The MBA Insider content below is written by eQual MBA Students. Engaged Queer and Ally (eQual) MBAs is one of 40+ student organizations at Texas McCombs.
In honor of National Coming Out Day, Texas McCombs is excited to celebrate the students who are “coming in” to their identities and the community shared amongst our Engaged Queer and Ally (eQual) MBAs.
Texas McCombs MBA students and staff pose by stairs in Rowling Hall decorated with rainbow balloons for National Coming Out Day. 2021.
Coming out is a significant moment in a queer person’s life but it’s important to note that the process of coming out is not finite. As an LGBTQ+ individual enters new spaces, they constantly make choices about sharing their identity with the people around them.
Most students in the McCombs MBA program are coming back to school after spending years in the workforce. It’s an ongoing activity to share aspects of yourself with new classmates, study team members, or during the process of recruiting for full-time positions of internships. eQual is focused on creating welcoming spaces and supporting our students as they navigate these experiences!
“Finding community within eQual is amazing but we are also so grateful to the broader McCombs community for their support, involvement, and enthusiasm in celebrating our eQual members this October.”
– Emily Siegers, Class of 2023
This year the organization is celebrating National Coming Out Day with two days of programming including a Storytelling Hour hosted by the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM) where current LGBTQ+ students and faculty will share stories of journey and discovery, as well as a community event with local alumni and the Graduate Business Council (GBC).
“Coming into McCombs, I had not been out at work and had only recently confided to my family and friends that I was in a same sex relationship. The amount of support and community I’ve found at McCombs to be my authentic self every day has been not only invigorating but also life changing. As a member of eQual, I hope to spread this positivity and acceptance to everyone at McCombs.” – Nick Shea, Class of 2023
Who are eQual MBAs?
The student-run organization has grown to include over 60 members, including allies, and many of the members are involved in other affinity organizations and diverse programming opportunities.
In the past year eQual has been active in the following ways:
- Student-led group chats for applicants interested in LGBTQIA+ at McCombs
- Mentorship program with undergraduate QBSA (Queer Business Student Association) to foster learning, development, and knowledge-sharing between LGBTQ+/allied students and professionals
- Alumni panel at the Elevate D&I conference on developing community and experiencing allyship in the workplace
- Student and faculty attendance at Reaching Out MBAs (ROMBA) 2022 Conference in Washington D.C.
- Allyship workshop, co-hosted with the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) featuring Mx. Shane Whalley (ze/hir/hirs)
How to Support eQual
Texas McCombs MBA students and staff at the annual ROMBA (Reaching Out MBA) Conference in Washington D.C. 2022
Interested in repping eQual MBAs? Their custom rainbow Longhorn shirts are available for purchase ($25) and you can email christopher.novak@mba.utexas.edu for shirt size availability. Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram at @equalmbas to see all the latest activities and ways to get involved.
Hook ’em and Happy National Coming Out Day!
