The Georgetown University McDonough School of Business (MSB) announced the new Kosoy Women in Business Program to advance discourse relating to women in the workplace.

The contributions of Brian and Andrea Kosoy funded the program’s creation, which will provide tailored programming in mentorship and professional development for a pilot cohort of members throughout the upcoming semester. The inaugural group of upperclassmen of all gender identities will have the opportunity to participate in career-oriented workshops, speaker events and networking initiatives to learn about gender and women’s perspectives in business. 

The Kosoys, who are the parents to an undergraduate in the MSB, said they believe it is essential to uplift women in the field of business through this program. 

“We think it is important that women have access to unique and targeted resources as they strive to reach their full potential and ultimately shape the organizations they are affiliated with and the business world as a whole,” the Kosoys said in the announcement.

Brian Kosoy currently serves as the managing principal and chief executive officer for the Sterling Organization, a private equity real estate firm in West Palm Beach, Fla. Andrea Kosoy, a former lawyer, is a philanthropist involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida; U.S. Hunger, an organization that acts against national food insecurity; and GLAM4GOOD, a non-profit organization that repurposes unused clothing and self-care products to alleviate resource insecurity in the U.S.

Both donate to the USC Shoah Foundation, a foundation that gives back to the Jewish community persecuted during the Holocaust. 

Patricia Grant, senior associate dean of the MSB undergraduate program, said the program strives to change current gender dynamics in professional settings and the classroom. 

“We’re excited to launch the Kosoy Women in Business program to help students gain tangible skills and build confidence in their leadership, so that they can navigate any space where there’s an imbalance in gender representation in the classroom, in the workplace, and beyond,” Grant wrote to The Hoya. 

Women account for 41% of the recent incoming MSB undergraduate class and comprise most of the Georgetown undergraduate student population. The Kosoy program is part of a community-wide initiative within the MSB to increase the representation of women in the field and promote the future of women leaders. 

Viha Vishwanathan (MSB ’24), executive director of Innovo Consulting, an undergraduate consulting organization focused on social entrepreneurship, said the program will help create a strong support system for women members.

“This program demonstrates the MSB’s strong commitment to helping students thrive during their time at Georgetown and beyond,” Vishwanathan wrote to The Hoya. “This program will allow undergraduate women to form a tight-knit community of ambitious, talented students, encouraging them to build their technical and soft skills.”

Women hold fewer positions than men in business industries like finance and consulting. White men currently make up the majority of C-suite positions at major financial institutions.

Ginny Randall, assistant director for the Undergraduate McDonough Career Programs, told The Hoya that the program hopes to partner with women-focused organizations like the Women’s Center, the Georgetown Women’s Alliance and the Advancing Women’s Empowerment & Service Fellowship, a fellowship that aims to challenge historical gender disparities. 

“The Kosoy Women in Business program is offered through the McDonough Career Center with specific focus on skills development for the workplace,” Randall wrote to The Hoya. “We plan to continue the incredible work of other initiatives across Georgetown around these important conversations.” 

Alexandra Faus Gil (MSB ’26), the professional development co-chair of McDonough Women, a club dedicated to connecting and empowering the MSB’s female students, said the program will uniquely equip women for professional avenues in business, a field in which they face adversity since they are heavily outnumbered by men.

“Initiating a program like the Kosoy Women in Business Program is crucial for Georgetown’s women business students as it provides tailored support and resources to address the unique challenges they may face in the corporate world,” Faus Gil wrote to The Hoya. “The reality is that most women in the MSB go into male-dominated industries, and this program will play an important role in preparing them to navigate and thrive in these environments.”

A large-scale lack of representation affects women’s mental health and disheartens their professional progress, and many firms are taking action to increase their number of female employees through DEI initiatives. 

Randall said that the Kosoy Program seeks to establish a space for women to find support and advice as they prepare to enter the business field.

“In business settings where women are often the minority, it can be helpful to connect with other students navigating the same challenges, even if their experiences may feel unique,” Randall wrote.