Haydee Moreno — an aspiring young businesswoman in New York City — was not always into fantasy football, March Madness or loose-mouthed cursing. But four years into an investment banking career, Moreno found herself changing. Not only had she begun to dress more conservatively, she had become more aggressive and competitive and had stopped sharing personal stories with coworkers; they would not have understood her anyway — most of them were men.

Now a second-year student at the Graduate School of Business (GSB), Moreno says that, while it was never a conscious decision, she took on a new personality as a result of her career.

“Looking back, I definitely did not feel comfortable,” she said. “I was trying to be more like them and less like me.”

THE GENDER GAP

Moreno’s story is not an uncommon one among professional women working in male-dominated business industries. While women have made great strides in many disciplines, individuals associated with the GSB suggested that they have lagged in business.

Women comprise only 15.6 percent of corporate officers at Fortune 500 companies, according to Catalyst, a gender think-tank.

At Stanford, women represent 32 percent of GSB students — a number significantly lower than the 47 percent female student bodies of the Law and Medical Schools. Women make up 48 percent of the Stanford undergraduate population; nationwide, 56 percent of college students are women, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The dearth of women at the GSB and other business schools across the country can be attributed to several determinants, according to Assistant Director of GSB Admissions Lisa Giannangeli, ranging from the lack of female role models in business to low numbers of female business school applicants.

“According to some of the most recent GMAT data, women account for approximately 38 percent of the [entrance] tests taken,” Giannangeli said.

Lauren Struck, a second-year student at the GSB, noted that the similarity between this number and the 32 percent female GSB indicates that women who strive to go to business school can succeed.

The problem, Giannangeli said, is a lack of awareness among undergraduates nationwide.

“Undergraduate students hear about law schools and medical schools,” she said. “Unfortunately, college students don’t always hear about Master of Business Administration [MBA] programs.”

She added that the business school curriculum is often mistaken as inflexible by potential women applicants.

“For women in particular who may be planning on one day having a family, flexibility in timing for a graduate program is key,” Giannangeli said. “And it is important that we educate undergraduate students and counselors about the MBA opportunities and flexibility afforded with the degree.”

In the past several years, the GSB has sent representatives to more than 80 colleges and universities worldwide in an effort to talk about the University’s MBA program. For women in particular, the GSB hosts several Women’s Information Sessions to increase awareness about the MBA program and participates in collegiate or professional forums on women’s issues hosted by groups like the Society of Women Engineers, Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business and Future Women Leaders.

“We really need to focus on expanding the pool or ‘growing the pie’ so-to-speak, versus just trying to get the largest slice of the pie,” Giannangeli said.

TALKING ABOUT GENDER

While the GSB Admissions Office continues to seek increased numbers of women applicants, a number of current students have pointed out that a gender gap also exists in student dialogue.

Women at the GSB said they were uncomfortable discussing gender issues with their male classmates for fear of being misinterpreted.

“It is pretty taboo to bring it up,” Struck said, “because I don’t want to be labeled as a feminist.”

Moreno called it a “Catch-22.”

“Both men and women have an incentive not to talk about this issue,” she said. “I don’t want to attract special attention just because I’m a woman, and for men, they are already in a more comfortable situation.”

Kenji Gjovig, a male student at the GSB, said that women sometimes need to be more open about what is offensive.

“To be honest,” he said, “perception is really key in gender issues.”

Gjovig said that men sometimes mistake women’s silence for approval.

“The problem is that it is not evident to a lot of men,” he said. “Unfortunately, men are not wired to know that the things they do and say might be affecting women in unintended ways. In this case, silence is acquiescence and men assume that unless they receive feedback, they must be doing great.”

Yet Gjovig also recognized the sensitive and awkward nature he said women must face in voicing their opinions about gender issues.

“I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to stand up in public and tell someone that their comments are inappropriate,” he said.

In an attempt to promote discussion, the GSB has a weekly Women in Management program whose goal is to provide first-year female students with a forum to discuss gender issues.

Moreno and five other women — who have continued these meetings into their second year at the GSB — recently invited a male colleague to their meeting for an informal discussion across gender lines. Education Prof. Myra Strober facilitated the meeting.

“After the discussion, students said they often didn’t realize how other students felt about sensitive incidents,” Strober said. “Some men students recognize that they could be more proactive in speaking out when other men are insensitive to sexism. Some women realize that there are more men who are sensitive to gender bias than they had realized.”

Moreno blamed the lack of gender issues discussions on the formal atmosphere of the GSB.

“The issue is that it has to be a more open environment all around at the GSB,” she said. “The biggest issue right now is to overcome the thought that it is taboo.”

POST-GRADUATION ISSUES

Struck said she believes her experience with gender issues at the GSB has prepared her well for the business world.

“Meeting fellow women here at the GSB who are so talented has given me more confidence,” she said.

Reflecting on her previous job and on her time at the GSB, Moreno echoed Struck’s comments.

“I’ve never seen these disadvantages as a deterrent,” Moreno said. “It’s the reality, and it’s unfortunate, but it’s not going to dissuade me.”

Giannangeli pointed to a strong support system and a tight network of female colleagues as essential to women’s success in the business world.

“No man is an island,” she said. “No woman should be either. Women need to connect and unite with others.”

Yet Giannangeli also said that change — especially when it comes to flexible family support for working women — must come from the institutional level.

“It is a work-balance issue that collectively we need to address,” she said. “I applaud many of the professional services firms that are offering their employees on maternity leave the chance to stay connected through flexible work options.”

“It’s not just a woman’s issue,” Struck added. “It’s a family issue. It’s about helping families to function easier.”

Struck said she remains optimistic about the future of women in business as long as efforts to boost awareness about opportunities for women continue to be made. Change will be slow, she said, but it will come.

“We are all responsible for making this work,” Giannangeli said. “But I do believe that it is possible to balance a rewarding professional life with an enriching personal life. There are infinite combinations to make that possible.”