Carol Pérez Credits MBA for Ability to Lead Workplace DEI Initiatives
By Lauren Lesmeister
Carol Pérez (’24 MBA) is a go-getter. As the HR manager for the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES) within the College of the Environment at the University of Washington, she also serves on several committees. This includes participation in CICOES DEI, Professional Development, and REU Application Review, the College of the Environment DEI and DEI Fellows Program, and the UW Community of Practice HR Mentorship committees.
In 2021, Pérez began WSU’s online MBA program, actively participating in networking events and joining the Alumni Association. On top of work and school, she makes time for her social life and her family.
Online MBA program offers convenience and career support
When searching for the right MBA program, WSU stood out to Pérez for its flexibility.
“Everything about the program seemed ideal and very reasonable,” she says. “From the class structure to the ability to only take one class at a time, to the price.”
For Pérez, the most valuable part of the MBA program was the connections she made with both students and staff. Pérez participated in numerous in-person marketing events, webinars, and personalized career sessions with Holly Connley, WSU’s career and personal brand consultant for MBA students.
“Holly’s services were invaluable,” she says. “With Holly, everything was so personalized; she really cares about her students, and that was a great perk to the program.”
A commitment to public education and DEI
As a proud product of public education, Pérez chose to pursue her MBA at a public institution, believing in the critical role institutions play in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She views public universities as essential in representing the full spectrum of society.
Pérez found WSU’s online MBA program to be particularly inclusive, enabling participation from individuals worldwide with diverse backgrounds and circumstances, including veterans, active military members, and expectant parents.
“This MBA program has been very holistic in that you learn about businesses from all different angles,” she says. “DEI is part of that because you are looking at how to implement these positive changes at work while looking at the bigger picture.”
Bringing DEI into the workplace
As an HR manager, she works to implement DEI initiatives into hiring practices, facilitates a DEI group, and strives to create community for people of different backgrounds in the workplace. This work is especially important, as her unit conducts scientific research, which benefits from a diverse team to address the wide-ranging needs of the public.
“The work we do is focused on climate and ecosystems, and that affects everyone,” she says. “That makes it important to have a diverse way to approach the work.”
When she first started her current role, Pérez participated in a mentorship program. Mentees filled out a questionnaire about what they are looking for in a mentor. There was an extra spot at the bottom for additional notes, where Pérez requested someone who is black, indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC) to be her mentor.
At the time, there was only one BIPOC mentor. She was paired with Pérez, and it turned out to be a great match, resulting in a relationship that is still strong today. Presently, Pérez gives back to the same mentorship program by serving as a mentor. She also collaborates with her former mentor, who leads the program, specifically looking at ways to increase BIPOC participation.
“Now I am a mentor in that same program,” she says. “I don’t think I would’ve been as involved if I hadn’t been paired with that specific person. All it took was a space for that mentor request to be made and me having the initiative to ask for it.”
Pérez plans to use her MBA training to lead organizational change and be a strategic partner to leaders.
“I did not have a business background prior to the program and this MBA has helped me understand holistically how a business functions,” she says.