Demonstrating its commitment to diversity in business education and its focus on meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations, Fisher College of Business was named the Educational Partner of the Year by the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA).

The award, which was presented at the NBMBAA annual conference in Philadelphia, recognizes Fisher’s exceptional support of the NBMBAA and its members for the past 24 years. Dean Anil Makhija and Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Steffanie Wilk delivered a recorded thank you message to the NBMBAA and conference attendees.

“Our partnership with the National Black MBA Association is a critical component to ensuring that all of our students — our future leaders — are equipped with the skills, insights and support to reach back, give back and empower others to make positive and lasting impacts in their communities and our world,” Makhija said. “To be recognized for our longstanding collaboration with an organization whose mission and purpose aligns so closely with ours is an incredible honor.”

David Harrison, director of Fisher’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion Student Services, accepted the award on behalf of the college. Harrison, a NBMBAA member since 1995, is also a past recipient of the organization’s National Member of the Year award and its National Helping Hands Member of the Year honor.

Fisher, which was honored by the NBMBAA in 1999 as its Most Outstanding Educational Institution of the Year, has a long history of engagement with the NBMBAA, its initiatives and events:

• Ohio State has committed to provide more than $400,000 in scholarships for NBMBAA members.
• Eight Ohio State alumni have served as NBMBAA chapter presidents across the country.
• More than 600 graduate and undergraduate students have received financial support from Fisher to attend the NBMBAA national conference.
• Fisher has provided NBMBAA membership registration fees for more than 500 graduate and undergraduate students.
• Fisher is one of a few select institutions home to a charter NBMBAA Undergraduate Student Chapter.
• The NBMBAA’s Columbus Chapter, in partnership with Fisher, hosted the Leaders of Tomorrow National Case Competition in 2008 and 2014, which brought hundreds of minority high school students from across the country to Fisher.

“Fisher College of Business has consistently demonstrated leadership in preparing tomorrow’s leaders by partnering with NBMBAA to further our mission of eliminating economic disparities in minority communities via education and job creation,” said Jesse Tyson, CEO of the NBMBAA and an Ohio State alumnus.

More than 75 Fisher graduate and undergraduate students attended the conference, with several students participating in case competitions hosted by the NBMBAA. First-year MBA student Isaiah Stephenson won a Best Presenter Award, and was joined by teammates Mwelwa (Mel) Kostrick, Rafael Pereyra Duarte and faculty coach Marc Ankerman. The team competed against 33 other teams and was selected as a top-10 finalist in the highly competitive competition.

Members of the undergraduate case competition included Mohamad Camara, Ferny Gabriela Angeles Paz, DeMario Webb, Melissa Chime and MBA alumnus Renard Green, who served as the team’s coach.