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MINNEAPOLIS—  Colleen McMullen, executive director of diversity strategies & programs at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business has received the 2012 Sterling H. Schoen Achievement Award  from The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. The honor was presented to McMullen last evening at a special awards dinner held as part of the Consortium’s Annual Orientation Program & Career Forum.

The Sterling H. Schoen Achievement Award was established in honor of the Consortium’s founder, Dr. Sterling H. Schoen, an agent for change in graduate management education in partnership with American businesses. The award is presented annually to individuals in recognition of their courageous leadership and commitment in advancing the goal of equal opportunity for underrepresented minorities in American business

“Having served in the education sector now for more than a decade, I have witnessed positive strides at our school and likewise at many institutions across North America at improving the opportunities for underrepresented minorities,” said McMullen. “Although I am deeply and sincerely honored in being recognized by the Schoen Achievement Award, witnessing the successes of students, faculty and university staff- that have been made possible through the doors that our efforts have opened- is ultimately the reward that satisfies my sense of accomplishment.”

McMullen leads a comprehensive effort to develop diversity and inclusion strategies and programs for the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. Through collaboration with leaders across campus and throughout the business community, McMullen has worked successfully to improve outreach and recruiting methods for prospective students, faculty and staff, corporate outreach and research-related topics of diversity and inclusion in graduate business education.

In 2011, Colleen was selected by the New Pittsburgh Courier as one of their “50 Women of Excellence”, which honors the achievements of African American women in the Pittsburgh region.  She previously served two 2-year terms as vice chair and member of the Board of Directors for the Forte Foundation, a consortium of major corporations and top business schools that has become a powerful change agent in educating and directing talented women toward leadership roles in business. She also serves on the Carnegie Mellon University President’s Diversity Advisory Council.

About the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management- An alliance of leading American business schools and corporate partners, the Consortium strives to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management.