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FROM Fuqua MBA Blog: Love at First Visit: MBA Workshop for Minority Applicants |
When I visited Duke’s campus around this same time last November, it was raining and a bit cold. The weather was much nicer than in New York City, but being surrounded by nature in Durham felt different. To a person who was born and raised in one of the biggest cities of the world, nature can be quite frightening. What felt different wasn’t the fact that there were over 1,000 different colored leaves around me in Durham, but the fact that even with the rain, everything looked beautiful. I captured the greatest pictures that weekend. I should probably print them to adorn the Admissions Office … I can’t help but think back to last November — I was in Durham forThe Duke MBA Workshop for Minority Applicants, hosted by the Black and Latino MBA Organization (BLMBAO). It was the 30th anniversary of the event. And this weekend, right now, the 31st workshop is taking place. Arlenis Almonte illustrated what life could be like for me as a Fuqua student. Last year, Arlenis Almonte (MBA ’13), a member of my personal board of advisees, encouraged me to attend the weekend, and boy did she set me up for a weekend of exceeded expectations! Celebrating the 30th anniversary gave me a deeper understanding of how much Duke values diversity and the large investment the school makes every single year to recruit top talent. The Fuqua alumni who returned for the workshop added so much to my experience that weekend that I still bring up stories about the conversations I had with Kareem Cook (MBA ’00), Rod Chappell (MBA ’96), and Owen May (MBA ’83). I sat with them over 3 meals and learned so much about Duke, as well as how my personal and career interests could add value to the school. Surprisingly, the weekend was not a 3-day Fuqua sales pitch, instead it was 3 days of personal guidance and exposure to important ideas that would help us, regardless of where our futures would take us. The most impactful session was with the women alumnae. Anne Sempowski Ward (MBA ’04) shared an anecdote that related directly to a challenge I was facing in my professional life. I was able to connect with her after, to get her opinion on resolving the issue and all I could think was, “Wow, what an incredible person.” I could not believe that so many talented alumni came back to Fuqua to share their experiences and advice with us on a weekend, during their personal time. It felt like a family reunion, like I was meeting long lost relatives; relatives who were committed to my future success. The workshop gave me a real feel for what it would be like to be a part of the Fuqua community — during business school and after. There were almost more alumni then prospective students, and I was impressed by their commitment to Fuqua. My conversations with current students and alumni helped me realize that through Fuqua I could accomplish my career goals. So, even though the workshop wasn’t focused on “selling Fuqua,” it had a huge impact on my decision to attend Fuqua because it just felt right. I hope everyone attending the workshop this weekend will leave with the same euphoric feeling that I had last year. And hopefully the weather will be better, but there is rain in tomorrow’s forecast … |
FROM Fuqua MBA Blog: MBAs + Military Training = Operation Blue Devil |
Guest blogger: Paul Escajadillo, first-year Daytime student. He served as a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, deploying to Ecuador, Colombia, and twice to Afghanistan. Integrity. Courage. Perseverance. Personal Responsibility. Professionalism. Adaptability. Team Player. Capability. What do all of these values have in common? They are the Army’s Special Operations Forces attributes, which define the military volunteers who become key fighters and influencers in the global fight against terrorism. Their experiences and leadership lessons could fill volumes of management textbooks. Authentic engagement. Loyal community. Collective diversity. Supportive ambition. Uncompromising integrity. These are the paired principles which form the values held by the Daytime student body. Pretty standard, but what truly sets Fuqua apart is that it provides more than a transactional experience. Fuqua students are challenged to create a transformational experience in which they grow as individuals and become “Leaders of Consequence” who become positive agents of change within their communities and professions. Fuqua’s mission sounds quite similar to how Special Operations Forces are trained to quickly adapt to complex environments while considering long-term effects in order to effectively accomplish their mission. If only there was a way to challenge these MBA candidates with the real-world leadership assessing scenarios that Special Operations Forces undergo … MBA students pushed their limits at one of Ft. Bragg’s training sites. Enter Operation Blue Devil. For the second year, the Duke Armed Forces Association (DAFA) organized Operation Blue Devil to provide Fuqua students with the ability to experience leadership outside of the classroom from some of the most well-versed practitioners in the craft: the elite men and women of Special Operations Forces. Much like Wharton’s Quantico Venture in which the University of Pennsylvania partners with the U.S. Marine Corps, DAFA is creating a partnership with Army base Fort Bragg that will assist in creating our intended “Leaders of Consequence.” The idea started with Duke student veterans who were stationed at Fort Bragg prior to their transition to Duke University. For many of us veterans, returning to our old stomping grounds in order to provide a unique experience to our peers is something we wholeheartedly believe in. Students went through Army training obstacles. For a weekend in November, several student veterans acting as observers (myself included) took 19 Daytime MBA students to Fort Bragg. These 19 students’ military experience was limited to movies like “Black Hawk Down.” They volunteered