Two of Harbert College of Business’s student-led organizations have been going the extra mile to inspire business among Black and minority students within the college.

Established in 2021, Auburn’s chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) has grown with each semester since its inception. Hosting weekly meetings, NABA strives to create personal and professional connections between students and prospective employers.  

Originally only open to accounting students, newly elected president Jordan Parker shares that NABA has recently expanded to accept students from across Harbert College. He mentions one new member, who is majoring in Information Systems Management, has recently accepted a summer 2024 internship with Deloitte, a Big Four accounting firm. 

“Other majors can gain valuable skills and experience that way,” said Parker, a sophomore in the School of Accountancy. 

One of the key features of NABA’s work is creating a space for students to individually talk with visiting employers from a variety of large and small sized accounting firms hailing from Auburn and neighboring cities like Birmingham, Atlanta, and Montgomery.  

In fact, some NABA members have had the pleasure of returning to speak at Auburn’s chapter as new professionals.  

“When we invite a firm and it's someone who was in NABA previously and they come back, just getting to listen to them talk as someone that was in the same exact seat as us a few years ago is valuable,” said Parker. 

Minorities in Technology (MIT) is similarly concerned with connecting Harbert students from all majors to each other and to employers. Under the leadership of Lekan Afolabi, MBA and MSIS candidate, MIT has gained momentum with guest speakers from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and World Bank set to join their meetings throughout the spring semester. 

“How can I leverage my current skill set?” Afolabi asks as one of the biggest questions MIT strives to help its members answer.  

But one of the best aspects of MIT is the sense of belonging it provides its members. Originally from Nigeria, Afolabi states one of his favorite things about MIT is the beginning of their meetings where students are asked to turn to their neighbor and get to know them on a personal level. Students ask each other questions about where they are from, what their families are like, what their ultimate goals are and come back together to share what they learned about each other to the group.  

“You're definitely going to see people from different backgrounds, which means you can learn from them,” said Afolabi, “and then these are my friends, not just my colleagues, but people that I can trust.” 

In addition to various guest speakers, MIT added an executive board to the organization this spring semester. MIT is also planning to incorporate a service project for its members in the coming months. 

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Outside of their weekly networking meetings, NABA also gives back to the Auburn community through service projects. Last semester, NABA volunteered at the Food Bank of East Alabama and facilitated a drive for personal hygiene products to be distributed to those in need.  

“We try to do a community service activity once a semester,” said Parker, sharing that they are still organizing their ideas for the spring semester.  

NABA is also preparing for their National Conference, located in Las Vegas this summer, where they will meet with chapters of NABA from other colleges and NABA officials to learn more about accounting and the professional world.  

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Whether connecting to other schools or just each other, NABA and MIT understand the importance of community as it relates to advancement in professional environments. 

“[NABA] truly fosters a culture of opportunity and advancement for any business majors,” said Parker.  

“[MIT] is a community that expands the utilization and study of technology by leveraging social networking, community service, and professional development programs,” said Afolabi. 

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The Harbert College of Business which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Raymond and Kathryn Harbert's transformational naming gift, is a nationally ranked hub of undergraduate, graduate and continuing business education that is inspiring the next generation of business leaders. Our world-class faculty deliver unparalleled academic rigor in the classroom, while our research-driven scholarship advances thought leadership and best practice across business disciplines. The largest college on Auburn's campus, Harbert enrolls more than 6,900 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.