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28 Mar 2023, 07:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: How FCCP Introduced Me to the Medical Technology World of Surgical Robotics |
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How do you enter a market that, for the past twenty years, has been dominated by a monopoly player? Our team was tasked with trying to solve that question when we partnered with Medtronic through the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP). Our goal was to create a go-to-market (GTM) strategy for the upcoming U.S. launch of their new robot, HUGO, designed for multi-port robotic-assisted surgery (RAS). Going up against a monopoly competitor, Intuitive, they needed fresh ideas on how to look at the problem and position themselves for success. I worked with teammates from diverse backgrounds, ranging from management consulting to private equity, enabling a variety of perspectives to tackle this problem. We started by reverse engineering the solution, thinking through what inputs we needed to solve this problem. Having experienced consultants on the team, we landed on a project design encompassing a market & competitor assessment, voice-of-customer strategic interviews, and customer segmentation, all framed around a strategic choice cascade and a set of guiding principles that remained true across the market scenarios we analyzed. Across the 5-month project, we worked with Medtronic to iterate our project methodologies, conduct various analyses, and interview experts in the field, including RAS surgeons at the Duke University Hospital System. We uncovered key insights such as developing market trends and customer segmenting factors (e.g., practice type, physician RAS experience) and what matters most in their RAS journey (prioritizing different guiding principles for each customer archetype). This enabled us to create our final playbook of GTM strategies for the client. To round out the project, we delivered a capstone presentation where we presented our findings and key next steps to senior leaders across the Medtronic strategy, sales, and marketing teams for them to continue where we left off. While this project was not exhaustive, it served as an excellent base for our team to dive into the RAS market and engage in critical industry problem-solving. It gave us the confidence to handle complex problems in an uncertain market and develop our ability to manage client relationships, a skill set that will translate into any industry we enter. For me, this project was a fantastic introduction to the world of surgical robotics and Medtronic. The work, company values, and people I interacted with led me to pursue Medtronic, post-FCCP, for a summer internship, working in upstream marketing, thinking through the next generation of RAS platforms. Fast forward six months later, I’m lucky enough to say that I accepted a full-time position post-MBA with the same FCCP Medtronic client team I started this journey with – indeed, a full-circle moment. The post How FCCP Introduced Me to the Medical Technology World of Surgical Robotics appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
30 Mar 2023, 13:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: A Student’s Guide to Blue Devil Weekend |
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When I was accepted to Fuqua, I was very excited, but I also had a big decision to make. Aside from knowing all of the important dates (deposit due dates, when school would start, and when I should move to Durham), I also had a real desire to understand what life would be like at Fuqua—what was the schedule really like, how busy was the fall, when did recruiting start, etc. Attending an admitted students’ weekend, like Blue Devil Weekend (BDW), was critical to helping finalize my decision to attend Fuqua. Now, as a Blue Devil Weekend Co-Chair, I have worked alongside a team to create a weekend packed with events that will help admitted students picture life at Fuqua. I have created this BDW guide on what to expect and how to prepare: 1. First things first—be ready to bring the ENERGY! All of the students, admissions team, faculty and staff are so excited to welcome admitted students to Fuqua and we have a PACKED schedule prepared for the weekend. We want to give people the most complete picture of life at Fuqua by exposing them to all that Duke has to offer, including top-level academics, the Team Fuqua culture, future classmates, the classroom experience, our Career Management Center (CMC) resources, and more. It is a lot to fit into just a couple of days, but do not fear, we will have plenty of snacks and meals to keep everyone going. Be sure to get rest and be prepared for a fun and informative weekend. 2. Be prepared for spring weather. The weather in Durham, while usually nice, has a chance to be a bit volatile day-to-day in the spring. Check the weather forecast and it never hurts to have some clothes on hand in case of unforeseen warmth, cold, or rain showers. 3. Think about which optional events to attend. For the Career Management sessions, I recommend attending a session that fits an admitted student’s interests. Some ways to determine which session to attend could include looking at who from the CMC will be leading those events so admitted students get a chance to know someone they will be working with during their time at Fuqua. Our student-led panels, like Allyship to Real Talk, are there to help participants hear from a variety of current students and gain a deeper understanding of life at Fuqua. Even if someone feels that an event’s title does not speak to them, pick one and I promise they will come away having learned something. 4. Take advantage of time with current students. In addition to the BDW Chairs, there are hundreds of student volunteers that will be at each and every event. Chat them up, ask them that burning question, or share any fears. Remember that we all went through this experience not that long ago and all of the current students are there because they want to meet and get to know admitted students! 5. Meet future classmates! I think that such an underrated part of BDW is all the time participants will be spending with other admitted students. BDW is often the first time people meet that will end up becoming lifelong friends. Believe me when I say that the connections people make at BDW will last through the summer and prepare admitted students for the move to Durham. Perhaps the most important part of my experience was not something you can find on the weekend agenda—it was a gut feeling that Fuqua was a place I could make my home for the next two years of my life. A place where I could be supported and challenged while making lifelong friends and connections. Everyone at Fuqua is here to make sure that it is the best and most beneficial experience it could possibly be. Do not be afraid to ask questions and take advantage of everything that we have planned. And remember—BRING THAT ENERGY! They don’t call us Cameron Crazies for nothing! The post A Student’s Guide to Blue Devil Weekend appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
04 Apr 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Balancing Academics, Family and Fun While Pursuing an MBA With Your Partner |
