IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) recently became a co-sponsor of The PhD Project, an award-winning program to create a more diverse corporate America by diversifying business school faculty. In doing so, IMA joins some of the United States’ largest corporations, foundations, academic organizations, and individuals in this important initiative and solidifies its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The PhD Project was created in 1994 to address the severe under-representation of African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Native Americans in management by diversifying business school classrooms. The PhD Project believes a diverse faculty encourages more minorities to pursue business degrees, thereby increasing the pool of minority applicants for positions in today’s multicultural corporate environment. The expansive network of supporters, sponsors, and universities helps diverse individuals attain their business Ph.D. and be in a position to mentor the next generation of leaders.

“IMA is proud and honored to be a sponsor of The PhD Project,” said Jeff Thomson, CMA, CSCA, CAE, IMA president and CEO. “The project’s call to action is to a more diverse pool of academic influencers in business schools, who can inspire a more diverse group of students and, ultimately, business professionals who make a difference in society. IMA will do its part, and then some, to expand this pool with our full set of benefits including the CMA scholarship program. Additionally, we hope to attract a more diverse pool of future IMA volunteer leaders through this collaborative partnership.”

Commented Bernard J. Milano, president of The PhD Project and the KPMG Foundation, the founder and lead sponsor of the program, “IMA’s support speaks volumes about its understanding of our mission: diverse business school faculty attracts a diverse student body to study business. This, in turn, enables employers to improve the diversity in their workplace and all students to be better prepared to function in our diverse society.”

Since its inception in 1994, The PhD Project has been responsible for the increase in the number of minorities earning a business Ph.D. from 294 to 1,493. Further, 270 minorities are currently enrolled in doctoral programs, and will take a place at the front of the classroom over the next few years. Other financial sponsors of The PhD Project include California State University System, Lincoln Financial Group, Academy of Management, American Accounting Association, American Express Foundation, Fidelity Investments, LinkedIn, New York Life, and more than 300 participating universities.

For more information on The PhD Project, visit http://www.phdproject.org.