Host the 2009 Conference

Be a Leader in Business and in the LGBT Community — Apply to host Reaching Out 2009!

Founded in 1999, the Reaching Out LGBT MBA Conference is an entirely student-organized event. The 2009 conference will be the twelfth since its inception, and its evolution has relied of the vision and innovation of current MBA students. A core team made up of students from two or three host schools work together to plan and coordinate all aspects of the conference. Reaching Out MBA’s board of directors, composed entirely of past organizers, provides institutional memory and is available to advise as needed.

Corporate enthusiasm and support for the event has never been stronger. More than 80 companies sponsor the event, and the conference continues to be a prime venue for the recruitment of full time, part time, and executive MBA students by the world’s leading companies who support LGBT equality.

“Organizing the Reaching Out Conference was the single best experience of my MBA career. It gave me the opportunity to interact with the management of top companies, meet hundreds of other LGBT individuals from around the country and build a powerful network of colleagues at other business schools. As the organizing committee has full responsibility for the conference, we were able to innovate, expand the reach of the conference, and help strengthen LGBT leadership in business. There is no better way to grow professionally than to have that degree of authority and ownership.”

Sarah Singer, MBA Kellogg Class of 2005
Reaching Out MBA Conference Organizer, Chicago 2005

Organizing the Reaching Out LGBT MBA Conference is about…

Leadership
• Direct and coordinate one of the premier MBA events in the world connecting nearly 1,000 LGBT MBA students and professionals from an array of industries and sectors.
• Join a dynamic team of MBA student peers with the authority and responsibility to shape all aspects of the conference. You will:
  • Define the conference’s thematic focus and direction
  • Develop and launch the marketing plan
  • Maintain ongoing relationships with corporate sponsors and solicit new sponsorships
  • Shape the conference program
  • Build relationships with high-profile speakers and executives
  • Manage all operational decisions and logistics, including budget decisions
  • Expand the event’s reach into new industries and world regions
  • Continue a tradition of innovation and excellence as you lead Reaching Out 2009.

Networking
• Develop professional relationships with LGBT business leaders and allies from the world’s leading companies and organizations.
• Build a powerful network of peers at business schools across the country and around the world.
• Show prospective employers that you are a leader, both professionally and in the LGBT community.

Growth
• Gain real-world marketing, fundraising, financial management, program development and project management experience while fostering LGBT equality in the workplace.