We spoke to a female student and faculty member from American University’s Kogod School of Business about how the school is supporting its female MBAs
A report from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) last year showed that applications to graduate business programs are growing among women—in fact, 45% of applicants to US business schools are women, more than for programs in Europe and Asia.With business schools training the next generation of business leaders, it’s important that women are well-supported.
In The Princeton Review’s 2018 business school ranking, placed fourth in resources for women, and third in opportunities for minorities.
Caroline Bruckner is managing director of the Kogod Tax Policy Centre at the business school and has experienced first-hand how Kogod actively seeks to help both female student and faculty.
“Particularly with respect to entrepreneurship and business research, Kogod is a school that uniquely prioritizes research about how women can succeed in business,” states Caroline.
“We have some of the top researchers in the country looking at novel areas of business, and because we’re in Washington, DC, we can communicate the findings of our research to the government immediately and, where possible, look for policy solutions,” she adds.
Opportunities for women MBAs
Before joining Kogod as an executive-in-residence and managing director of the Tax Policy Center, Caroline worked in the private sector as an attorney in private practice—“almost entirely surrounded by men in authority roles,” she recalls—before transitioning to the public sector and working for US Senator Mary Landrieu.
“This was an incredibly formative experience,” Caroline says, “because I learned a lot about how tough it is to be a woman in power, navigating male-dominated industries and ecosystems.”
Now, Caroline is one of only a few women in the entire country who runs a Tax Policy Center, and her research is focused specifically on women business owners in the US and how tax policy unfairly favors male entrepreneurs.
She says she’s grateful for the opportunities has given her to pursue this “under-considered” area of tax policy.
“Having a platform is crucial to be able to consider ideas that impact underrepresented groups in terms of business research—Kogod has given me the platform to raise these issues,” she explains.
Ultimately, Caroline says, business schools should be focusing on how to do as much as possible for the women in their MBA communities.
“Bringing together successful women alumni for students is one thing, and hiring and promoting more women educators is another,” Caroline muses.
“Business schools should also be funding research into women in business, and supporting faculty who do this kind of work—and those are all things that Kogod is committed to doing in my experience.”
Women supporting women
Nav Sandhu (pictured) is a student currently in the full-time MBA program at Kogod, and has been overwhelmed by the help and opportunities afforded to her.
“I got to speak to some of Kogod’s professors before starting the program, and they were very helpful. When I started the MBA, I got that same response from the professors,” she explains.
Nav is also the co-president of Kogod’s Women in Business Club, an organization dedicated to promoting networking and mentorship opportunities for women in the MBA community at Kogod—something that Nav thinks is crucial for women to boost their careers in the male-dominated business industry.
“Being co-president of the club, I’ve seen first-hand how Kogod is very supportive of women overall, and especially promoting women in leadership,” Nav says.
“Kogod specifically put me in touch with a female alum of the school who is now a manager at Goldman Sachs, and I think that’s really valuable,” she adds. “If you don’t have any contacts in the business world, it’s helpful to have a mentor and learn from another woman who’s been through it.”
Taking one of Caroline’s classes in her first year of her , Nav learned about the importance of female mentorship and supporting other women in business.
“I realized that the opportunities that women can extend to each other once we’re in those roles are huge,” Nav recalls. “For women to get loans for small businesses, it’s way tougher than for male business owners. The only way to eliminate that is if we’ve got women in positions to make business decisions.
“As a woman, you can understand how hard it is to be in the male-dominated business sphere, and consequently prioritize helping other women. It matters for promotion, and it matters for building a professional network. You can’t succeed or get promoted if you don’t have someone who is supporting you and championing you.”
This is a feeling Nav asserts she has experienced at Kogod. The university as a whole, Nav explains, goes out of its way to make sure there’s inclusion in all aspects, especially in terms of opportunities for women.
"At Kogod, we've got lots of opportunities for women, and even for other minorities, to take advantage of—for example, they invite employers in who are also really engaged with women," she asserts.
"Kogod does a really good job at engaging with their female students, and it's the school's duty to do that. If you've got these students, you’ve got to support them."
Student Reviews
Kogod School of Business - American University
Clean and well maintained campus
I am completely enamored with this school. The entire student body is driven, inclusive, and highly intelligent. The decision to attend American University is not made haphazardly. Its close proximity to Washington DC, making it one of the most strategically located schools after Georgetown, means it's just a short train ride away. The campus is well-maintained, with mostly attractive buildings, although there are a few that are less appealing. Additionally, there are numerous excellent food options available. The wide range of clubs and organizations to join is remarkable. It is undeniably a school filled with immense passion.
City life
I’m having a wonderful time at American University. I love that I can get to a big city and still feel like a traditional campus. Sincerely, it is a school that may require some adjusting to, but in the end, it is a very good school with numerous opportunities for its students. The atmosphere in AU is so great that it pushes you in a positive way and offers every opportunity you could want.
Amazing helpful professors
American College is an incredible school with astounding teachers. Best professors I could have asked for at an amazing school. My opinion is that American University's professors are its greatest asset. They are extremely intelligent and always eager to assist their students. They go above and beyond in their classes to make sure that their students do their best.
AU Review
The workload is quite high and AU is definitely not an "easy" school. Students take their studies very seriously and can almost always find a group in the library, DAV, Starbucks or MGC. Courses can be quite ambitious if the right courses are offered and the admissions process can be confusing at times, but with the help of an advisor it is quite easy to navigate. The library can be crowded, and while it's not huge, there are plenty of other places to study on campus. The professors really want to help during office hours and interact with students. I've had good experiences with the professors and workload at AU, but it's an expensive city.
Majoring in Political and International Relations
The instructors are unique and the classes can be boring at times. Check-in is stressful (but it is everywhere). The workload is what I expected. The most popular majors are international relations and political science
I Love Being A Musical Theater Major
I love being a musical theater student, if you want to help behind the scenes, if you want to be an assistant director, if you want to be a director, if you want to write, you can do anything at this academy, very supportive, it's amazing, they are always there to help you. This is their working time. Even after the audition tells you what you did wrong, you can do better, or if you get picked, you know why they picked you, which is great
AU's Business Model
Overall, there were a lot of good opportunities at UA, both in terms of course range and faculty. However, I had a few complete misfires. People who shouldn't have taught at all. Like all universities, AU's business model is to hire hands-on assistants so they don't have to pay them extra or perform well. They are signed and if that does not work, they are not hired any more. The problem with this is that you end up with people who are unqualified and bring their own agendas, biases that may or may not be based on research. Most of the professors were absolutely fantastic.
AU - The Real Problem With Academics
Some teachers are amazing, some awful - typical of any school. But the real problem with AU is that many students don't care about academics as much as other things (eg, partying). The academics are really interrupted by the Greek life and the social life of the students. This makes it difficult for students interested in academics to get the most out of their school experience. Some students do not take classes seriously and do not respect teachers and other students. Courses and opportunities at UA are perfect for people who want to take advantage
American University - The Best Place to Study
They know their stuff - I chose American University because the campus is beautiful and the biology program is relatively small. But after the first semester, I realized that all the professors, especially the people in the science department, are experts in their field. They are enthusiastic and helpful in lecturing; even the TAs who teach the labs are amazing and engaging.
Engaging Students and Incredible Professors
I would 100% recommend this school. I am a Marine Corps Veteran and proud AU alum. NI received my BA in Comparative Politics at AU in 2017. It was engaging and worth every minute. I was constantly engaged with the material the material and was fascinated by the culture the school presented. As an older student I was nervous to go to a highly competitive college but with the culture of both student and staff it was enjoyable through and through.
