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For me, coming to business school,
the strength of the community
really mattered.
From day one,
people were just very open and
excited to meet everyone.
>> The size of the program is what
allows us to have
really meaningful connections.
I can truly say that I know at
least one or two facts about every
single classmate in our class of
400, which is something that it's
truly unique and you wouldn't be
able to get other programs.
>> So the BBSA is the Black
Business Student Association and
it's really meant to form a home
base or community for
black students at the Stanford GSB.
And even for me personally,
they've been kind of just my rock,
my ground, somewhere where you can
just be your full,
complete, authentic self and just
really develop a second family.
>> The BBSA is one of the affinity
groups at the GSB, and it's a space
for black students to come into
community with one another.
Not only bond over shared
experiences of blackness in
the world and blackness at the GSB.
But then to also learn from black
alumni, black business leaders, and
connect with other affinity groups.
>> One thing that has really
inspired me about the BBSA
community is just how open and
authentic everyone is.
They really care about you as
a person.
They care about not only your
professional well-being but
also your emotional well-being and
making sure that you're growing as
a holistic person.
And I think that just sense of care
is something that really stands out
to me as the parts of the BBSA
community.
>> My favorite thing about the BBSA
is how people just go to bat for
other BBSA members.
>> The BBSA for
me has been somewhat of a safe
space within the GSB.
It's a space where immediately I
was able to let my guard down and
be who I was and connect with some
people who I knew before and
some people who I didn't, but who I
knew shared an experience with me.
Walking through Palo Alto or
through Stanford as a black person
is just a different experience and
having a group of people that gets
that as you go through the ups and
downs of living life as a black
American has been really,
really important to me.
>> Even though the community may be
smaller than other institutions,
I think one of the things I really
appreciate is the depth of our
connections and the depth of our
relationships are far beyond what I
might have imagined.
>> If you're joining the BBSA, I'd
say there are lots of formal and
informal events.
Some of my favorite ones is
the annual BBSA retreat.
We also do lots of just casual
hangouts or kickbacks,
whether in people's homes or
somewhere on campus,
>> I threw a black girls brunch and
people were just that excited and
ready to engage from the start.
And for me that just reinforced
that this was going to be a good
experience.
>> This past weekend had the BBSA
black leadership conference.
And that was a really,
that's like our hallmark event.
And so it's really nice to bring
together alumni and
current BBSA members and
really just not only experience
the joy of connecting but
also have the opportunity to learn
from each other, listen to panels.
And hear both from the successes
and the failures of those who may
have come before us.
>> We had 16 speakers come,
some of them are alums,
and it was all in one day.
We did a conference and a gala.
And it was so magical.
The topic was black futures.
And so it was a day where we could
really think about and
really imagine how black people
are going to be the future and
part of the future, but also how
we're going to shape the future.
>> My first advice to prospective
students is reach out, attend
events, get connected with people.
>> Trust that you belong in all the
spaces that you are invited into.
And also trust your expertise,
your talents, your wisdom, and
know that you can
find a home here at Stanford.
>> I'm lucky that I found it, and
I'm lucky that I get to experience
it, and I just hope that more
people take the leap and
come here and join us.
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