Consortium for Graduate Study in Management

The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management was founded in 1966 and is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to ensuring the equal representation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in management careers in the business community of the United States of America. The Consortium is so named for the collaboration among its staff and board of trustees; its 18 member MBA programs; and its approximately 75 corporate partners, which work together toward the mission "to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management."

The Consortium is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to increasing African American, Hispanic American and Native American representation among the ranks of leading MBA programs and corporations throughout the United States. The staff and the organization's headquarters are based in Chesterfield, Missouri. Oversight comes by way of a 23-member board of trustees, which is composed of representatives of its member schools, alumni and corporate partners.

The Consortium is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

The organization works with its 18 member schools and their full-time MBA programs to recruit potential MBA students who are African American, Hispanic American, Native American, or who share The Consortium's commitment to principles of diversity and inclusiveness in corporate management. Potential Consortium fellows can apply for up to six participating MBA programs through The Consortium and rank their preferred MBA programs. If they are admitted to the program, the MBA programs can award merit-based, full-tuition Consortium fellowships to the students.

The recruiting season culminates with The Consortium's annual Orientation Program & Career Forum, a gathering of 1,200 MBA prospects, university representatives, corporate partner representatives and alumni for an intensive five-day conference of preparatory events, networking opportunities, job interviews and socializing.

In 2015, The Consortium recruited a class of 420 MBA students; the organization has more than 8,000 alumni.

The admissions process for The Consortium opens annually on Aug. 15, with a first-round deadline on Oct. 15 and a second-round deadline on Jan. 5. The Consortium's common application allows students to apply online through the organization for Consortium membership and for admission to any six of the organization's 18 member schools. After the application period closes, The Consortium coordinates with representatives from the 18 schools, who can offer merit-based full-scholarship fellowships to prospective students. Admission to The Consortium is somewhat separate from admission to a member MBA program. Students who are admitted to The Consortium, who choose to attend a member school and who receive a scholarship are considered Consortium fellows. Students admitted to The Consortium and who attend a member MBA program, but who were not granted a scholarship, may still be Consortium members and take advantage of other benefits of The Consortium.