Recruiting Students Who Further the Mission
 
“Fellowships are connected in a deep way to the mission of the School. We look for potential leaders—those who possess a spark, an ambition to be among the very best. And because diversity is what informs the conversation in our classrooms, we seek students from varied backgrounds who can contribute different perspectives. Fellowships are the means by which we bring the right mix of people together to learn with and from one another. They enable us to put an MBA class together in a way that we could not otherwise do.
 
In my view, fellowships also embody the strength of community at HBS. Students share with their peers while they are here, and later they give back in a kind of social contract between generations. So often, when our alumni reflect on their careers, they see just two or three major inflection points, and one of these is invariably their HBS experience. That’s why they are so generous in supporting future generations of diverse leaders. As a faculty member, I’ve always valued how my students generate new ideas and insights. Now, as MBA Program chair, I see how much effort goes into recruiting them, and how essential fellowships are in this process.”
 
— FELIX OBERHOLZER-GEE
 

Andreas Andresen Professor of Business Administration
Senior Associate Dean for the MBA Program

Fellowships Make the HBS MBA Accessible

Whether in a classroom, during a FIELD team exercise, or across a Spangler dining table, learning is enriched by the exceptionally broad range of backgrounds and experiences of the students who come to campus each year. HBS is able to enroll a diverse group of high-potential future leaders because of fellowships. Funded by generous alumni and friends, fellowships allow the School to make admissions decisions based on applicants’ talents and aspirations—without regard to their financial circumstances.

In 2013–2014, approximately two-thirds of MBA students received some form of financial assistance, and 47 percent benefited from need-based fellowships totaling $28 million. The average fellowship award was nearly $32,000, about half the cost of tuition and fees for the year.

$32k
Average MBA Fellowship

During the fiscal year, donors established 28 new fellowships and added to many existing fellowship funds. Many of the donors of new fellowships gave the funds to encourage students of varied backgrounds to pursue an MBA at HBS: women, Mexican Americans, military veterans, Europeans, and those from nontraditional or underrepresented groups. Other donors hoped that their fellowships would attract applicants with specific interests, ranging from medicine and life sciences to social enterprise and education. Still others gave with the goal that their funds would make the HBS experience available to the broadest possible range of students.

 
 
 
 

Patrick Brooks

MBA 2014
 

“Supporting a fellowship is an unbelievable act of kindness. It’s a reminder of how incredibly generous people are, which fills you with a sense of wanting to pay it forward.”

Education

U.S. Naval Academy, BS in mathematics; University of Cambridge, MPhil in international relations

Work Experience

U.S. Navy

Today

Director, Corporate Development, Valero Energy Corporation

 
 
 
 

Linda Leung

MBA 2014
 

“My background is in physics and economics, but I’ve developed a passion for consumer technology and online innovation. Whenever you take out the financial constraints, you let people explore a lot more of what’s interesting to them.”

Education

University of California, Berkeley, BS in physics and economics

Work Experience

CBS Interactive; Keystone Strategy

Today

Product Manager, LinkedIn

 
 
 
 

Neil Wusu

MBA 2015
 

“It’s amazing to be able to come to the number one business school in the world while not taking on a crippling financial burden. My fellowship gives me the freedom to choose a future career knowing that my debt is only half of what it could have been.”

Education

Cornell University, BS in marketing

Work Experience

The Nielsen Company