Juliana Olm: Fostering a Sense of Belonging
As assistant dean for MBA programs since 2022, Juliana Olm has worked to incorporate two things into everything an MBA student experiences: an inclusive perspective and fun.
The two merge in her work developing initiatives and co-curricular experiences for students outside the classroom. “I like to say that when our students are having fun, our team is usually involved,” Olm says. That includes supporting the student organizations, recruiting a broad array of expert speakers to come to campus, and creating global celebrations that recognize what a truly multicultural group Georgetown MBA students are.
In addition to many specific heritage month programs the office celebrates, it also hosts an annual global festival in the fall.
The MBA Global Festival, an annual tradition at Georgetown McDonough, represents over 40 nationalities within the MBA program.
“The festival represents over 40 nationalities of the McDonough MBA community,” Olm says. “We do a potluck where students cook and bring all different kinds of foods. We have a fashion show. We have a talent show, and students play music from all over the world to celebrate this global university.”
That’s not to say all belonging and inclusion work is pure fun. As someone who was once an international student herself, Olm recognizes the unique challenges facing many MBA students. Minorities often still struggle to feel at home if they don’t see themselves represented in the faces of others at a school, for example, and international students face language barriers and cultural differences.
Olm created Safe Bubble Conversations to discuss the contributions, challenges, and stereotypes across backgrounds and affinity groups within the McDonough community.
So another major initiative under Olm’s domain is Safe Bubble Conversations, which are held in conjunction with the school’s numerous affinity groups — but not exclusive to them.
“It’s a place for students whether they are part of the affinity group or not,” Olm says. “Some want to become allies or they’re already allies.”
Safe Bubble Conversations are meant to be open and free of judgment. They’re also paired with celebrations, such as those heritage month celebrations. For instance, during Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month, the school held such a conversation where participants discussed the contributions, challenges, and stereotypes of the community.
“It’s a very intentional safe place we create for people,” Olm says. “They can educate themselves. They can connect with each other, and they can feel that they belong. It is such an honor to work with impactful initiatives that foster an inclusive perspective across our community and also enhance the sense of belonging to our students.”