The H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship continues its 2013 Distinguished Lecture Series by welcoming Lillian Lincoln Lambert to campus on Thurs. Feb. 21 at 10:30 a.m. for her inspiring talk entitled “The Road to Someplace Better: From the Segregated South to Harvard Business School and Beyond.” Lillian Lambert is the first African American woman to receive a Harvard Business School MBA during the tumultuous 1960’s, and then became a barrier-breaking entrepreneur in the mid 1970’s.
RSVP in advance to Christine Martinez at cmartinez@nova.edu or (954) 262-5008
Details:
- The Road to Someplace Better: From the Segregated South to Harvard Business School and Beyond
- Thurs. Feb. 21, 10:30 a.m.
- Carl DeSantis Building, Huizenga Business School
Executive Conference Center, Huizenga Sales Institute Room 3000
Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Davie 33314
Born on a farm in the segregated South, at age 18, Lambert journeyed to New York City and Washington, D.C., holding menial jobs as a maid and typist. Realizing that education was fundamental, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and took the advice of one of her professors and applied to Harvard.
Lambert was one of six black students and one of 18 females in a class of 800 students at Harvard Business School at that time. In 1969, in the midst of civil and women’s rights movements, Lambert earned her M.B.A. and achieved the historical milestone as the first African-American woman to receive a Harvard M.B.A.
Lambert founded a building maintenance company in her garage on just a few thousand dollars. She grew the company to more than $20 million in revenues with 1,200 employees and operations in four states. Clients included blue-chip companies such as Dulles Airport, ABC News and Hewlett-Packard. Reflecting on her earlier days as a maid, Lambert notes, “Owning the mop is better than pushing the mop.”
Currently she devotes her time to speaking, writing and coaching. Clients include the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, UBS Financial Services, Freddie Mac, and other corporate, government and educational institutions. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including:
- Enterprising Women Hall of Fame inductee
- M.B.A. of the Year, Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association
- Small Business Person of the Year, State of Maryland
- Entrepreneur of the Year, Black M.B.A. Association
- Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses, Washington Business Journal