Xaver Niels Rustemeyer
To me the most important roles as an ally are to be vigilant, observe and speak up if one sees discrimination, to take an interest for the different communities and to become a role model for others to follow.
A Toddler, A Pregnancy, and INSEAD
When I got accepted into INSEAD the first reaction I got when I told people, was “Who will take care of your child?” instead of “Congratulations! You can do it”. Then when I found out I was pregnant, and I chose not to defer, I was told all sorts of things, like “Think about your child, this is an impossible task, you cannot raise a toddler and be pregnant and do such an intense MBA, stop thinking you can do it all”.
Arjan Dijk
INSEAD certainly helped me solidify my base and prepared me for a global role.
Bringing Your Whole Self to INSEAD
In celebration of National Coming Out Day, I decided to share my journey to INSEAD, some highlights of my experience so far, and how it’s been shaped by being out on campus.
To be out or not to be out—that is the question
Before applying to INSEAD, I remember debating whether or not to be ‘out’ in my application. I heard about OUTSEAD—the creatively named LGBTQ+ student club—through my research, but I still wasn’t totally comfortable with the idea. After all, who knows who will be reading my essays, right?
