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Celebrating Black History Month with Shirae Butler

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Shirae Butler, Weekend MBA student, shines light on her involvement in the Coalition of Minorities in Business at Booth, along with how she plans on celebrating Black History Month.

Tell us about yourself and take us along your journey to getting an MBA.

My journey to Booth actually started in Texas. I am originally from the Dallas/Fort Worth area and lived there most of my life. After undergrad, I went the typical accounting/finance route with my degree, working in tax consulting and then banking. I decided that I wanted to expand beyond just the numbers of the firms. I wanted to gain a more comprehensive understanding within the management and leadership decision-making process of a corporation. In doing so, it led me to apply for an MBA to increase my knowledge base in building that skill-set.

Why did you choose Chicago Booth?

As I was researching various MBA programs, I thought if I was going to invest such a large portion of time, at this point in my life, I wanted it to be of the highest quality. I planned to continue my career while in the program, so finding a Part-Time MBA Program that would provide that flexibility was important as well. The University of Chicago was known for both. When I got the chance to visit the campus, it validated the resources, the teaching, and community that would be available to me with this program. Luckily, my job also had an office in the Chicago area that I was able to transfer to. From there, everything seemed to fall in place!  

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Why was joining the Coalition of Minorities in Business important to you?

The Coalition of Minorities in Business (CMB) group was important for me to join because of its purpose. Providing students a place that celebrates their different cultures, all the while engaging the student body as a whole to learn from one another is important to me professionally and personally. Minority representation is vital for learning and promoting the values of these various groups, and hopefully that mindset carries forward into our numerous career fields as we graduate. Also, it's just a great way to meet and learn from people of other backgrounds.

What’s your favorite memory from being a member of the Coalition of Minorities in Business?

My most memorable memory would be my time as a chair of CMB. I became a co-chair in summer 2022. It has been an amazing experience to contribute to the many partnerships we have facilitated for CMB membership with industry partners and the Booth administration. I’ve learned so much from my fellow chairs while also promoting diversity and equity throughout the program.


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What does Black History Month mean to you?

Although it is important to study black history all year long, to me this month is specifically designated to celebrate how far we’ve come and those who have paved a way to achieve the civil freedoms we have now. There is still more to do, but it’s necessary to acknowledge the past.

How are you planning to celebrate Black History Month?

Recently, I went to a BHM celebration in partnership with Northwestern’s Black Management Association, which was really fun and informative. There are several upcoming black alumni panel discussions, spotlighted black-owned businesses, and other educational opportunities surrounding historical figures/moments throughout Black History Month. I plan to continue to participate in these types of events like CMB’s celebration on February 24th at Bronzeville Winery (go check it out in Booth Groups!)

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