Growing diversity in finance from the ground up.

• Position: THE PHD PROJECT

The KPMG Foundation administers The PhD Project and is a principal source of annual funding. In addition, The PhD Project has succeeded thanks to its four founding organizations including the KPMG Foundation, Graduate Management Admission Council, Citi Foundation, AACSB International, and a list of leading corporations, foundations and associations that are funding the project in an effort to systemically change the face of corporate America.

They include over 275 participating universities, AICPA Foundation Diversitylnc, Microsoft Corporation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, The Merck Company Foundation, Rockwell Collins, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., John Deere Foundation, American Marketing Association, AT&T, CIGNA, ADP, Lincoln Financial Group, Edison International/California State University System, American Accounting Association, Aerotek/ TEKsystems (operating companies of Allegis Group), 3M, and The Hershey Company.

These organizations are involved in planning throughout the year and attend The PhD Project's six conferences to develop relationships with faculty and minority doctoral students teaching at business schools throughout the U.S.

The Project has three components to its approach: A marketing campaign to identify the best and brightest potential PhD candidates of color via direct mail, print advertising and public relations. Qualified candidates are invited to visit the project's website and apply to The PhD Project annual conference.

An annual two-day conference where qualified candidates are invited to hear from deans, professors and current minority doctoral students about the benefits of pursuing a business PhD. Conference participants are provided with tools and resources for the application and admission process to doctoral programs. Candidates can also interact with more than 100 doctoral-granting universities represented during a four-hour exhibition at the conference. Many candidates are recruited before they even enter a program.

The Minority Doctoral Student Associations, formed by The PhD Project to combat the 25 percent attrition rate among business doctoral students. Through these professional peer associations (in accounting, finance, information systems, management and marketing) minority doctoral students establish peer support relationships with others facing similar challenges on the way to becoming business school professors. Participants receive guidance concerning the process of earning a...