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This is my second story about my experience with affirmative action. It also includes my personal brush with the issue of student loans. This time i'm not the person getting helped by either. I'm one alum selected to an important alumni Council of my graduate university, Cornell in Ithaca, NY.
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06:11 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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After college, I began my engineering career at an Upper Midwest corporation. I was an affirmative action new hire, but the company made sure not to treat me as part of any special program. They challenged me more than my peers hired at the same time. I worked HARD to be treated as an equal.
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06:18 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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After rising thru the ranks to become an executive at the Midwest company, I was only the 2nd Black woman to soar that high in the businees' core operation of Engineering. All other affirmative action hires during my tenure had been pushed to HR, marketing, sales, or supply chain mgmt.
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06:24 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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My rise to an executive position was blasted internally and in a PR blitz for the company. I became the "face of a new era in the era of diversity and inclusion" a decade before DEI became an American cliche acronym.
I had proven that affirmative action in business works. And works WELL.
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I had proven that affirmative action in business works. And works WELL.
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06:28 AM - Jul 01, 2023
5/16
Two of my male mentors approached me one day after this media blitz and asked me if I would like to return to college on a fellowship for my MBA. All expenses paid. The only caveat? I had less than a week to apply to at least 5 Ivy-League business schools and win college acceptance on my own.
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06:33 AM - Jul 01, 2023
(Edited)
6/16
I accepted my company's offer of a fellowship, worked like a crazed person to get my applications submitted within 7 days, and...
Was accepted at 3 out of the Ivies where I applied. I chose to attend Cornell because of its biz school mantra at the time:
"Servant leadership to all."
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Was accepted at 3 out of the Ivies where I applied. I chose to attend Cornell because of its biz school mantra at the time:
"Servant leadership to all."
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06:36 AM - Jul 01, 2023
(Edited)
7/16
My time at Cornell was challenging as an older non-traditional student, but I once again showed my academic prowess and became a 3.98 out of 4.0 student in my class. Just short of the Honor Society.
If you're wondering why I shared my full GPA, wait. This math is more important than you know.
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If you're wondering why I shared my full GPA, wait. This math is more important than you know.
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06:42 AM - Jul 01, 2023
8/16
I graduated from business school and returned to my company where my career continued to thrive.
A few years later, I got a surprising phone call from a Cornell alumni who also happened to head one of the largest hedge funds in New York City.
"You've been selected to the Council."
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A few years later, I got a surprising phone call from a Cornell alumni who also happened to head one of the largest hedge funds in New York City.
"You've been selected to the Council."
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06:46 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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It's here that I must stop and explain the way college admittance work at Ivy League schools. Everyone thinks the decisions are based on grades, essays, extracurricular activities, test scores, number of seats available, and affirmative action.
There's one more input:
ALUMNI RECOMMENDATIONS.
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There's one more input:
ALUMNI RECOMMENDATIONS.
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06:50 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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Powerful and highly successful ALUMNI carry a great deal of weight when Ivy-Leagues decide who will make it into graduate programs. They have more say than people realize...or that they want the public to know.
I became a member of this group at Cornell.
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I became a member of this group at Cornell.
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06:54 AM - Jul 01, 2023
(Edited)
11/16
My "job" on the Council. was to be the voice of AFFIRMATIVE ACTION for the group. I was to take a look at the Black candidates for the upcoming yr and RECOMMEND who to accept and who to decline.
The Council would then take my recommendations w/everyone else's and...
PUSH for my candidates.
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The Council would then take my recommendations w/everyone else's and...
PUSH for my candidates.
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07:01 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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This final ALUMNI council session to decide on supported candidates was somewhat ugly. How do?
"My legacy candidate comes from a New England family. He's used to snow & cold weather. Cynthia's candidate is from Atlanta where Black people hate snow. Her candidate won't because of the weather."
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"My legacy candidate comes from a New England family. He's used to snow & cold weather. Cynthia's candidate is from Atlanta where Black people hate snow. Her candidate won't because of the weather."
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07:06 AM - Jul 01, 2023
(Edited)
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"My legacy candidate's family donated $10 million to the school last year with a promise for an even larger endowment to come. Cynthia's candidate needs a STUDENT LOAN to finance their attendance at the University. The candidate could use the loan somewhere else."
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07:10 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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"My legacy candidate has a GPA of 3.99. Cynthia's affirmative action candidate has a GPA of 3.97. All other factors being equal, my candidate outranks Cynthia's if WE'RE GOING TO BE FAIR AND OBJECTIVE. Isn't that what equality is all about?"
I'm not making this up, #Spoutible .
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I'm not making this up, #Spoutible .
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07:14 AM - Jul 01, 2023
(Edited)
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I was able to help 20 Black candidates get offers to join the Cornell's business school after doing almost hand-to-hand combat with my fellow alumns.
"You're a worthy opponent. I respect your efforts to help make sure our incoming class remains diverse", said one Wall Street alum.
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"You're a worthy opponent. I respect your efforts to help make sure our incoming class remains diverse", said one Wall Street alum.
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07:19 AM - Jul 01, 2023
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"Without you here, this student selection would not be as diverse. These alumns needed someone to shake them up and debate their candidate selections well", said one university staff member.
"We see we made the right choice for our newest Council member."
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"We see we made the right choice for our newest Council member."
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07:23 AM - Jul 01, 2023
In response to Cynthia Williams.
This is an incredibly powerful & personal examination of the interconnection between affirmative action, diversity equity & inclusion, legacy admissions, & student loans. I'm struck that other members view you as an "opponent," rather than a collaborator because you are the advocate for diversity.
12:36 PM - Jul 01, 2023
In response to Gary A.
Gary, that's an interesting observation. The Council was expected to collaborate and join together once the final list of student applicants was completed. Until that pt, every biz school seat was coveted and looked at individually. A seat in a top B-school leads to riches. Every slot mattered.
03:34 PM - Jul 01, 2023
In response to Marcie Chiarello.
Thanks, Marcie! Now you know that one of the most powerful ways you can influence future generations of college students at your alma mater is by joining an alumni council/committee/taskforce influencing student admissions.
08:30 AM - Jul 01, 2023
