The Wisconsin School of Business launched a campaign highlighting the unique paths students may take while pursuing their business degrees. While each student’s experience differs slightly, a commonality amongst all University of Wisconsin business students is their ability to lead.

The campaign featured twenty students who were selected based on their unique backgrounds and paths, according to Chief Marketing Officer of the campaign Typhaine Morrison.

In an email statement to The Badger Herald, Morrison said that WSB understands that every student brings something unique to their personal education experience at UW — this campaign aimed to highlight how those unique traits are an asset to the school.

“We are inspired by how Wisconsin School of Business students approach their careers along with their desire to reinvent business,” Morrison said, “They are the next generation of business leaders and they are broadening the definition and the scope of what you can do in business.”

The campaign is an extension of a campaign launched by WSB in 2022. That campaign features six alumni that have established themselves in the business community and are not afraid to step outside their comfort zone, Morrison said.

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The recently launched Trusted to Lead campaign has a stronger emphasis on the next generation of voices that will shape the future of business at UW and beyond, Morrison said. But both campaigns aim to highlight the strength of WSB.

The field of business is constantly evolving with new ideas and changes entering the space everyday. But the Wisconsin School of Business wants students to feel comfortable following their own passions and interests and know that their path is uniquely their own, according to Morrison.

Avi Gomez, a first generation student pursuing a Masters of Business Administration in Human Resources was nominated for the campaign by a friend who saw an email encouraging young leaders to participate in the campaign.

“I think that I am breaking barriers and showing that there is not one path to be able to get that education to become a successful business leader,” Gomez said. “People are truly an asset to a successful business.”

Upon graduation, Gomez hopes to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Gomez found she had a positive experience with the campaign, and felt validated knowing WSB is focused on building strong leaders.

“The Wisconsin School of Business is really wanting to invest in being able to put out quality future business leaders that make an impact in our communities, whether that be in Madison or elsewhere,” Gomez said. 

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Ayo Kolawole, another student featured in the campaign, was proud to showcase the path he has found himself on. Kolawole is pursuing a Bachelors of Business Administration in Real Estate, Finance, and African American Studies.

Milwaukee — Kolawole’s hometown — plays a major role in his journey. Living in a racially divided city showed Kolawole the impact that real estate can have on a community. 

Kolawole hopes to help lessen these divides, and WSB has shown him that he is capable of inducing such changes and more. 

“The business school has taught me a lot about myself,” Kolawole said. “Coming out of high school I wasn’t shooting too high and didn’t have a lot of confidence. Being in the Wisconsin School of Business with people who take themselves seriously taught me to do the same.”

This campaign features all types of WSB students — from Kolawole getting his BBA degree to Gomez getting her MBA degree — showing there really is no one path to business.

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According to Morrison, this campaign reflects both new demands for what young professionals want from their careers and what employees seek — people that see the broader picture and understand how business can be a part of the solution to address global and societal needs.

WSB is dedicated to preparing students to become leaders in the workplace upon graduation. In the fall, WSB launched their Multicultural Center.

“It [the Multicultural Center] is the continuation of a decade-plus of work that WSB has put in to make the business world more equitable,” Morrison said. “The center is part of a DEI strategy where we can promote those same values from the inside.”

Through the Multicultural Center and other programs within WSB, students are prepared for a workforce where diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of companies and play a critical role in success, Morrison said.