University at Buffalo School of Management

2 Buffalo Business Autumn 2022 DEI platform wins entrepreneurship competition A platform that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within insti- tutions by empowering instructors and participants through guided social discus- sion took first place April 20 at UB's Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition (Panasci TEC). Team Real Talk Inc. won $25,000 in startup capital and in-kind services valued at $30,000 for their company. The startup is led by Malkijah Griffiths, BS '19, MPH/ MBA '22, and two School of Management alumnae: Sonya A. Tareke, BS '17, MBA '20, program manager, EforAll; and Janelle Fore, BS '20, MBA '21, analyst, Goldman Sachs. Team Real Talk is a certified B Corporation, and the Real Talk platform gives the online community access to curated information and provides inclusive topics of conversation that relate to many cultures, backgrounds and career fields. "The Panasci competition helped us solidify how we will contribute to the region's economic development—provid- ing new jobs and opportunities to upcom- ing professionals," says Griffiths. "We plan to continue validating our framework by running more DEI sessions with companies and showcasing the DEI metrics that affect their operational and financial efficiency." In-kind awards included business counseling from Atlas Alignment Growth Partners, legal services from Colligan Law LLP, marketing and advertising services from Fieen, accounting services from Lumsden & McCormick LLP, product design and manufacturing services from Tresca, and co-working space from the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships. Now in its 22nd year, Panasci TEC was created by the UB School of Management and the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships, and is funded with a $1 million endowment from the late Henry A. Panasci Jr. to facilitate and promote the commercial- ization of UB-generated technologies. Read more about the event and the second-place and People's Choice winners at management.buffalo.edu/panasci. Startups MBA climbs 5 spots in ranking U.S. News & World Report has ranked the UB School of Management No. 72 in its annual ranking of MBA programs, up five places from last year. Among public business schools, the UB MBA is ranked No. 38. The School of Management is ranked higher than any other busi- ness school in the Buffalo Niagara region, and higher than any other business school in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Nearly 500 schools were surveyed for the ranking, which focuses on three major areas: quality assessment, place- ment success and student selectivity. In the recruiter assessment, the school was ranked No. 16—a ringing endorsement from the organizations that hire MBA graduates from the school. 40 No. 16 Tareke, Griffiths and Fore. Photo illustration: Douglas Levere RECRUITER RANKING TOP PUBLIC MBA

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