According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in three U.S. residents is a minority, and this figure is expected to climb to one in two by the year 2050. However, notes Dia Draper, diversity recruiting liaison for Tuck Admissions, less than five percent of top-level leadership positions in business are currently held by African Americans, Latinos, or Native Americans. To help build a diverse array of future leaders, "it is really important for us to give minorities a high level of access to an institution like Tuck," says Draper. Tuck's commitment to attracting a diverse student body is supported by the annual student-run Tuck Diversity Conference. From November 1 through 4, prospective students came together with the Tuck community and visiting executives for a weekend of discussion, networking, mentoring, and socializing. "The conference is crucial to changing the status quo in the business world," says Draper.
One highlight of the conference was a visit by Antonio Perez, chairman and CEO of Eastman Kodak Company. Perez took part in an open, one-on-one interview with Portfolio magazine contributing editor Kevin Maney and answered questions from the audience afterwards. Since joining the company in 2003, Perez, a native of Spain, has led the worldwide transformation of Kodak from a film-based business to one focused primarily on digital technologies. Before Kodak, Perez spent 25 years at Hewlett-Packard, where he was corporate vice president and a member of the company's executive council.
Tuck's conference is unique because it expands the definition of diversity beyond race and welcomes a variety of participants who care about inclusion, such as students of different socioeconomic backgrounds, religious affiliations, and sexual orientations. "This conference is driven by a really welcoming spirit," explains Draper. Additional conference speakers included Ramsey M. Jay Jr. T'05, associate analyst at Ares Management; Christopher J. Williams T'84, chairman, CEO, and founder of the Williams Group and Williams Capital Management; Peter H. Sisson T'94, CEO and founder of Toktumi; and Pamela J. Joyner D'79, managing partner and founder of Avid Partners.
