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COB students form student org that focuses on diversity, inclusion, and empowerment

| Carrie Ottum

Haadia Malik, a junior marketing major, took notice of an underrepresented group in the College of Business at the beginning of her college journey. "A pattern that I saw my freshman and sophomore year of college was that business students of color did not have a safe space to learn about professionalism as people of color. I also saw a lot of people of color switching majors out of the College of Business." 

Malik recruited other business students of color to form the Business Association of Multicultural Students (BAMS) student organization.  BAMS promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion within the College of Business. 

The BAMS executive board wants to educate members on professional skills, help them network with other multicultural business students and professionals and assist them with finding opportunities for internships and jobs at companies who embrace multiculturalism.

"I wanted to fix this problem as a person of color and someone who is passionate about business. I knew that student organizations make a very big difference in a student’s college experience," says the Oshkosh, WI native.  

Malik shared students should join BAMS to be in a community of business students who embrace multiculturalism, have a safe space to learn about professionalism as a person from a multicultural background, would like to learn about diversity's effects on businesses and the workplace and network with companies who embrace diversity and professionals from multicultural backgrounds.  

Executive board members include:
          Haadia Malik , President
          Gaoki Lee, Vice President
          Justin Ballinger, Vice President of Public Relations/Marketing
          Hannah Javoroski, Treasurer
          Will Xiong, Secretary

Malik says, "We want more students of color to be involved in COB so they feel more empowered for their future business careers." 

BAMS meets every other Thursday evening in Centennial Hall 2920.  Contact Malik or any of the e-board members for more details on the upcoming October 31st meeting.