By: Anna G. Szczebak
UMass Boston’s College of Management Graduate Program was proud to watch three esteemed alumni represent the college and serve as panelists at Boston University’s Diversity in Business: Boston Area Graduate Admission Forum. Eight universities and various organizations in the Boston area participated in a mix of panels and networking sessions on February 16 and 17.
Neggin Rostamnezhad, a 2019 graduate of UMass Boston’s MBA program and current Human Resources Associate at Boston Properties, discussed how to leverage an MBA to make an impact. She emphasized how valuable it is to be in a classroom with people from different walks of life. Neggin strongly urged MBA students to take these relationships outside of the classroom, to pick people’s brains and ask questions. The most underused characteristic of an MBA, she elaborated, is the connections you make and the relationships you form.
Aderonke Odewale is a Double Beacon who participated in UMass Boston’s 4+1 program, receiving her bachelor’s degree and MSA in five years. She graduated in 2017 and works as Finance Associate at Bain Capital. Aderonke
discussed how to best navigate business spaces as a person of color. She recommends taking a deep dive into the company to assess its diversity before accepting a job offer. This involves more than just looking at diversity statistics published on the company website. Do thorough research and talk to current employees to get a clear, truthful picture of the organization.
Daniel Garcia-Decoteau, another Double Beacon and a 2017 graduate of 
UMass Boston’s MBA Program, works as a Systems Administrator at Emerson College. He also discussed how to best navigate business spaces as a person of color. Daniel stressed how important it is to work for a diverse company. Doing so helped him become more successful by improving his confidence and allowing him to make real, genuine connections in the workplace.