Introducing the Michigan Ross Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, Including 49 First-Generation College Students, Record Percentage of Veterans

In a time of unprecedented uncertainty, the 358 talented and motivated individuals in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022 at the Ross School of Business are ready to make an impact on the new world of business. 

The Class of 2022 hails from 28 countries, including the first Rosser from Andorra, and 36 percent are U.S. students of color. 

Forty-three percent are women, 14 percent are the first in their families to go to college, and 7 percent are veterans - a record for the Full-Time MBA Program.

With diverse educational backgrounds, the newest MBA class attended more than 200 universities across the globe, majoring in business, economics, engineering, and the sciences as well as in English, art history, theater, and film. Before arriving at Ross, 40 members already earned graduate degrees, while another 32 are pursuing dual degrees at the University of Michigan in medicine, law, sustainability, public policy, public health, information, urban planning, social work, or engineering. 

Many of their resumes boast work experience at many of the most sought-after post-graduation companies and organizations - in consulting, finance, marketing, healthcare, tech, and more. 

Others had more unique experiences:

• Two Olympic medalists
• A professional hockey player in the National Women’s Hockey League
• A baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves
• A Pentagon reporter/producer for ABC News
• A director of operations for the Navy SEAL Foundation
• A senior corporate social responsibility advisor for Cirque du Soleil
• A med school student who has worked for U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth
• A Gender Equity Project Manager at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• The co-founder of a multi-million-dollar hamburger food truck that aims to make burgers that taste amazing at a low cost and with a small carbon footprint

This year, Michigan Ross was one of the few top business schools to offer international admits the option of deferring their admission until the 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic years, due to the challenging circumstances of the pandemic. 

Coming together as a class

The Full-Time MBA Class of 2022 is already making their mark on the Ross community. Their journey in business school kicked off during Orientation Week, where they were able to come together and learn how to be supportive peers and business leaders. Several MBA Orientation sessions were designed to help students identify how identities and cultural backgrounds impact perceptions, assumptions, and life experiences. 

During an Understanding Identity Workshop, students had the opportunity to explore their identities (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, religion/faith) and share experiences that have shaped who they are. This helped to establish a culture of open communication across identity differences and similarities within sections and to build section norms. 

In a Bystander Intervention Training session, the MBAs were able to learn specific techniques to intervene safely and effectively. The training was designed to help students understand micro aggressions/inequalities so they can serve as effective bystanders to intervene when people are marginalized. 

Finally, a session on Leading Diverse Teams, presented by the Sanger Leadership Center, helped students understand the value of diversity in the workplace and practice the behaviors needed to create inclusive teams, including how to manage participation in meetings, remove bias from decisions, and resolve conflicts.

Beyond these sessions, the MBAs learned about mental health and wellness best practices from Julie Kaplan, the embedded Counseling and Psychological Services counselor at Ross. They also participated in a “Leading a Good Life” session - led by Kaplan; Dave Mayer, professor of management and organizations; and a student panel -  that discussed how to be effective, resilient, metally healthy, and have meaning while at Ross and beyond. 

Michigan Ross Full-Time MBA Class Profile