Ross Women’s Weekend and UpClose Weekend
October 23-25, 2025
The application for Ross Women’s Weekend and UpClose Weekend is now closed. Please visit our events page for more information on upcoming FTMBA events.
Email [email protected] if you have any questions after reviewing the information below.
Ross Women’s Weekend: October 23-24, 2025
UpClose Weekend: October 24-25, 2025
Join current students, alumni, admissions representatives, and fellow prospective students for interactive and informative programming designed to help you gain an understanding of life in the Michigan Ross Full-Time MBA Program.
At Michigan Ross, we believe that enrolling a diverse community is essential to the character of our school, the education and leadership development of our students, and the contribution our graduates make to business and society. Ross Women’s Weekend and UpClose are integral parts of these continuing efforts.
You may choose to apply to attend Ross Women’s Weekend, UpClose, or both programs. All events will be in-person at the Ross School of Business in Ann Arbor, MI.
Women's Weekend Programming UpClose Weekend Programming
Ross Women's Weekend Check-In
3-4:45 p.m.
Winter Garden
If you would like to attend the optional programming offered during check-in, we recommend arriving at or just after 3:00 p.m. All attendees need to be checked in by 4:40 p.m.
Ross Women’s Weekend Optional Programming During Check-In:
3-4:45 p.m.
- Learn About Forté Fellows at Michigan Ross
Winter Garden
Come meet some of our Michigan Ross Forté Fellows and learn more about the benefits of being a part of the Forté Foundation! - Building Tours of Ross
Winter Garden
Join current students for a building tour of Ross! Tours will be available starting at 3:15 and 3:45 p.m. Note - there will also be tours available on Friday afternoon. - Ann Arbor Walking Tours
Winter Garden
Join current students for a walking tour of our UM campus and downtown Ann Arbor! Tours will be available starting at 3:15 and 3:45 p.m. and will be about 50 minutes, so please wear comfortable shoes and attire for fall weather.
Ross Women’s Weekend: Welcome Kickoff & The Power Within: Building Authentic Executive Presence with Soojin Kwon, Founder & CEO Talent Peak Advisors
5-6:15 p.m.
Tauber Colloquium
Start the weekend off with a welcome from our Dean, Sharon Matusik, followed by an inspiring and dynamic session led by Soojin Kwon ‘99, Founder and CEO of Talent Peak Advisors and a Ross Alumna! Learn how to look and feel confident, speak so others listen, and show up like a leader--whether you're in a meeting, on a team, or taking the mic.
Ross Women’s Weekend Welcome Dinner
6:15-8:15 p.m.
Tauber Colloquium
Enjoy dinner with fellow Ross Women’s Weekend attendees, students, faculty, staff, and our Centers and Institutes representatives!
WiLC & Ross Women’s Weekend: Breakfast
8:30-9:15 a.m.
Robertson/Stewart Lobby
Enjoy breakfast in the Robertson/Stewart Lobby before the day begins.
WiLC & Ross Women’s Weekend: Welcome and Keynote Speaker – Lindsay Macmillan
9:15-10:30 a.m.
Robertson Auditorium
WiLC co-chairs will welcome the audience and share the theme of WiLC followed by an inspiring talk from Lindsay MacMillan. She will explore how to stay creatively fulfilled in traditional business settings and provide tools to fully integrate analytical and artistic selves into career journeys.
WiLC & Ross Women’s Weekend: Non-Traditional Careers & Entrepreneurship Panel
10:40-11:25 a.m.
Robertson Auditorium
A panel featuring women with unconventional career paths discussing risk, reinvention, and defining success authentically.
UpClose: Registration/Check-In & Optional Breakfast
10 a.m. - noon
Winter Garden
UpClose attendees only. Light refreshments available.
Arrival suggestions: arrive at 10 a.m. to attend 10:15 programming or by 11:00 a.m. for DEI session.
UpClose: Optional AA Walking Tour, Ross Building Tour, or Drop-In Admissions & Consortium “Ask Me Anything” Booth
10:15-11:15 a.m.
Winter Garden
- Drop-In Booth: Meet Ross Consortium liaisons and learn about Consortium benefits.
- Building Tours of Ross: Guided student tours starting at 10:15 a.m.
- Ann Arbor Walking Tours: Tours begin at 10:15 a.m. and last ~50 minutes. Dress for fall weather.
WiLC & Ross Women’s Weekend (Optional UpClose): Reimagining Inclusion: Leading When the Landscape Shifts
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Robertson Auditorium
A panel of leaders addresses evolving DEI landscapes and strategies for advocating inclusion and equity across roles.
Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: Lunch
12:40–1:30 p.m.
Blau Colloquium
Lunch with fellow attendees, students, and staff.
Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: The Ross Difference
1:45-2:15 p.m.
Robertson Auditorium
Hear personal stories from students about professional, academic, and personal growth at Ross.
Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: REAL Learning, REAL Impact: Inside the Ross MBA Curriculum
2:30-3:15 p.m.
Blau Colloquium
Learn about Ross academics with staff and student insights on curriculum, STEM paths, concentrations, and dual degrees.
Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: True Cost of an MBA Panel
3:25-4:10 p.m.
Blau Colloquium
Hear from students and Financial Aid staff about budgeting, costs, and managing finances at Ross.
Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: Your Recruiting Journey at Ross
4:20-5:05 p.m.
Blau Colloquium
Career Development Office overview plus student testimonials about navigating recruiting at Ross.
Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: Optional Building Tour and/or Drop-In Admissions “Ask Me Anything”
5:05-5:45 p.m.
Blau Colloquium
Join a tour or speak with Admissions Officers about your questions regarding Ross.
Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: Student-Hosted Dinners
6:45 p.m.
Student Homes/Various Locations
Enjoy small-group dinners hosted by current students. Locations shared via calendar invites. Transportation options available.
Optional Ross Women’s Weekend & UpClose: General Social Hour at Pretzel Bell – Down Bar
9:30-10:30 p.m.
Pretzel Bell – Down Bar
Wrap up the evening with a casual social with current students and fellow attendees.
UpClose: Breakfast
8:15-8:45 a.m.
Tauber Colloquium
Grab some breakfast in the Tauber Colloquium before sessions begin!
UpClose: Uncover Your Superpowers: Applying with Authenticity and Impact with Michelle Pava, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, and Jahnee Horn, Associate Director of Admissions
8:45-10 a.m.
Tauber Colloquium
Join Michelle Pava & Jahnee Horn from the Full-Time MBA Admissions Team for an insider’s look at the Ross application process, complete with practical tips to help you stand out. You’ll also participate in a values-driven leadership activity based on the Social Change Model, designed to help you identify your unique superpowers and learn how to showcase them authentically both in your application and as a future leader at Ross. Get ready to reflect, strategize, and own your story with confidence.
UpClose: Mock Class with Professor Marcus Collins: For the Culture: Unlocking Marketing’s Greatest Cheat Code
10:15-11 a.m.
Tauber Colloquium
Professor Marcus Collins leads an exciting class on Marketing and Culture!
UpClose: The Consortium Experience Unplugged: Student and Alumni Panel
11:15 a.m. - 12:40 p.m.
Tauber Colloquium
Every MBA journey is different, and so is every voice in the room. In this candid conversation, Ross students and alumni share what their time at Ross meant to them: the wins, the struggles, and the moments that shaped their path forward. This is your chance to ask tough questions and hear genuine reflections on life at Ross, navigating the MBA as a Consortium member, and building a meaningful career.
UpClose: Lunch at Pizza House
1 p.m.
Pizza House
Close the weekend with lunch at our favorite local spot…Pizza House! Pizza House is a quick five-minute walk from campus on flat roads.
Some transportation will be provided during your time at RWW/UpClose. Please note: shuttle transportation is not provided by Ross from DTW (Detroit Metropolitan Airport), however, Ubers and Lyfts are readily available, as is the Michigan Flyer.
Programming during Ross Women’s Weekend is for prospective MBA students to get to know our community, resources, and support related to women in business. Applications for Ross Women’s Weekend are open to all prospective students who have an interest in improving the resources, support, and advancement of women in business. If you choose to attend Ross Women’s Weekend, plan to be in Ann Arbor October 23-24.
NOTE: Programming on Friday, October 24 will run for the entire day. We advise arranging travel plans for the following day.
Programming during UpClose is designed for prospective MBA students to get to know our community, resources, and support related to underrepresented groups in business. Applications for UpClose are open to all prospective students who have an interest in improving the resources, support, and advancement of underrepresented groups in business. If you choose to attend UpClose, plan to be in Ann Arbor October 24-25.
If you are a prospective student in support of 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, plan to be in Ann Arbor October 23-25. The application for UpClose and Ross Women’s Weekend is combined, so 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 Ross Women’s Weekend.
You will need to submit your current resume and a response to one essay question*, in addition to indicating if you plan to submit a GMAT/Focus score, GRE score, EA score or a statement of quantitative academic readiness when you submit your application for the MBA program. If you have already taken the GMAT/Focus, GRE, or EA there will be a place on the Ross Women’s Weekend/UpClose application to submit your test scores. Please note: Your test score entered here will not be used for your admissions application to the Full-Time MBA Program at Michigan Ross. We know that many students plan to take the test again before submitting their application to the FTMBA Program at Michigan Ross.
*If you are interested in applying to attend both Ross Women’s Weekend and UpClose, you will need to submit responses to both essay prompts.
The essay should be limited to 350 words and include your response to the following prompt(s):
UpClose Essay Prompt
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.
Ross Women’s Weekend Essay Prompt
Ross Women’s Weekend 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.
If you are selected to attend, you will be notified the week of September 22, 2025. 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 to this event.
Ross Women’s Weekend: Hotel accommodations are covered by Admissions on the nights of October 23 and 24.
UpClose: Hotel accommodations are covered by Admissions on the nights of October 24 and 25.
If you’d like to stay additional days, you are welcome to book the additional night(s) on your own. Hotel Information will be provided when you have been accepted to the weekend.
Michigan Ross has over 350 student and alumni ambassadors available to connect with - ask them anything to get an authentic take at life at Ross.
Additionally, be sure to check out our Full-Time MBA Admissions Blog for insights from the Admissions team, and our student-led Business Beyond Usual Podcast to hear current Ross students discuss burning issues on campus, the world, and beyond.