HUBBA History
In the fall semester of 2002, there were 422 students within the Haas undergraduate Program. A mere 6 were African Americans—less than 1.5%. Because of these discouraging numbers, Melanie Boughton, Karibu Nyaggah, and Solomon Asfaw had a dream to establish an organization that would help minority students with their pursuits of getting into Haas. Although the process to form such a group was undoubtedly an uphill battle, HUBBA was officially founded in February of 2003 with the help of student advocate H. Faye Lawson. The purpose of the organization was to increase the number of African American students within Haas and assist students in their professional development pursuits. The first semester there were 5 paid members.
As the organization began to grow in size, the officers realized that the need for business information and resources was far greater than they had originally conceived. Not only was there a strong interest for HUBBA amongst intended Haas students, but many non-business majors realized the value that the organization held. The vision and opportunities that the organization exuded were embraced by the community as a whole, and HUBBA’s membership slowly began to grow. Through this growth and increased interest, the organization’s mission shifted to what it is today: to assist minority students with their business affiliated goals and aspirations.
Although increasing the number of Haas students is still a primary focus, HUBBA has a lot to offer for the non-business major as well. Whether a student plans on pursuing a major in Haas or not, there are going to be times in their life when they will need to have an impressive resume, when they will need to know how to dress in various professional settings, when they will need to speak in public before a professional audience, or when they will need to build and manage their wealth. HUBBA prepares its members for these occasions. In addition, HUBBA aims to create a better understanding of career opportunities by hosting events which introduce a wide variety of industries and professionals within those industries. For example, through HUBBA events students can learn about opportunities in real estate, career possibilities in complex fields such as finance or consulting, or even the prospects available in public relations. HUBBA also offers two annual scholarships which aim to assist students with their professional dreams.
As HUBBA’s membership and corporate sponsorships continue to grow, the depth and diversity of its events continues to strengthen. This past year, HUBBA has hosted events such as Wealth Building with Wells Fargo, Dress for Success with Robinsons May and the Latino Business Student Association, Leadership Colors with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Global Leads Consulting, Minorities in Business with the Black Retention and Recruitment Center, and many other events. Through collaborations and corporate sponsorships, HUBBA has been able to offer a diverse array of events that cater to a variety of interests and backgrounds.
HUBBA has certainly come along way from its humble origins. The organization has over 35 paid members to date, and continues to grow and attract new faces each event. Although the organization is as strong as ever, it is important to acknowledge that without the support of the community HUBBA would not exist. Therefore, it is essential that the Cal campus continues to support HUBBA in their pursuit to be the best, thus achieving excellence through growth and opportunity as a community.
