Sydney Rodgers ’25S (MBA): Championing Diversity and Inclusion
Sydney Rodgers ’25S (MBA) is passionate about fostering environments where every voice is heard. As vice president of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) for Simon Business School’s Graduate Business Council (GBC), Sydney advocates for underrepresented communities and actively creates spaces where all students feel seen, heard, and empowered.
Academic Background
Rodgers, born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, has always been drawn to creative communications. This love for writing, branding, and marketing guided her toward public relations. She made the decision to pursue her undergraduate studies at one of the few regional undergraduate programs offering a dedicated public relations certification—Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). At SEMO, she became an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), where she honed her communication skills and expanded her network by attending national conferences.
Professional Journey in Public RelationsAfter graduating, Rodgers worked for four years in public relations with roles at both Weber Shandwick and FleishmanHillard. Her experience in brand marketing, crisis communications, and influencer relations provided her with a broad spectrum of experience in the field. Rodgers describes her time in PR as both exhilarating and demanding. "I knew I wanted to take more ownership of these projects and work more closely with those marketers I had been connected with as a PR practitioner," she said. | 
"Public Relations is just one facet of marketing—the one that focuses on the communications aspect—product launches, new campaigns, announcements, or event activations. A lot of what we were doing was very high impact and required quick turnarounds.”—Sydney Rodgers '25s (MBA) |
Pursuing an MBA at Simon Business School
Rodgers’ journey to Simon was inspired by a friend who introduced her to the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. The Consortium, an organization aimed at supporting minorities in business management, opened new opportunities for her. She began by exploring various Consortium partner universities and eventually attended webinars, including one hosted by Simon.
Her interest was piqued when Julie Sadwick, director of admissions and EDI special projects, reached out. "Julie was amazing," Rodgers said. "She saw my questions and asked if I was interested in Simon." Impressed by Simon’s community and data-driven approach, Rodgers attended Experience Simon in 2023, where she connected with current students and explored the campus.
The next step included Scholarship Week, which gave her the opportunity to collaborate with prospective students on a pitch competition. "We were given a business issue, and within a week, we worked with other students to develop and present our findings," she said. This intensive project demonstrated Simon’s fast-paced, collaborative environment. Her efforts were rewarded with an offer that included additional scholarship funds and a fellowship from Forté, an organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in business.
Summer Internship Experience at Keurig Dr Pepper
During the summer of 2024, Rodgers interned at Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) in Frisco, Texas. Throughout her 10-week internship, Rodgers focused on assessing the potential impact of a celebrity partnership for Core® water's 2026 brand strategy. This project involved diving into data-driven insights, analyzing brand equity, and evaluating past strategies.
“I got the chance to learn about different databases and how to analyze brand equity and measure it against competitors,” she said. “We reviewed past strategies and identified areas for improvement.” The internship culminated in a presentation to KDP’s management leadership team, including the Chief Marketing Officer, Andrew Springate.
Upcoming Initiatives
As Vice President of EDI for the GBC, Rodgers is committed to fostering a more inclusive environment at Simon. "One thing about Simon is we have a very diverse student population," Rodgers explains. "But even with that diversity, it's crucial to ensure that students feel safe and supported when voicing their opinions, especially in the wake of challenging incidents."
In addition to her role with the GBC, Rodgers is deeply engaged with the P.I.E.C.E.S., an educational equity program created by Simon MBAs that provides middle-school students with contexts for meaningful learning and focuses on three main lessons: Growth Mindset, Finance, and Entrepreneurship.
“We collaborate with Rochester Public Schools to mentor students entering the sixth grade, focusing on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and bridging achievement gaps. Our efforts aim to promote racial equity within the Rochester City School District,” said Rodgers.
She is also involved with Simon Black Student Alliance as VP of events. Rodgers plans to enhance student engagement through events like the National Black MBA Association Conference in Washington, DC, and a culturally themed Fall Ball. She’s also involved in organizing a job fair for local fifth graders to showcase diverse business careers and inspire young students.
The job fair will offer students a glimpse into various business careers, showcasing the diverse and dynamic nature of professional life. "We want to share our experiences and show these young students that business can be both exciting and accessible," Rodgers explains. "By highlighting the diverse paths, we take and the fun aspects of our work, we hope to inspire them and make business more relatable."
What the Future Holds
Looking ahead, Rodgers is eager to leverage her experiences in marketing consulting, particularly working with small business owners from minority backgrounds. She envisions helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses by applying the knowledge and experience she’s gained.
“I have a lot of family and friends who are part-time entrepreneurs in addition to their regular jobs,” she said. “I think they have some brilliant ideas, and I want to use the experience I’ve gained from working with Fortune 500 companies to help them turn those ideas into successful businesses.”
Rodgers’ journey at Simon has been one of growth and self-discovery, and she remains focused on maximizing her potential and avoiding regrets. “Time moves incredibly fast,” she reflects “In the future I don’t want to spend any time thinking about what could have been. So now I feel like I'm in the phase of just giving it my all and moving ahead as far as I can.”