On March 1, the Black Graduate Business Leaders and the Latino Management and Business Association will co-present the 6th annual FORWARD Summit on the USC campus. The all-day conference highlights Black and LatinX business leaders making waves across industries, while convening students from USC Marshall and beyond for networking, connection, learning, and potential future opportunities.

The event will feature panels with thought leaders and professionals on creating social impact and developing professional leadership. It will also provide workshops to attendees for hands-on learning on topics such as startup strategy, the corporate ladder, and personal branding. Interspersed throughout the proceedings will be music, catering, and chances to unwind and bond with fellow students in the new “wellness lounge.”

“As students, what do we want? We want jobs. We want a network. We want to have a good time. And you’ll get all of those things at the FORWARD Summit,” said Samantha Sanchez MBA ’25, co-vice president of the FORWARD Summit.

The summit will close with a keynote address from Carol D. Anderson MAcc ’04, managing partner and principal consultant of Anderson Finance Consulting. Her speech is titled, “Amplifying Impact: From Vision to Legacy.”

According to Sanchez, the event provides needed visibility of Black and LatinX business leaders. As a past FORWARD participant herself, she reflected on the value of seeing people who look like her flourishing in her field.

“Representation is everything,” Sanchez said. “Visibility is important. If you don’t see it, how can people dream it and do it?”

As co-VP of the FORWARD Summit and former attendee Jazmyn Breanna ’17, MSSE ’25 explained, the Summit plays a crucial role in promoting inclusivity on campus while setting up USC students for success in the future.

“This is the time where we come together, where we compare notes, and we come up with a plan or a strategy,” Breanna said. “We share resources, and we move forward together.”

The FORWARD Summit is also offering multiple scholarship opportunities to student attendees. Three scholarships, totaling $9,000, will be awarded to applicants who exemplify the values of the summit.

“By investing in the next generation of changemakers, we empower them to scale their ideas, drive economic equity, and create transformative impact in their communities and beyond,” Sanchez said.

The summit will close with the scholarship award presentations followed by a social hour at a local restaurant. Participants will be able to reflect on the lessons of the day, while forming connections that could last long into their careers.

For Breanna, those relationships have been essential to both the FORWARD Summit’s impact as well as to her own time at USC Marshall. The two-time Trojan first came to the university from a background of poverty. Yet, as Breanna explains, “USC helped me traverse that socioeconomic gap.” She believes the event is a way to give back to a community that has given back to her.

“Many people come to USC with a wish and a dream, hoping that by the time that they graduate, they have that job offer … That’s what I came to USC to do,” Breanna said. “I’m super proud to be able to play a part and to pass that baton to the next. It is an honor.”

The organizers emphasize that the summit is open to all USC students, regardless of background. As long as someone is interested in forming connections and supporting their career, then they should consider attending the conference.

“Even if you’re not part of the Black or Latinx community — are you interested in working in private equity? Are you interested in working in media? If so, then this summit is for you,” Sanchez said.

To learn more or reserve a seat at the FORWARD Summit, follow this link.

* Events and programs are open to all eligible individuals. USC Marshall operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.