A Georgetown University graduate instituted a new merit-based scholarship fund for Master of Business Administration (MBA) students at the McDonough School of Business (MSB) to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
Patrick Sheridan (GRD ’09), CEO of Modus Create, Inc., a consulting firm that works with technology and software companies, established the Patrick Sheridan Endowed MBA Scholarship Fund to increase cultural understanding throughout the MSB.
The MSB will be able to recruit a student body for its MBA program that is more reflective of different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences as a result of this scholarship, according to Prashant Malaviya, senior associate dean of MBA programs.
“We will be able to invite and attract new perspectives, encourage equitable representation of diverse voices, and adapt our curriculum and policies to the needs and aspirations of a diverse community,” Malaviya wrote to The Hoya. “By attracting students who are passionate about promoting DEI and creating a just and inclusive community, we hope to develop a strong, resilient culture of care and compassion for everyone.”
Sheridan said that his past three years serving on the MBA Alumni Advisory Council (MAAC), the board of graduate representatives that advises deans on MBA programs and promotes alumni engagement, allowed him to work with the school on its diversity initiatives.
“During that time I’ve primarily contributed to the Alumni Mentorship and Creating Equality subcommittees and have been very impressed by the school’s efforts to be at the forefront of the discussion on DEI within academia and the broader business world,” Sheridan wrote to The Hoya.
The Sheridan scholarship fund will allow the MSB to make an impact in multiple Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) dimensions, according to Malaviya.
“This Fund will allow us to support our initiatives to strengthen the Community and Culture in the program and the school, and support new Co-curricular initiatives created by students, staff, faculty and alumni,” Malaviya wrote.
The MSB lists its comprehensive “7Cs of DEI” goals that the school strives to meet in an effort to promote diversity and inclusion at the school: composition, communication, curriculum, co-curriculum, careers, community and culture.
The scholarship fund represents graduates’ dedication to the student experience at the MSB, according to Paul Almeida, dean of the MSB.
“The Patrick Sheridan Endowed MBA Scholarship Fund is one of many ways he continues to break barriers and improve equity in the pursuit of education and professional growth,” Almeida wrote in an email to The Hoya. “His generosity enables the McDonough School of Business to carry forward on important initiatives to transform DEI in our classrooms and in our communities of influence.”
Modeled after scholarships within Modus Create, this scholarship for MSB students gives top priority to applicants who come from diverse backgrounds or perspectives, according to Sheridan.
“Similar to the previous scholarship we funded via Modus Create, this scholarship is merit based, with preference given to non-traditionally educated candidates or candidates with a career focus on diversity and inclusion,” Sheridan wrote.
The previous scholarship, named the Modus Create Endowed MBA Scholarship, funded another merit-based award to support workforce development in Latin America for international full-time and Flex MBA students, with preference given to residents of Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
According to Malaviya, this scholarship is a step toward ongoing priorities of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at the MSB.
“We hope that this Fund will motivate other alumni to support our many diversity and inclusion initiatives,” Malaviya wrote. “We know many alumni care deeply about DEI, and this fund we hope will inspire others to step up and strengthen our efforts to promote diversity in our community.”
MSB graduates and their continued involvement with the school are what make the MSB a positive and fulfilling experience for students, according to Almeida.
“It is through the work of alumni such as Patrick, that we are able to live out our Jesuit values and foster a community in diversity, celebrate unique perspectives, and create a supportive and welcoming culture where everyone has access to the resources they need to further their academic and career-related goals,” Almeida wrote.
