Marsh McLennan Black MBA Fellowship Fuses Social Justice, Business Lessons

Insurance broker and professional services firm Marsh McLennan has launched a global MBA fellowship program in partnership with the National Black MBA Association and Fisk University.

The program, called RISE (racial inclusion and social equity), will provide second-year Black MBA candidates and graduates in the U.S., UK and Canada with a curriculum of practical business knowledge and tools for advocating for social justice within a business environment.

The fellows will participate in a social justice program through the John Lewis Center for Social Justice at Fisk University, one of the nation’s historically Black colleges, followed by an eight-month paid fellowship incorporating thought-leadership and mentorship from Marsh McLennan executives and NBMBAA leaders. NBMBA has more than 20,000 members.

The first cohort will begin in September 2021, completing the program in May 2022.

“We’re committed to the principle of responsible capitalism and doing business in ways that generate a more just and compassionate world,” said Dan Glaser, president and chief executive officer, Marsh McLennan.

As part of RISE, Marsh McLennan’s Executive Committee will participate in a social justice module at Fisk University. “Our leaders are committed to cultivating a culture in which different experiences and perspectives are valued and celebrated,” said Carmen Fernandez, senior vice president and chief People officer, Marsh McLennan. Fernandez said the RISE executive module will immerse the leaders in a social justice agenda, “helping them more fully embrace their roles as inclusive leaders.”

Nzinga Shaw, chief Inclusion & Diversity officer, Marsh McLennan, said the firm hopes to foster a new generation of executives who will be leaders in business and make industries more equitable. “Every successful business leader needs to understand the dynamics of risk, people and strategy issues. Increasingly they need to be fluent in the intersection of business and social justice as well,” Shaw said.

“Black MBA candidates have a rich set of experiences to bring to the professional services sector,” said Vann Newkirk, Sr., president of Fisk University. “It will be exciting to see how these cohorts of fellows implement a social justice agenda within their careers and beyond.”

Source: RISE