Women comprise 30% on average of the nation’s graduate business schools but over 50% of the nation’s undergraduate institutions. What happens between the time a woman receives her bachelor’s degree and the age of 28 (the average age of an MBA student in the full-time program at Darden), is something I think about often. This time period is crucial in a woman’s life: career establishment, marriage and child rearing are a just a few key milestones that often occur between the ages of 22 and 28.
The month of March was National Women’s History Month. I came across the White House Council on Women and Girls and a plethora of programming they offered during the month that I thought were robust in shedding some light on women in the workplace. One program in particular, the Women in Finance Symposium, addressed women’s roles in the economic recovery and challenges to women in the finance field. Secretly, I wished that a few current MBA students had been invited to participate in the symposium because I know some NAWMBA members who would have loved to have been part of the brainstorming breakout session to address some of those challenges. I think this council is doing great things to shed light on the career options that exist for women.
My hope is that young women will explore and consider career fields currently dominated by men. The MBA degree has helped many professionals propel their careers forward and despite what some may think, I believe it offers more flexibility rather than less.
Kellie Sauls
Associate Director of Admissions
Darden School of Business
SaulsK@darden.virginia.edu
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