This Business School is a Top Feeder for Tech

At the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business, the road to the tech world is well-paved. Nearly one in five, or 17%, of Foster MBA grads land employment at tech giants, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook.

Fortune recently explored how Foster has made a name for itself as a feeder into tech and what exactly makes its MBA unique.

SEATTLE: A TECH HUB

One of the biggest advantages that Foster has is its proximity to Big Tech headquarters, including the likes of Amazon and Microsoft.

“Locations in tech hubs likely create a conducive environment for students seeking roles in Big Tech by allowing students easier access to these companies for experiences like internships and networking,” Taylor Nichols, a data reporter for Optimal, the parent company of OnlineU, tells Fortune. “Additionally, the locations of the schools make them better known to companies in the area.”

On campus, the B-school also fosters an environment of leadership and innovation with the Arthur Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, which houses the Jones + Foster Accelerator. Students are encouraged to lead companies and bring innovative ideas to life, with access to mentorship, workshops, and funding.

“We constantly innovate—a result of actively listening to employers, our students and our alumni,” Naomi Sanchez, assistant dean of MBA career management at Foster, tells Fortune. “The result is real-world, complex business experiences that help students sharpen their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, ultimately transforming them into impactful leaders.”

A DIVERSE AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY

Diversity is at the core of Foster’s community. This year’s incoming full-time MBA class is 36% students of color, 20% historically underrepresented students of color, 5% LGTBQ+ students, 40% women, 40% international students, and 9% veterans. Each student has a strong academic background with the numbers to prove it.

“It starts with a quality cohort,” Sanchez tells Fortune. “While Foster continues to attract top students as measured quantitatively—our most recent entering class featured an average GMAT score above 700—we also look for a depth and variety of work experience, as well as increased demographic diversity.”

In 2018, Foster became the 20th university to join The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, a prestigious partnership between top-ranked MBA programs and blue-chip companies dedicated to promoting greater diversity and inclusion in business education and corporate leadership.

“Joining The Consortium moves Foster into serious consideration for the nation’s most outstanding prospective students who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in their communities,” Melissa Uyesugi, associate director of Diversity & Inclusion with the Foster MBA Program, stated in 2018.

Uyesugi’s statement in 2018 also reflects the very nature of the Foster community—one that opens doors and paves the way for those who come next.

“Foster faculty, staff, alumni and local business leaders work together as a tight-knit, collaborative community to support students’ academic, leadership, and professional development,” Sanchez tells Foster.

Sources: Fortune, P&Q, OnlineU