to participate in Operation Blue Devil in order to push their boundaries and exit their comfort zones. They boarded a bus on a Friday evening and over the course of two days, slept in both a barracks room and in sleeping bags underneath ponchos in the woods of one of Fort Bragg’s premier training sites. They ate military Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs), and experienced the life of a Special Operations Soldier in training. For many of them, it was the first time they attempted to lead diverse groups amidst foreign, dynamic, and ambiguous environments. They attempted to complete “missions” with incomplete information, limited time, and no clear “right” answers. Some obstacles were higher then others (literally and figuratively). Starting at 6:00 a.m. Saturday and finishing by 12:00 p.m. Sunday, these brave Fuquans conducted an Army physical fitness test of 2 minutes of pushups, 2 minutes of sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. This was followed by team events which challenged them mentally as well as physically, including exercises in adapting random pieces of equipment (such as wheels, boxes, pipes, and rope) that could serve intended purposes such as transporting 200-pound sand bags, which represented fallen comrades. They also sat in on multiple survival classes, and the event culminated with an after action review that provided invaluable feedback on their overall performance, before boarding a bus and returning to Durham. Hiking with a 35-pound military backpack. Physical challenges in a military setting may seem quite straightforward, but it was the mental challenges that were more applicable to future business leaders. It was fascinating to see what happens to a group of high-performers when you deprive them of simple comforts and tire them out with physical activities: reaction times lessen and complex problem solving skills decline. Solving simple math problems may seem beneath these MBA students with high GMAT scores. But after sleeping for only 4 hours, then hiking through the woods with a 35-pound rucksack (military backpack), it can become as complex as differential equations. From this environment, true leaders arose. Ultimately, the participants emerged with a better grasp of their strengths and weaknesses. And while studying for midterms and preparing casework is important, they are more likely to remember Operation Blue Devil than the particulars of a class they took as the years go by. What matters now is whether they take time for reflection and apply what they’ve learned or allow it to become a simple memory. Were the links between the Special Operation Force’s attributes and Fuqua’s paired principles established in their minds? Could they take a lesson from the experience and apply it to their Fuqua teams or beyond? Did it become one of those transformational events we should all aspire to obtain during our stint at Fuqua? Deep down, after some careful and honest evaluation, only those 19 students will know. |
FROM Fuqua MBA Blog: Shedding Light on the MBA Admissions Process |
If I met you out on the road or at one of our campus events, you’re likely to have heard me talk about the “black box” of Admissions. Applications go into the box, and decisions come out. What happens in the middle is unclear to anyone outside of the Admissions Committee. It causes much trepidation on behalf of the applicant — you may wonder, what is Fuqua looking for, and why are they asking me that? At Fuqua, we do everything we can to demystify the admissions process. We want to help our applicants to understand what we are seeking so that you can first determine whether or not our programs are the best fit for you, and then you can put your best foot forward for the application. So let’s break down the application to provide some insight into not just what, but why we ask for what we do. Academic Readiness We utilize your GMAT or GRE scores, academic record, and work experience relevant to our coursework to answer one fundamental question — Will you be successful in our classrooms? The pace of the MBA program is incredibly fast. I know — I went through the Daytime MBA program, and we covered the material from my semester-long undergraduate accounting course in the first two classes at Fuqua! When you are balancing rigorous courses with your career search, leading clubs and activities, and your personal commitments, you simply must have the intellectual horsepower and quantitative aptitude to be successful. We do not want you to study 24-7. We want you to network, pursue your career and personal passions, and grow into a stronger leader and team player. If your academic background and tests are not a strong reflection of your academic aptitude, I encourage you to consider taking additional course(s) such as statistics, finance, and accounting, as success in them will demonstrate your aptitude as well as build a stronger foundation for your coursework at Fuqua. Work Experience We assess your work experience to answer two questions: Will your classmates learn from you? Will your past experience + our program translate well into your future aspirations? The learning in the classroom is not gained simply from the professor sharing his or her knowledge, but rather the students share their personal experiences and insights. Every class involves discussion and team assignments during which classmates share their best practices and ask thought-provoking questions. So, from an admissions perspective, we assess the quality of your previous professional experiences, including how you progressed compared to your peer group, whether you have team and leadership experiences to draw upon, if you’ve been exposed to diverse industries/functions/geographies, and whether you had the opportunity to dive deep into specific fields. Both depth and breadth are valued, and in choosing the cohort for the program, we ultimately aim to build a microcosm of the world in our classrooms through the experiences and perspectives of our students. Your resume will be our roadmap