The Barney Ford Fellowship
The Barney Ford Fellowship Fund for Diversity is a scholarship for MBA students and is committed to promoting diversity at Leeds School of Business.
The fellowship fund is named after Barney L. Ford (1822-1902), a former slave who became a leading Denver businessman. The Barney Ford Diversity Benefit is our way of maintaining a tradition that serves to carry on his legacy. The Barney Ford scholarship benefits a number of diverse Leeds MBA students every year.
If you are unable to attend the Benefit you can make a donation directly to the Fellowship Fund below.
The Barney Ford Fellowship is proud to partner with the Leeds MBA Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee and to introduce the Racial Equity #BeTheChange challenge during Black History Month.
The Leeds MBA JEDI Committee invites you to participate in a racial equity habit-building challenge to celebrate Black History Month and support diversity and inclusive excellence at Leeds. The. The #BeTheChange Challenge includes daily engagement with music, articles, podcasts, and films to learn about current and historical issues of racial inequity and ways to be part of the solution. Please register and click here to learn more.
The 28th Annual Fundraiser Gala
Date: March 12, 2021
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Location: Online
This is the 28th year of The Barney Ford Scholarship Fundraiser, which last year was cancelled due to covid, but the year prior raised $27,000. The event, organized by current MBA students at Leeds School of Business in support of MBA students, brings together MBA alumni, faculty and staff, current MBA students, and friends—all with the common goal of increasing scholarship funds for students and to improve diversity at Leeds.
Proceeds help fund student fellowships, with the overall goal of building diversity into the MBA program and contributing to the strong sense of community we work hard to achieve.
Important: CU Boulder is taking proactive actions to minimize opportunities for the transmission of COVID-19 within our community. Therefore, the Barney Ford event scheduled for March 12, will be held virtually. Purchased tickets from 2020's Barney Ford event will be honored at the 2021 fundraiser. Given this is a fundraising event, refunds will not be provided. More details will be shared at a later date. Please direct any questions to Richard Harrison (richard.harrison@colorado.edu) and Tracee DeAntoni (tracee.deantoni@colorado.edu).
Support The Fundraiser
There are many was to support the Fundraiser:
- Become a Sponsor
Contact: Richard Harrison at richard.harrison@colorado.edu orAdrija Barvadheesh at adrija.barvadheesh@colorado.edu
- Donate an Auction Item
Contact: Richard Harrison at richard.harrison@colorado.edu or Adrija Barvadheesh at adrija.barvadheesh@colorado.edu
- Attend the Gala Fundraiser
Buy Tickets - Donate Directly to the Fellowship Fund
Donate To the Fellowship Fund
Our Prior Year Sponsors
To Become a Sponsor Contact:
Adrija Barvadheesh at Adrija.Barvadheesh@colorado.edu
Connect with Us on Social Media
Barney Ford - The Man
A former slave from South Carolina, Barney escaped at age seventeen, taught himself how to read and write and achieved great business success, becoming the most noted caterer and restaurateur in the Rocky Mountain region and Colorado’s most notable black businessman. Mr. Ford was also very active in civic and education causes.