The Power of Showing Up and Standing Out: Mellany Metah Rombosia

As a student from Nairobi, Kenya, who arrived in Germany in 2019 through an innovation competition, diversity, equity, and inclusion are values close to Mellany Metah Rombosia’s heart. Now in the IT department at the pharmaceutical and biotech giant Bayer, she quickly found herself to be the only black woman in the room. “I began to experience biases from colleagues stemming from personal blind spots and stereotypes. With a colleague of African American descent, we teamed up to roll out a program to tackle these prejudices head-on. We named it ‘Barriers to Inclusion.’”

Together, they continued to lead 20 of these workshops, navigating DEI and unraveling unconscious biases. “One hiring manager shared that he had been subconsciously favoring skin tones and names he recognized when shortlisting applicants. He was able to uncover biases that he did not know he had. It was a powerful realization for him.” In parallel, Mellany took up a lead role in the Leverkusen chapter of GROW: Growing Representation and Opportunities for Women, a Business Resource Group at Bayer. “I work with amazing women who share my passion for inclusion, championing the growth of women globally.”

Difference as a strength

At WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in the Part-Time MBA program, Mellany sees these personal differences as an advantage. “I realized that it was best to show up as my whole, authentic self in class. To not feel held back because there is no other black woman present. I want to speak up and share my experience, as you never know who will be impacted by it. I’ve learned to see my difference as a strength.

“Before I joined the MBA, I used to think about diversity as gender and ethnicity,” she adds. “I saw that it’s about different backgrounds, mindsets, and experiences. If we as students have differing opinions, we can take time to understand alternative perspectives. I can learn more from others, not just from somebody who looks and talks like me.” 

Diversity plays a large part in the modern business world, and it is part of what makes the MBA programs at WHU so unique, attracting students from across the globe and fostering a rich blend of ideas and creativity. “The difference between sitting in a classroom in another business school and one at WHU is the community feeling. It was a sense of trust and closeness I didn’t find anywhere else.”

Ambition and entrepreneurship

Like many students who join a part-time MBA program, they start the program while working full-time, often looking to advance in their careers. “On the first day, we were told we would be either a climber, a shifter, or a founder,” she explains. “I resonated with being a climber; I want to be a force for change, to reach a higher level of leadership, and act as a role model for other women like me. Over the course of the program, I am starting to lean into the founder side of me.” 

This is a natural progression for many students, given WHU’s deep roots in entrepreneurship, with student clubs, centers, research groups, and even its own accelerator program. “A lot of the students in the Entrepreneurship Roundtable (a WHU student club) helped to ignite that spark in me. I learned about successful WHU unicorn start-ups, how to leverage networks within the school, and the opportunities available to me as a student at WHU. This mindset comes naturally just by being part of the program.”

In the meantime, the MBA has not only offered knowledge but also impacted her on a much deeper level. “I’ve grown so much in one year,” says Mellany. “Some of the lectures or the immersive experiences abroad, they almost feel like therapy. You discover who you really are and the kind of leader you want to be. Being in the Part-Time MBA has built my resilience and confidence. I’ve learned more about my core values, my weaknesses, and how to leverage my strengths as a leader. Most importantly, I’ve learned to be bold; I accept the failures I will make along the way as a chance to learn and grow.”

Impact over opportunity

Mellany has a vision for the future, but she is also very frank and open about the fact that life could take her in many directions after the MBA. “Maybe one day I will wake up, experience a problem that affects many other people, and create something out of it. My biggest dream is to make a social impact in Africa one day. I came to Germany from Nairobi shortly after my bachelor’s degree. I know Africa; I breathe it, and I live for it. There are so many opportunities there to tap into, not just to capitalize on, but to make a difference for so many people’s lives.” It’s in Africa’s burgeoning educational sector that Mellany sees enormous potential. 

“I have a passion for STEM and SDG4 (quality education, one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals). I worked on many projects with the United Nations, specifically UNESCO, across rural Kenya, to train young people in tech skills. Through this project, I represented Africa at the 10th International Forum of NGOs in Moscow and delivered a keynote speech on the challenges and opportunities facing young people in Africa. It exposed me to the education sector and how I can use my own knowledge to have a positive effect on the world.”