Out for Undergrad(O4U) Names 2025 O4U Business Conference Leadership

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, May 1, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Out for Undergrad(O4U), the nations leading and longest tenured not for profit dedicated to helping high achieving LGBTQ2+ undergraduates meet their full potential, has named Javanni Waugh and Suede Graham as co-leads of O4U's 2025 Business Conference to be held in March in New York. Duruo Murray has been appointed Director of O4U's MOSAIC and TRANSFORM programs which precede the main conference.

Cindi Love, O4U Executive Director said: "We are honored and delighted to welcome Javanni, Suede and Duruo into senior leadership roles within O4U. Each of them has participated in some part of O4U's leadership development program which is a collective, social process that leans heavily upon adaptive leadership experiences performed in situ, addressing real-world problems of inclusion and social change, while incorporating many of the complexities experienced by today’s leaders in corporate settings and encouraging deep introspection about one’s own authenticity, values and inclusive behaviors. They will individually and collectively have far reaching impact in the lives of our students, their peer volunteers, our sponsors and more. To lead within O4U is extremely demanding and all of our volunteers already have very intense jobs. We are grateful for their commitment to the next generation of leaders they will inspire and mentor in these roles."

Javanni Waugh (they/she/he) is a Consultant at EY-Parthenon in New York City, specializing in transaction strategy, with a focus on M&A and divestiture strategy planning and execution. They graduated from the University of the West Indies, Mona, with a double B.Sc. in Economics and Management Studies, and as a UWI Open Scholar. Javanni served as the lead of O4UB's MOSAIC and TRANSFORM programs in 2024, MOSAIC co-lead in 2023 and has served in sponsorship, mentor and conference day-of roles in the past.

Javanni said: "It is with immense pride and excitement that I join the 21st Business Conference as a co-lead, building upon two remarkable years of guiding our MOSAIC and TRANSFORM programs to new heights and successfully tripling our investment in underrepresented students. My journey from sponsor to volunteer, conference director and now Conference Lead reflects the transformative power of O4U, and it's an honor to carry this mantle of responsibility. Alongside Suede and Duruo, I am filled with a revitalized zeal to unlock inclusive and accessible pathways for our next generation of LGBTQ2+ leaders, amidst persistent turbulence for our community nationally and globally. Having worked across diverse spheres including Sponsorship, Admissions, and Programming, I've strived to enhance our conference in every way possible – for students, volunteers, and sponsors alike. Now, I look forward to advancing O4UB's crucial support for future LGBTQ2+ leaders by pursuing greenfield opportunities and continuing to cultivate what we do best, inclusive of creating the most welcoming space for our students."

Suede Graham (he/him/his) currently serves as an Analyst in Human Capital Management at Moelis & Company, where he primarily focuses on diversity recruitment and DEI initiatives for the team. Prior to his role at Moelis, Suede served the Coordinator for Student Development at Pace University, where he oversaw student activities, orientation, and all student organizations. Suede graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Minors in Communication and Psychology, received a Masters of Science in Educational Leadership and Counselor Education from Mississippi State University. Suede served on the Board of Directors for PrideWorks from 2018-2022. Prideworks hosts an annual conference for LGBTQ+ youth in the tristate area. Suede regularly volunteers with the NYC LGBTQ Community Center and the Ali Forney Center. Suede has been an O4UB sponsor representative, volunteer, and mentor for a number of years. Additionally, he currently serves on the Admissions and Early ID Strategic Operations Team, was a member of the 2023 Taskforce on Mentoring Curriculum, and serves as a mentor in the ongoing mentorship program

Suede said, "I am honored, thrilled, and humbled at the opportunity to work alongside Javanni as a Co-Lead for the 2024 Out for Undergrad Business Conference. For over 20 years, O4U has enriched and empowered the lives of thousands of LGBTQ2+ students and I'm elated to serve the organization in this new capacity. O4U has opened many doors for me both personally and professionally, and I am already so proud of this year's conference team for continuing the legacy of opening doors for future high-achieving Queer business leaders."

Duruo Murray (he/him) is an officer at State Street Global Advisors in Boston, MA. Duruo attended Babson College and majored in Business Administration and Management, Social and Cultural Studies. Duruo is the founder of Match Dress Press, an organization dedicated to helping young adults improve their personal image. Duruo has served as an O4U Admissions Director reviewing over 1,000 student applications which resulted in admitting the most diverse class in Out for Undergrad Business Conference history, with 55% of the student class identifying as non-cisgender and 40% identifying as Black, Latine/x, Native/Indigenous, and/or TGNCNB (Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming, Nonbinary). Duruo was also responsible for spearheading 2023's Campus Ambassadors program, working with over 80+ students representing over 100+ schools to help support and promote O4UB. Duruo was a MOSAIC director in 2023 and 2024 and responsible for facilitating the community bonding efforts.

Duruo said: "My time with O4U Business for the last two years has been life-changing. I attended as a student in 2018. I have served as an Admission director for the 2023 and 2024 conferences. I was part of MOSAIC for 2024. I co-lead MOSAIC and TRANSFORM with Javanni. Every year, I had the experience conference to watch this conference get bigger and better, especially with the MOSAIC TRANSFORM programming. Seeing students come together amongst peers who are similar is what makes everything worth it. This entire journey with O4U has had its ups and downs, but that, for me, is what made the experience worth coming back to! I can't wait to embark on the journey for another year."

O4UB will identify and admit 350 high achieving LGBTQ2+ students to the conference representing 100+ universities. Student expenses will be underwritten with support of 90+ of the world's leading corporations. Goldman Sachs has been the host of O4UB for more than a decade in New York. There have been more than 8000 graduates of O4U Conferences since 2004.

Cynthia Herndon Love
Out for Undergraduate Business Conference, Inc.
+1 956-589-0623
cindi@outforundergrad.org