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The Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship
Promoting Diversity in the Leeds School of Business MBA programs
The Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship
The Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship is dedicated to promoting diversity within the MBA program at the Leeds School of Business.
The scholarship is named for Barney L. Ford (1822-1902), a former enslaved person who became a leading Denver businessman. The annual Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship Fundraiser is our way of maintaining a tradition that serves to carry on his legacy and benefits a number of diverse Leeds MBA students every year.
Tickets are on sale now!
If you are unable to attend the fundraiser you can make a donation directly to the Scholarship Fund below.
The Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship is proud to partner with the Leeds MBA Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee and to introduce the Racial Equity #BeTheChange challenge during Black History Month.
The Leeds MBA JEDI Committee invites you to participate in a racial equity habit-building challenge to celebrate Black History Month and support diversity and inclusive excellence at Leeds. The #BeTheChange Challenge includes daily engagement with music, articles, podcasts, and films to learn about current and historical issues of racial inequity and ways to be part of the solution. Please and learn more on the Center for Inclusion and Social Change Website.
The 31st Annual Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship Fundraiser
Date: March 8, 2024
Check-in time: 6:30pm for VIP; 7:00pm for GA
Opening remarks: 7:30pm
End time: 10pm
Location: Glenn Miller Ballroom at ²ÊÃñ±¦µä
Theme: Barney Ford
Dress: Cocktail attire welcome
Please note that this event is 21+ only
This year we are excited to again gather in person for the 31st Annual Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship Fundraiser. The event, organized by current MBA students in support of future MBA students, brings together MBA students and alumni, faculty and staff, and friends of our programs—all with the common goal of increasing scholarship funds for students and to improve diversity at Leeds.
All proceeds help fund student scholarships, with the overall goal of building diversity into the MBA program and contributing to the strong sense of community we work hard to achieve.
Important: ²ÊÃñ±¦µä is taking proactive actions to minimize opportunities for the transmission of COVID-19 within our community. Event-specific details will be shared at a later date. Please direct any questions to BarneyFordDiversity@colorado.edu.
Support The Fundraiser
There are many was to support the Fundraiser:
- Become a Sponsor
- Donate an Auction Item ​
- Donate Directly to the Scholarship Fund
Interested in helping out? Contact our team at BarneyFordDiversity@colorado.edu for more information on donating an item, service, or experience to be auctioned off, or to become a sponsor.
Barney Ford -Â The Man
A former enslaved person from South Carolina, Barney escaped at age seventeen, taught himself how to read and write and achieved great business success, becoming the most noted caterer and restaurateur in the Rocky Mountain region and Colorado’s most notable black businessman. Mr. Ford was also very active in civic and education causes.