In honor of Black History Month, we launched our third annual “Pay It Forward” contest to find and recognize undergraduate and MBA students positively impacting their local Black communities. After reviewing an incredible range of submissions from undergraduates and business school students, we’re pleased to announce our winners:
Undergraduate winners:
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Ariana Brazier (2013 BOLD Immersion participant) is the former President of the Spelman College section of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). This summer, Ariana will be conducting research on homelessness before starting a Ph.D. program at the University of Pittsburgh.
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Rachel McKenzie is the former Vice President of the Spelman College section of NCNW. This summer, Rachel will be joining Teach for America.
MBA winners:
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Stephen Worthy is the former co-President of Detroit Revitalization & Business Initiative (Detroit R&B) at the Ross School of Business. This summer, Steve will begin working with J.P. Morgan in New York with hopes of returning to Detroit to continue his commitment to his hometown.
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Benjamin Stickel is the former co-President of Detroit R&B. He will be returning to Detroit to continue his impact within his community while working at the Boston Consulting Group.
Both teams were awarded an all-expense paid trip to Google’s Headquarters and here’s a photo recap of their experience:
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They had a front row seat to experience Google’s campus and culture.
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They connected with Googlers through coffee chats, resume workshops with Google recruiters and as they walked around campus.
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They had an inside look at Google’s products.
“It was really cool to see that innovative side of Google that you always hear about” commented Ben Stickel (pictured far left) after an inside look at Google Cardboard virtual reality. 
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They presented their work to Googlers.
Pictured below: Steve Worthy and Benjamin Stickel speaking about their work with the Detroit Revitalization & Business Initiative. Together, they pioneered Minds of Business (MoB), a mentorship program that mobilizes MBAs to serve as mentors to Detroit youth. To date, they have partnered with two Detroit public schools and covered topics such as Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and Marketing.
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They inspired Googlers to step out of their comfort zones and continue striving to be agents of change in their communities.
Pictured below: Ariana and Rachel leading an ice-breaker used by the Spelman College section of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Ariana and Rachel, during their tenure as President and Vice President, respectively, have placed great emphasis on their general body meetings because of the opportunities that they provide for “members to fellowship and empower themselves through constructive and reflective activities.”
Join us in congratulating NCNW, R&B and all the incredible student organizations that entered the Pay it Forward contest. Please consider entering the contest next February!
