The prestigious Forté MBA Fellowships are now accepting applications, offering women who demonstrate exemplary leadership and a commitment to advancing women in business a chance to receive significant support. Sponsored by the Forté Foundation in collaboration with top business schools, these fellowships aim to empower female MBA candidates from diverse backgrounds.
This article explores the detailed application process, selection criteria, benefits, and expectations of the Forté MBA Fellowships, providing essential information for aspiring applicants ready to take their careers to the next level.
Benefits of Forté Fellowships
Forté Fellows enjoy numerous benefits beyond financial support:
- Professional Development: Participation in Forté’s MBA Women’s Leadership and MBA Financial Services FAST Track Conferences.
- Networking: Opportunities to network with leading executives and MBA students from Forté partner schools.
- Workshops and Panels: Access to workshops and panel discussions with corporate partners and MBA alumni.
- Online Community: Inclusion in an online networking community for Forté Fellows and alumni.
- Resume Book: Inclusion in the Forté Fellows resume book, distributed to Forté partner companies.
- Special Invitations: Invitations to job openings and leadership programs at Forté partner companies.
- Lifetime Access: Lifetime access to Forté’s online event series and on-demand recordings.
- Mentoring: Special opportunities for mentoring and connections with other Fellows and Forté representatives.
- Leadership Opportunities: Leadership roles in planning Forté outreach programs to undergraduates.
- Social Media Groups: Access to Forté Fellows LinkedIn and Facebook groups.
Expectations for Forté Fellows
Forté Fellows are expected to actively contribute to advancing Forté’s mission on campus and beyond:
- School Engagement: Membership or leadership in school clubs and societies dedicated to advancing women in business, such as Women in Business and Men as Allies clubs.
- Forté Ambassadors: Serve as a Forté MBA Ambassador, representing Forté on campus and assisting the Admissions Office in recruiting more women MBA students.
- Program Participation: Engage in Forté’s undergraduate and MBA prep initiatives, outreach to undergraduates, attend career events, and represent your school at Forté MBA Forums.
- Internship Ambassador: Serve as an ambassador to your summer internship employer.
School Criteria for Selection
While partner schools are responsible for selecting Forté Fellows, the following criteria are recommended:
- Exemplary Leadership: Demonstrated leadership in academic, team, community, or creative endeavors.
- Diverse Backgrounds: Representation of diverse educational and work backgrounds, career goals, ethnicities, citizenship/nationality, sexual orientation, and gender identities/expression.
- MBA Candidates: Candidates for full-time, part-time, executive programs, dual degree, or online MBA programs at Forté partner schools.
- Commitment to Forté’s Mission: Demonstrated commitment to advancing women in business through education, opportunities, and community.
Forté Fellows Profile
The profiles of recent Forté Fellows showcase the diversity and excellence among awardees:
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizens & Permanent Residents (55%) and other countries (45%) for the Class of 2025.
- Average GMAT Score: 712 for the Class of 2025.
- Average GPA: 3.61 for the Class of 2025.
- Average Years of Work Experience: 6.46 for the Class of 2025.
- Ethnicity: A diverse mix including White, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and multiracial or multiethnic individuals.
- Undergraduate Majors: Varied backgrounds in business, economics, engineering, humanities/social sciences, information systems/computer science, mathematics/physical sciences, and other fields.
Application and Selection Process
To be considered for a Forté Fellowship, you must first apply to an MBA program at a Forté partner school. The selection process involves the following steps:
- Apply to a Forté Partner Business School: Submit your MBA application to one of the participating schools (https://www.fortefoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sponsors_bschool)
- Admission Offer: Receive an offer of admission into the MBA program.
- Scholarship Application: https://www.fortefoundation.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=mba_fellows
- Selection of Forté Fellows: The partner school selects its Forté Fellows.
- Notification: The school notifies Forté of its selections.
Eligibility: Students of all nationalities and gender identities are eligible for consideration.
