The Women in Leadership Conference is a conference organized by Michigan Business Women for current students and prospective students with a keynote speaker and breakout sessions featuring alumnae and industry professionals designed for personal and professional development. Prospective students will be able to attend a portion of the conference and also attend admissions programming to learn more about the overall Ross experience.

If you choose to attend WILC, plan on being in Ann Arbor October 10-12.

Historically the UpClose weekend was designed to attract talented African American, Hispanic American, and Native American applicants to the Ross MBA program. We’ve expanded this event to include all prospective students, of any race or ethnicity, who have an interest in improving the visibility of underrepresented students in business schools and in management.

If you choose to attend UpClose, plan on being in Ann Arbor October 11-13

If you are a prospective student in support the advancement of women in academic and professional settings and also interested in improving the visibility of underrepresented minorities in business schools and in management, please consider applying to attend both programs.

If you choose to attend both events, you should plan to be in Ann Arbor October 10-13. The application for UpClose and WILC is combined, so you if you are interested in attending both events please select that option on the form. You will need to submit essay responses for both UpClose and WILC.

You will need to submit your GRE/GMAT score, your current resume and response to one essay question*.  The essay prompt should be limited to 1500 characters and include your response to the following statement:

UpClose Applicants
UpClose seeks to promote the advancement of underrepresented minorities in management by attracting prospective business school students with a demonstrated commitment to that purpose. UpClose attendees may be of any race or ethnicity. Please describe how you have or intend to support the advancement of underrepresented minorities (defined in this context as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans) in academic or professional settings.

WILC Applicants
The Women in Leadership Conference seeks to promote the advancement of women in management by attracting prospective MBA students, of any gender, with a demonstrated commitment to that purpose. Please describe how you have or intend to support the advancement of women in academic or professional settings.

*Please note: If you are interested in applying to attend both UpClose and WILC, you will be asked to submit an responses to both essay prompts.

If you are selected to attend, you will be notified on September 6, 2019.  Please note that this is a capacity constrained event. Due to the growing popularity of this event, we cannot invite all qualified candidates to attend. We encourage all interested candidates to apply for the full-time MBA program whether or not you receive an invitation.

Prior to arriving at Ross, we highly encourage you to reach out to current students who share your career and club interests.

If you would like to schedule a meeting with representatives from Michigan Ross centers and institutes while you are on campus, contact them directly.

WILC: Plan on arriving by Thursday, October 10 at 6 p.m. for registration, the Ross Admissions welcome, and a reception. If you're interested in visiting a class or going on a building tour, we encourage you to arrive earlier on Thursday. Sign-ups will be available in September. We have programming that lasts through Friday night, but if you're interested in exploring Ann Arbor on Saturday, we encourage you to stay longer. 

UpClose: Please arrive by Friday morning. We'll have a place for you to store your luggage during the day until you check into the hotel. The programming will last through Saturday night, but if you're interested in exploring Ann Arbor, we encourage you to stay longer.  If you're interested in visiting a class, we encourage you to arrive earlier on Thursday and attend our Visit in Person program from 12:30-4:30 p.m. If you choose to take part in the optional programming, you are responsible for accommodations on Thursday night.

You are responsible for your own transportation to/from Detroit Metro Airport.

Detroit is a Delta airlines hub, but it is also served by most major airlines. It is a 30-minute drive from U-M campus.

We recommend booking a seat on the AirRide/Michigan Flyer, which offers one-way fare of $12. The bus picks up/drops off at the Blake Transit Center near central campus (about a 15-minute walk from Ross).

As an alternative, an Uber or Lyft ride from the airport to Ann Arbor typically cost $35-$45.

WILC: Hotel accommodations are covered by Ross Admissions on Thursday, October 10 and Friday, October 11.

UpClose: Hotel accommodations are covered by Ross Admissions on Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12.

Participants will be paired with a buddy for the hotel room and Ross Admissions will make the arrangements for your stay.

Hotel Information: Hyatt Place Ann Arbor, 3223 S. State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48108

We will provide a shuttle for the attendees from the hotel to the Ross building.  Once on campus, all events are within walking distance. 

If you choose to rent a car or drive, we can offer validated parking at the Forest Street parking structure.  Please retain your original ticket along with our validation ticket (provided at check in) for payment.

More information about parking and directions

Attire during Thursday and Friday programming is smart casual, but casual attire is appropriate for all other events. 

WILC: Ross Admissions covers the cost of your hotel for Thursday, October 10 and Friday, October 11 and your meals all day on Friday. There will be a shuttle provided from the hotel to the the Ross building, but you will need to provide your own transportation to get to/from Ann Arbor.

UpClose: Ross Admissions covers the cost of your hotel for Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12 and your meals from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon. There will be a shuttle provided from the hotel to the the Ross building, but you will need to provide your own transportation to get to/from Ann Arbor.