HAMPTON, Va. — DEI: Three letters that have gained significant attention during President Trump's first 100 days in office.
With efforts to roll back programs embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion in government and the private sector, many students are beginning to feel the impact as they prepare to enter the workforce.
Jacob Ethridge, a fifth-year graduate student at Hampton University, one of the nation’s 107 historically Black colleges and universities, emphasized the importance of these discussions among his fellow M.B.A. students.
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"Yeah, I would say we definitely have conversations about it," Ethridge said.
"I like to think of diversity just as walking into the spaces and coming with your own experiences," he added, recognizing that diverse backgrounds and perspectives are assets in the world of business. "Everyone is going to think about something differently, so when you're looking to solve problems, especially in the corporate space or in a business world, you want as many different points of view as you can to inform your ultimate decision."
Dr. Ziette Hayes, who spent 11 years in the corporate sector and is now dean of Hampton University’s School of Business, aims to clarify what DEI truly represents. "People just simply think that it's oh that's something for Black people to get them ahead or people who are not necessarily qualified for positions, but that is absolutely not the case," she said.
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Dr. Hayes likens diversity to money and investing, saying, "if we think about diversity even as it relates to our own financial portfolios, I think we do want some diversity in the type of investments that we make for all the right reasons. That is why we need a diverse workforce."
As Dr. Hayes observes efforts from the White House to scale back DEI policies, she remains unfazed.
"We do recognize that the climate is what it is, but we're like that tree that's planted by the water; we shall not be moved," she asserted. "The relationships that we have with our corporate firms, before all of this, is still here. Why do I know that? Because they have told me that."
Thanks to those corporate relationships, Jacob Ethridge secured a job with an investment firm upon graduation
Confident in his decision, he stated: "For me, I think my decision is going to be based off of what I want to do at that company and how I want to make my own impact."
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