OUBC History
The Out for Undergraduate Business Conference (“OUBC”) is an annual conference that brings together the nation’s most high potential undergraduate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT”) leaders for a weekend of education, inspiration, community development, and career recruitment.
The first annual OUBC was held in the fall of 2004 at Cornell University. Mark Mitchell and Justine Suh, two MBA students at Cornell’s Johnson School of Business, were inspired to begin a conference exclusively for LGBT undergraduates interested in pursuing careers in management consulting and investment banking, both industries that had historically been perceived to be less friendly to LGBT students.
After a successful first event at Cornell with approximately 70 student attendees and seven corporate sponsors, the conference moved to New York City. In the next few years as the conference grew, the event was held at NYU’s Stern School of Business and at Lehman Brothers. By 2007, the largest Wall Street banks and top management consulting firms sponsored the conference and greater than 50% of student attendees were awarded full merit-based scholarships to attend the conference.
The conference is organized by a volunteer Board of professionals and alumni of the conference’s sponsoring firms. These individuals, ranging from analysts to Managing Directors, invest time and energy throughout the year to pull together what has become a recognized and critical conference for LGBT undergraduates interested in entering the business world.
As the recent global financial crisis hit in the fall of 2008, OUBC withstood its most serious test yet. Two weeks before the annual conference, the host sponsor declared bankruptcy and was unable to serve as the host. With students and sponsors alike concerned about the viability of the event, organizers moved quickly to relocate. J.P. Morgan made space available and McKinsey&Company took over coordinating travel for students. Through the hard work and dedication of volunteer organizers and the conference’s leading sponsors, the event was a success in a time of uncertainty and change.
In 2009 in the midst of the recession, the conference continued to prosper. OUBC attracted 22 corporate sponsors and raised more money than ever before. And over 220 students from ~50 schools attended, making OUBC the largest recruiting event for LGBT undergraduate students.
The Out for Undergraduate Business Conference is a 501(c)(3) registered in New York state.
The first annual OUBC was held in the fall of 2004 at Cornell University. Mark Mitchell and Justine Suh, two MBA students at Cornell’s Johnson School of Business, were inspired to begin a conference exclusively for LGBT undergraduates interested in pursuing careers in management consulting and investment banking, both industries that had historically been perceived to be less friendly to LGBT students.
After a successful first event at Cornell with approximately 70 student attendees and seven corporate sponsors, the conference moved to New York City. In the next few years as the conference grew, the event was held at NYU’s Stern School of Business and at Lehman Brothers. By 2007, the largest Wall Street banks and top management consulting firms sponsored the conference and greater than 50% of student attendees were awarded full merit-based scholarships to attend the conference.
The conference is organized by a volunteer Board of professionals and alumni of the conference’s sponsoring firms. These individuals, ranging from analysts to Managing Directors, invest time and energy throughout the year to pull together what has become a recognized and critical conference for LGBT undergraduates interested in entering the business world.
As the recent global financial crisis hit in the fall of 2008, OUBC withstood its most serious test yet. Two weeks before the annual conference, the host sponsor declared bankruptcy and was unable to serve as the host. With students and sponsors alike concerned about the viability of the event, organizers moved quickly to relocate. J.P. Morgan made space available and McKinsey&Company took over coordinating travel for students. Through the hard work and dedication of volunteer organizers and the conference’s leading sponsors, the event was a success in a time of uncertainty and change.
In 2009 in the midst of the recession, the conference continued to prosper. OUBC attracted 22 corporate sponsors and raised more money than ever before. And over 220 students from ~50 schools attended, making OUBC the largest recruiting event for LGBT undergraduate students.
The Out for Undergraduate Business Conference is a 501(c)(3) registered in New York state.
Diamond Sponsors
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