Oxford ROMBA fellows, Roni Belinki and Sanoma Jean explain what the fellowship means to them, and to the wider LGBTQ+ community.
Meet Roni and Sanoma. Two Saïd Business School MBA students and the first-ever, Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) fellows at Oxford. The ROMBA fellowship exists to promote the empowerment and representation of LGBTQ+ students at the school and as future leaders of business.
To mark the end of UK’s LGBTQ+ History Month, we asked Sanoma and Roni, what the fellowship meant to them. Here’s what they said:
Sanoma:
‘It was really exciting to have the ROMBA Fellowship available at Oxford. So much of my work in the past had been around my LGBTQ+ identity, so I knew I was going to apply. It’s important to share how fellowships like this can encourage applicants to be their whole selves when applying for schools or jobs. ROMBA has brought me a network that will be invaluable in my life!’
Roni:
‘I was very excited to learn that there is a scholarship that is solely dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community at Oxford. I believe the initiative has a wide impact in increasing diversity. Promoting LGBTQ+ leaders, who are committed to empowering the LGBTQ+ community, to leadership positions in businesses is the best way to create real change.’
Prior to joining Oxford Saïd, Sanoma worked in Silicon Valley for Google and Tesla. She specialised in data and analytics with a finance focus. She plans to spend her time at Oxford exploring social entrepreneurship while developing her own Mental Health Tech start-up. She chairs the Entrepreneurship Oxford Business Network at Saïd and rows with Christ Church.
Roni is a neuroscientist by training but has since competed completed a master’s degree at Columbia University, as part of the Fulbright program. She was also the Vice President of the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel. Aside from studying her MBA, Roni works as a project manager at Capitox, and is part of Exeter’s football team, climbing club, and yacht club.
The two fellows have big ambitions for after they graduate, talking about what the future holds, Sanoma said:
‘My time at Oxford has opened my eyes to what’s possible. I still haven’t decided my path post-MBA, but I am looking at innovative tech start-ups, VC firms, and parallel pursuing entrepreneurship. Ideally, I will be founding my own company(ies) in the next 5-10 years.’
Roni added:
‘Long term, I want to find a way between the business arena and public policy to bring about social change. In the short term, I aspire to work in consulting, business development and strategy.
All MBA applicants are eligible to apply for the ROMBA Fellowship, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. However, they are required to show a commitment to, and leadership within, the LGBTQ+ community, and a passion to empower LGBTQ+ classmates and allies.
Oxford Saïd Business School, and wider university, are committed to promoting equality and have put on a whole host of activities to celebrate LGBTQ+ history month. Further celebrations are due to take place in June, to celebrate UK Pride Month.