The Remarkable Success of the PhD Project in Increasing the Number of Minority Faculty at U.S. Business Schools

Sixteen years ago the PhD Project was created in order to increase the number of blacks and other minorities on the faculties of American business schools. The PhD project acts as an information clearinghouse and mentoring organization to African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians who pursue doctoral studies in business disciplines. The project, which is supported by a large number of corporations and foundations, steers minority students to organizations that can fund their doctoral studies.

Since 1994 the number of minority business faculty has grown from 294 to 1,051.  In the 2009-10 academic year, 47 minority professors earned tenure at U.S. business schools. Another 50 minority scholars were hired to tenure-track positions. Eleven minority scholars were promoted to department chair or dean at a business school.

At the present time there are 400 minority students supported by the PhD project in business doctoral programs.

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