We are an LGBTQ+ affinity group at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business committed to providing opportunities for professional development, social networking and advocacy opportunities to all Merage School students, faculty, staff and alumni and welcomes LGBTQ allies to all events and functions.
Out 4 Business (O4B) serves as a platform for addressing the unique professional concerns of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender business students. Out 4 Business will work with students, faculty, staff and alumni to create a safe and inclusive environment for all members of UCI Merage. We work to accomplish this in partnership with Merage School allies, alumni, the UCI and Orange County communities and the greater business community.
Out 4 Business connects you with LGBTQ+ employee resource groups and LGBTQ+-focused companies for informational meetings, presentations and networking with practitioners in the industry. Every year, students attend the annual Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Conference for LGBTQ+ MBA students, which is hosted in different cities across the country, where they have opportunities to meet leaders in the industries that matter to them, such as finance, health care, media, retail and CPG.
Through quarterly mixers, panel events, drag brunches and our year-end Pride party, we O4B facilitates an environment where members can spend time together in LGBTQ+-friendly environments. Ally members are welcome and encouraged to join not only our social events, but also leadership!
With this in mind, our main objectives are to:
Facilitate a platform for students from all groups to engage with potential employers focused on building diversity.
Connect with other students who share the same passion for expanding and learning about inclusion, diversity, and belonging.
Educate on the value of diversity through guest speakers from leading industries, esteemed faculty, and other planned events.
Brahmarshi Kar (he/him)
Co-president
Connect with Brahmarshi
Bramarshi a full-time MBA candidate at Merage, was born and raised in a small town outside Calcutta in Eastern India. He completed his bachelor’s degree from IIT Kharagpur in 2017 and then spent the next four years managing implementation roadmaps for digital transformation programs for one of India’s largest commercial banks. Growing up queer in a conservative society and amongst incriminating anti-LGBT laws always inspired him to explore opportunities with social impact. Through Out4Business, he wants to create a community that advocates positive conversations about queer representation in business. Outside of work and academics, he is also a musician and loves to sing and write music.
Xiaofan Shu (he/him)
Co-president
Connect with Xiaofan
Xiaofan is a 2023 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on corporate finance in the tech industry. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in accounting. After graduation, he obtained his CPA license and worked in the financial services industry. He enjoys cooking, working out, hiking, and volunteering. He wants to ensure that there is a safe space for everyone and facilitate engagement within the LGBTQIA+ community at Merage.
Jessica Eaton (she/her)
Vice president
Connect with Jessica
Jessica was born and raised in a very small town in New Hampshire. She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2016 with a B.A. in sociology and spent the next five years working in the non-profit space at organizations that focused on providing access to education and entrepreneurship opportunities to underserved communities. Jess shares, "As MBA students, we spend so much of our time preparing ourselves and building our toolkits to successfully enter the workforce. I'm excited for Out4Business because it will help to provide the Merage community with the tools necessary to bring their whole, authentic selves to work – and to have some fun while doing it!"
Cameron Pormir (he/him)
Vice president
Connect with Cameron
Cameron is a part of the MSBTM program, focusing on research in the biotech space, particularly the intersection between microbial metabolism and medicinal chemistry. Prior to joining the Merage family, he worked as a lab manager in the sequencing department of a genomics services lab. He enjoys watching movies, playing tennis, and ‘stanning’ pop divas. He’s motivated to create an inclusive and welcoming community in the biotech entrepreneurial space.
Out 4 Business will also actively collaborate with Reaching Out MBA. The Reaching Out LGBT MBA Fellowship is a joint effort between top business school programs and Reaching Out to develop out LGBTQ and active ally leaders of tomorrow. It aims to educate, inspire, and connect LGBTQ MBA students across the United States through their annual conferences and career expositions.
