Collen McMullen
Executive Director, Community and Inclusion
Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business
Forté MBA sponsor

As Executive Director of Community and Inclusion at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business and a former Forté board member, Colleen McMullen has seen how Forté’s programming is supporting women to fearlessly transform the face and future of business.

What is it about Forté’s mission that you think is so important?
I’ve been involved with Forté for many years as a past Board member and sponsor, and what has always resonated with me is Forté’s ability to create access for women to business education and helping them see how the foundation of business can further their careers, whatever path they take.

Each year schools have to make decisions about where to invest their time and money. How do you see Forté as unique or different and what makes it a worthwhile investment?
I’ve been part of other organizations that support women, and Forté is unique in how it engages women at any stage. From the undergraduate who knows nothing about business to the seasoned career woman, Forté helps women no matter where they are in their careers. Forté’s value proposition for Carnegie Mellon is a continuum - getting involved earlier in a woman’s career helps build a future pipeline for MBA women down the road.

Sometimes these types of partnerships provide something unexpected. Have you or the team at CMU experienced something beyond what you expected from Forté?
There are so many. For one, I have colleagues who have become friends because we have a shared focus: to engage with brilliant young women and help them succeed. Being in a position to support young women who are doubtful or experience “Impostor Syndrome” and watching them flourish is very rewarding. These young people are our future, and they are part of changing the narrative of what a CEO looks like. I get a lot of personal satisfaction in being around young women who are fearlessly changing the face of business.