Schools of Business award eight Corporate Fellowships for 2010 MA in Management class

Wake Forest University Schools of Business has awarded eight Corporate Fellowships to students in the 2010 class of the MA in Management program.

Students receiving the scholarships, which include full tuition and a $21,000 stipend to cover living expenses, represent eight colleges and universities, including Wake Forest.

Recipients of the Corporate Fellowships are: Evan Raleigh, Wake Forest; Reyna Camps, Stanford University; Lauren Collins, the University of Florida; Angelina Darrisaw, Davidson College; Nicholas Melvin, Brown University; Chris Sanders, Harvard University; Alex Willis, Vanderbilt University; and Najah Woodby, Emory University.

The Schools of Business are strongly committed to building a student body that reflects the diversity found in the marketplace. The school believes that all students receive a richer, fuller education and are better prepared for the challenges and sensitivities of the workplace when they are exposed to different backgrounds and points of view.

Dean of Business Steve Reinemund, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, has made it a priority to promote diversity and inclusion throughout the business world, receiving national awards for those efforts, including the National Equal Justice Award from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. At Wake Forest, one of his first orders of business was to create and implement more meaningful ways to increase diversity among the student body.

“In a globalized economy such as ours, the most fundamental thing that business schools can do is turn out exceptional leaders who represent the diverse population of the United States and the world,” Reinemund said.

The school partnered with leading companies to offer the Fellowships. The corporate partners for 2010 are: Alex Lee, Inc., BB&T, Flow Automotive, Frito-Lay, Hanesbrands, Inc., Primo Direct, Reynolds American, and VF Corporation.

Fellowship recipients also receive personal mentoring by an accomplished business leader from their partner company, have the opportunity to engage in a professional business environment, and have the potential to receive a job offer at graduation. Fellows must also complete a Fellowship Practicum, which provides valuable hands-on experience that complements and enhances the classroom education. Students make several visits to the sponsor company to complete assignments related to specific areas of business.

The Wake Forest MA in Management is an intense 10-month program that transforms students into well-rounded young professionals equipped with the specialized knowledge and experience that companies actively seek. It is a pre-experience master’s program specifically designed for recent liberal arts, sciences or engineering graduates who want to learn business fundamentals before beginning their careers. The program was first offered at Wake Forest University in 2006. A total of ninety-one students arrived for orientation activities on Monday, July 20, and officially began their academic year last week.

The 2010 class represents 37 undergraduate colleges and universities from 18 states and two countries, including 36 students who earned bachelor’s degrees from Wake Forest. By comparison, the 2009 class was composed of students from 10 undergraduate schools representing seven states.