Out@Anderson serves UCLA Anderson’s emerging business leaders who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+). We build community and provide opportunities for authentic leadership development to members, while educating and advocating on their behalf in the broader business landscape. We work to accomplish this in partnership with Anderson allies, alumni, the UCLA and Los Angeles communities, and the greater business community.
FAQ
Should I be out on my application?
Out@Anderson encourages you to be your authentic self when you apply to UCLA Anderson. Our school values the diversity of its community and believes this is important to the student experience. All information you share with the UCLA Anderson Admissions Office is confidential and protected. If you are comfortable sharing this information, the admissions team will give Out@Anderson your name so that we can reach out to welcome you to the Anderson community!
What is it like to be an LGBTQ+ MBA student at UCLA Anderson?
Being an LGBTQ+ MBA student here means that you are part of a community of friendly faces when you join Out@Anderson. LGBTQ+ students are an integral part of life at UCLA Anderson. We serve as leaders of student organizations, we are engaged in the social life of the school and we are committed to allyship and partnership with other diverse communities here on campus. Out@Anderson hosts an annual Awareness Week to garner a stronger community through panels and events that allow us to share our experiences, and we participate in UCLA Anderson’s Embracing Diversity Week, which brings together students and professionals to discuss the future of diversity and inclusion. People want to know who you are, they care about you and they respect your identity. Your experiences as an LGBTQ+ person in the workplace add to the richness of our community both in and out of class.
How can Out@Anderson help me advance my career?
Membership in Out@Anderson connects you with a student community of diverse backgrounds and an alumni community that is represented across a panoply of industries both in Los Angeles and nationally. Out@Anderson frequently connects with LGBTQ+ employee resource groups and LGBTQ+-focused companies seeking UCLA talent for meals, presentations and networking with practitioners both on our own and in partnership with professional clubs on campus. Every year, students attend the annual Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Conference for LGBTQ+ MBA students, which is hosted in different cities across the country, where they have opportunities to meet leaders in the industries that matter to them, such as finance, health care, media, retail and CPG. Students also participate in the annual Lesbians Who Tech Conference to meet peers from across the country who work in the technology industry.
How can I connect with LGBTQ+ professional groups as part of my MBA experience?
There is a diverse and welcoming group of professional organizations that cater to the LGBTQ+ community for networking, mentorship, support and advocacy. Below are a few that may interest you:
- Reaching Out MBA: Educating, inspiring and connecting the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders
- Out in Tech: Uniting LGBTQ+ workers in tech
- Out Women in Business: Network for professionals to empower future generations of women in business
- StartOut: Empowering LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs
- Lesbians Who Tech: Network of LGBTQ+ women, nonbinary and trans individuals (and allies) in the tech industry
- Out Leadership: Global LGBTQ+ business network
- TransTech Social Enterprises: Incubator for LGBTQ+ talent focused on economic empowerment for transgender people
- Out in Finance: LGBTQ+ professionals in the financial services industry
- Out & Equal: Global nonprofit dedicated to achieving workplace equality for LGBTQ+ people
- Pride At Work: Network supporting LGBTQ+ union members
- National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals: Organization for community members in real estate
While at Anderson, how can I get connected to the Los Angeles LGBTQ+ community? What is LGBTQ+ life like in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has one of the largest LGBTQ+ communities in the United States, which is reflected in the diverse pockets of LGBTQ+ life available to you across the city. Members of the community are highly visible in Los Angeles and are part of every industry in the city. There is no one experience of LGBTQ+ life in the city, but you can connect to the L.A. LGBTQ+ community here through service organizations such as GLAAD, the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the Trevor Project; or you can take advantage of L.A.’s amazing weather by joining one of the community’s many sports leagues, such as those for kickball and dodgeball, or the WH20 swimming club.
What kinds of social activities do Out@Anderson members engage in?
Much like the rest of Anderson, Out@Anderson members enjoy a “work hard, play hard” mentality. From our Monthly Brunch Series to casual nights out in West Hollywood, we facilitate an environment where members can spend time together in LGBTQ+-friendly spaces. Beyond Los Angeles, we host an annual weekend trip to Palm Springs, as well as a club excursion to Six Flags Amusement Park. Ally members are welcome and encouraged to join all of our social events! Allies from the class of 2021 have even organized a trip to West Hollywood for the annual Halloween parade.
As a student at Anderson, what LGBTQ+-friendly health care services will I have access to?
UCLA’s Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center was named a leader in the 2018 Human Rights Campaign’s Healthcare Equality Index for its services provided to UCLA’s LGBTQ+ community. The Ashe Center provides access to gender-neutral restrooms at UCLA (including on Anderson’s campus), offers private and confidential health care services, and has a designated transgender health coordinator on staff to support students. UCLA’s student health insurance covers hormone therapy and gender reassignment services, and our Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) team provides students with access to LGBTQ+-affirmative therapy services. Anderson hosts a CAPS counselor on campus to provide MBA students with more direct access to these services. You can learn more about CAPS' LGBTQ+-specialized counselors and available LGBTQ+-focused therapy groups here: LGBTQ+ Counseling Services @ UCLA. In addition to on-campus resources, theLos Angeles LGBT Center offers a variety of physical and mental health services that accept UCSHIP health insurance, as well as free and confidential STD testing.