to your professional experience, so be certain that it is understandable to those outside of your industry, is impact-focused, and allocates space to the experiences that you value most. Recommendations How does an unbiased third party assess your performance as compared to your peers? Your two professional recommendations provide the Admissions Committee with the opportunity to understand your performance and contributions in a professional environment, through the voice of those who have worked with you closely (either in a professional setting or in community activities) and who have insight into your strengths and development areas. For your recommendations, it’s important to choose someone who knows you well, rather than someone with a big title. Preferably, recommendations can be from a supervisor or senior colleague who will take the time to provide a detailed, thoughtful recommendation with specific examples. Prepare your recommenders so that they understand why you are applying to Fuqua, and how their recommendation can highlight specific aspects of your experience and personality that are not contained elsewhere in your application. DO NOT ghost write your recommendations. DO give your recommenders plenty of time and thank them for their support. If you are unable to ask your current supervisor for a recommendation because they do not know of your business school plans, simply explain this in the optional application essay. Leadership & Involvement At Fuqua, a notable portion of your learning and development will happen outside of the formal classroom setting. We want to know — Will you be engaged in the community, share and pursue your passions, and make an impact at Fuqua and in the places where you live and work in the future? Your past activities and involvement — the things that you chose to do, rather than what was required for work or school, are the best indication of your potential future impact as a Leader of Consequence. Take the time to complete the leadership and involvement section of the online application, and in your essays share your passions and how you have committed yourself to them. Also be certain to mention your future aspirations about making an impact. Essays The essays are where you truly come alive, and where you have the opportunity to weave your application together into your personal story. Who are you as a 3-dimensional person? What are your passions and aspirations? If there are gaps in your resume or potential areas of confusion, have they been addressed? We really get to know you through your essays, and we were proud to be voted last year as the school who knew its applicants best (survey conducted by Huron Education). We LOVED the 25 random things essay that we incorporated last year as it truly provides applicants with the opportunity to share a wide range of interests and insight into who they really are, and we are excited to continue with this essay. (Check out the blog I wrote last year about the 25 random things essay.) Please, be genuine and passionate in your response to this essay — take ownership for your accomplishments and blemishes, and aim to provide the Admissions Committee with a holistic understanding of you, what has made you who you are, and what you hope to be. Interview Will others want to be on your team? Will you impress our recruiters and faculty? Will you make us proud as an alumnus/a? Why is the Daytime MBA program, with its incredibly cohesive and collaborative community and its focus on empowering our students to lead and make an impact at the school and beyond the right program for you? These are the key questions that our interviewers aim to answer through speaking with you personally. Our interviewers are current students and alumni who are tightly tied to our community, and they help to identify those who will carry on their legacy. The interview is a two-way street, though. It is also a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about the program and the student experience. So be prepared with your own questions. For more insight, read the blog post I wrote specifically on the interview process. Ultimately, the application evaluation process is a holistic process. Your application will be read at least twice, and will go through multiple committee discussions. You will have the opportunity to interact with our students, alumni, and admissions officers either in person or virtually. Our hope is that we will each have a mutual understanding of who you are as an applicant, and how Fuqua and our community will cultivate you into the Leader of Consequence that you aspire to be. The admissions process is not a black box. You are engaged in the entire process, and we look forward to getting to know you! Learn more about the Daytime MBA application process, and contact us if you have any questions. |
FROM Fuqua MBA Blog: A Fuquan in Consulting |
There’s no mention of consulting in my Fuqua application essays. I think I said I was going to graduate and open up a zero-waste resort on an island powered by renewable energy. While there have been plenty of opportunities to explore this kind of entrepreneurship — Dan Heath (co-author of “Switch” and “Decisive”) led me through several conversations about business plan viability — I knew I had to change direction when I first heard about consulting, a magical career where you solve problems for a living. I had the amazing opportunity to spend this past summer at McKinsey & Company. I spent 10 weeks working on a team addressing a challenge in the telecom industry. It was all the brainstorming sessions and feedback, long hours, PowerPoint slides, and creative problem-solving that I thought it would be. Between that and the vibrant local food scene, I’m delighted to say that I’ll be returning there when I graduate! Hanging out with fellow McKinsey & Company interns at a conference in Miami. Turns out that I ended up using, and improving upon, a lot of what I had learned in my first year at Fuqua, including:
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