When the full-time MBA class of 2015 realized that less than a third (29%) of them were female, they didn’t just question that status quo, they overturned it. The student-led Gender Equity Initiative (GEI) worked closely with the admissions office to increase the number of women in the class of 2016.

As Katie Benintende MBA15, put it, “Where better to lead change than the most progressive university in the country, at a business school that was founded by a woman over 110 years ago?” GEI efforts contributed to a 50% year-over-year leap in the female composition of the class: 43% of the full-time MBA class of 2016 was women.

While enrollment efforts continue, GEI has set its sights on deeper institutional change, addressing issues of academic and student culture. GEI is proving that raising awareness around gender dynamics can change behavior and contribute to redefining how we do business.