How much do the members of the Berkeley MBA for Executives class of 2016 believe in the power of going Beyond Yourself? Enough to provide an EMBA fellowship to help “future alumni” participate in the program.
“From the beginning, our class lived by the motto, ‘leave no one behind,’” according to Liz Lowry, vice president of Business Development at INgrooves Music Group and the class VP for Alumni Relations. “We support one another through everything from missed class sessions to marriages, deaths, and births,” she notes.
“When it came time to discuss our class gift, we solicited our classmates for thoughts on ways we could Question the Status Quo and leave a lasting legacy as Berkeley Leaders,” says Liz (pictured above at the fellowship campaign kickoff). “We decided on a needs-based fellowship, with a goal of ensuring no future EMBA would be left behind because of financial need.”
The amount of the fellowship had to be “meaningful enough to make a difference in someone’s decision-making process about enrolling,” Liz recalls. “We also wanted it to endure over time. The committee overseeing the class gift asked each student to donate $1,000. The response was overwhelming. The class raised $73,452, directly and through employer matching gifts, to provide a $25,000 Beyond Yourself Fellowship. The amount raised, Liz says, is further testament to just how much she and her classmates value each other and their Berkeley-Haas experience.
The first applicants will be from the incoming class of 2018. Members of the EMBA 2016 class will review the applicants’ personal statements, however the final recipient will be chosen by the Financial Aid and Admissions offices. “My classmates and I may never know who receives our fellowship,” Liz adds. “The recipients may not want to reveal themselves, and that is absolutely fine with my classmates and me. This isn’t about drawing attention to the EMBA 16 class. The goal of the fellowship is to ensure another EMBA student can share the incredible camaraderie and Berkeley-Haas education that we all cherish.”
The Beyond Yourself Fellowship is one of two fellowships available to prospective Executive MBA students, along with financial aid from outside sources. Visit the Haas Financial Aid website for complete information, including timelines, or schedule a consultation with the Admissions Office.