.A. student and co-chair of the NAWMBA conference. "There's no bureaucracy at Olin that prevents us from pursing new ideas or activities. If anything, faculty and staff seem eager to act as a resource for us."

That flexibility helped Wilson and the other NAWMBA conference organizers, co-chair Ian Myszenski, M.B.A. '07, and chapter president Jennifer Miller, M.B.A. '07, coordinate a conference that is stacking up to be the largest NAWMBA conference to date.

The organizers expect about 800 people to attend the conference from across the United States. The conference is attracting buzz in the business community as well, as more than 60 companies are helping to sponsor the event and bringing recruiters to the career fair.

Breakout sessions include CEOs, entrepreneurs and professional consultants discussing everything from corporate social responsibility to venture capital to negotiation skills.

Keynote speakers include Kristen Pederson, partner in strategic growth and market development leader at IBM, and Kim Malone, director of online sales and operations for AdSense Online at Google. Maxine Clark, Build-a-Bear Workshop founder and chief executive bear and chairman, will top the affair delivering the keynote address at a dinner at the Chase Park Plaza.