GE Fund's commitment to diversity has bolstered Kellogg doctoral program

by Ed Finkel

Students of color who graduate from the Kellogg School PhD program have received hundreds of thousands of dollars in support from the GE Foundation during the past 13 years. The GE Fund, which is ending this year, has given 39 students --- among them African Americans, Mexican Americans and Native Americans --- about $400,000.

"The GE Fund has helped Kellogg to recruit minority students and, once they are in the program, has supported their progress and research efforts," says Robert Magee, senior associate dean: faculty and research and PhD program director. "Kellogg provides the general financial aid package, but this additional support has also been welcome."

Roger Nozaki, executive director of the GE Foundation, says the fund has underscored GE's commitment to diversity. "Recruiting, developing and retaining diverse talent is critical to the success of every organization," he says. "The Kellogg School has demonstrated its commitment to developing diverse future faculty, making a concrete contribution and providing leadership on this issue."

Denise Lewin-Loyd, who received a $10,000 dissertation fellowship this year and who plans to complete her degree in 2004-05, is certainly grateful. "I am delighted to have received a dissertation year fellowship from the GE Fund's Faculty for the Future program," she says. "This generous grant will assist me with my living expenses, giving me more time to focus on completing my dissertation. Through its partnership with Kellogg, the GE Fund has played a significant role in helping students achieve their goals."

The three-year grants, which began in 1991, have gone toward forgivable loans, fellowships and research awards that have paid for research assistants, experiments and subject fees, data and software, travel to conferences, subscriptions to scholarly journals and membership fees in professional associations, says Susan Jackman, assistant director of the PhD program.

"Because sufficient research funding may not be readily available to young faculty," she says, "those research awards supported their initial research activities, which is critical in the development of their research portfolio and publication record, their standing in the field, and ultimately their pursuit of tenure."

Magee expresses gratitude to GE for its 13 years of support and says Kellogg would love to continue such funding from another source. "We're looking for ways to provide that kind of support."