Monisha Kapila: How Harvard Business School Can Change the World for Women

By Monisha Kapila, CEO of ProInspire

This past week, Harvard Business School commemorated the 50th anniversary of letting women into its two-year MBA program. Most interesting to me—a graduate of 2005—were discussions on the school’s role in accelerating the ascension of women into leadership positions.

A new case study Women MBAs at Harvard Business School: 1962-2012 suggests that the school historically has accepted societal culture of the time versus pushing boundaries for change. Pioneering alumnae from the first MBA class recalled the urinals in the women’s bathrooms when they started. While the bathrooms have been updated, 50 years has not been enough to overcome wage and achievement gaps that women face in business.

Click here to read about the three ways I observed that HBS can influence the barriers to women’s advancement and better prepare leaders to navigate these challenges.