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For anyone, getting your MBA means becoming a master in multitasking and prioritizing, but taking on the program with three kids and your partner as your classmate—those skills jump to a new level. It’s an intricate balance between classes, extracurricular responsibilities and social opportunities while knowing there are moments when we have to go with the flow. We answered some questions about how we make it all work and, at the same time, take opportunities to spend time together. What are the positive aspects of being classmates? What has been challenging? STEVE: The transition into business school can be hard, but navigating the transition with your best friend makes it a lot easier. It is really cool to sit next to each other in class, work on projects, and even recruit together. This experience has shown me a side of Kelly that I didn’t fully appreciate before. Every day I see her intellectual and creative side and realize even more how impressive she is as a professional. It has been challenging to plan around our and our children’s schedules, but even this has had positive outcomes. Now we are much better at communicating our daily priorities and at working together to help the family run smoothly and happily. KELLY: One of the great things about being classmates is we understand what the other is going through. Whether it’s a late night to finish a class project, an important upcoming recruiting event, or the long coffee line during the class break—we both understand the ins and outs of life at Fuqua. It doesn’t come without some downsides, however. What’s worse than buying one parking permit? Buying two. Also, we quickly learned that being on separate teams for classes required twice the time commitment from our family. If Steve had a group meeting for an assignment, I would cover the kids and dinner, and then afterward he would take the kids and do the bedtime routine while I attended my group meeting. We found a better solution was to be on the same project team, where we could work on the assignments together. Not only was it less of a time commitment, but we could also share our thoughts on the assignment without being in danger of violating any Honor Code policies. Can you describe what it’s like for a family at Fuqua and in Durham? KELLY: We chose Fuqua because we felt it was a great fit for our family, especially compared to some of the other MBA programs. For us, business school has been a true family affair. The year-round great weather means we can be outside, exploring what Durham has to offer. We love the kid-friendly atmosphere at Fuqua and local Durham breweries and restaurants. Additionally, the lower cost of living provided us the opportunity to purchase a home here in Durham, proving to be a great financial investment. STEVE: Durham is an awesome place for partners and for children. It has great places to live, great playgrounds, good schools, and cool activities—the Museum of Life and Science and Durham Bulls baseball games are our favorites. We also enjoy the great food and proximity to outdoor activities. Large family or not, there is a lot to do here for everyone!  What was the recruiting process like? STEVE: Leaving the Army, I wasn’t sure what professional path I wanted to pursue. I leaned on second-year students and the Career Management Center (CMC) military mentor to direct my focus and used the recruiting process to help me learn about different industries. As I learned more about different positions and industries, I was able to cross things off the list and narrow my focus. It was tricky because of time commitments, so Kelly and I had to work together and be very efficient with the events we attended, ensuring that we didn’t stretch ourselves too thin. In the end, the recruiting process is what I am most grateful for at Fuqua. Recruiting and interview prep will make you a better thinker and communicator. Once you finally land the internship, it can be used as an opportunity to try something completely new. If you love it, you can keep doing it; if you don’t, you can find something else. And if you do decide to do something else, opportunities will present themselves here that wouldn’t exist anywhere else. KELLY: Like it was for most Fuqua students, the recruiting season was a challenging and busy chapter in our business school experience. We tried to avoid attending too many events outside of the normal business day but, when necessary, hired a babysitter to make it possible to attend recruiting dinners or info sessions. We jokingly referred to them as our “date nights.” In the end, we both landed great internships and are excited about our full-time roles which will be taking us to Denver, Colorado. We are happy that we focused on what we really wanted and went after it, not letting ourselves get too caught up in the hype of recruiting season. What extracurricular activities are you involved in, and what were your motivations for getting involved in those activities? KELLY: As an Army veteran and mother, it was important to me to find ways to connect with and serve both of those communities. I am on the cabinet for the Duke Armed Forces Association (DAFA), acting as an Admissions lead and connecting with prospective veteran applicants. I’m also on the cabinet for the Association of Women in Business (AWIB) as the Motherhood lead, providing opportunities for Fuqua mothers to come together, encourage and support each other on the business school journey. Before graduating, I will help facilitate an event on fertility and women’s health for any Fuqua student who is considering parenthood as well as an “Ask Me Anything” session with other current Fuqua moms who will share their personal motherhood experiences. STEVE: I am one of the co-presidents of DAFA. I saw it as an opportunity to give back to the veteran community. It also keeps me connected with a community that I had grown very close to in the Army. I am also a Fuqua on Board Fellow having the opportunity to serve on the board of a local non-profit organization. I chose this opportunity so I could continue serving in some capacity while gaining experience from experts in an industry that I knew little about. What have been your top experiences in the Daytime MBA program? STEVE: In addition to enjoying these two years with Kelly and our family, it has been a great opportunity to make and grow new friendships. Team Fuqua attracts caring people who want to make you better. Fuqua does an exceptional job at bringing people with unique perspectives together and creating an environment where everyone can grow from these perspectives. I am confident that the friends I made here will be with me for a very long time. KELLY: It is amazing to look back and see how much we have learned and grown over the past two years. Steve and I are a stronger couple having navigated the demands of business school together. I have loved watching Steve balance his role as a dad, husband, and student—all while stretching himself professionally to start a new career in a completely different industry. I am proud of us (and our kids!) for going all in at Fuqua and love that our kids have learned more about the world through their interactions with our friends and classmates. I cherish the friendships and look forward to staying connected with others as we start new chapters after graduation. What is one piece of advice you have for other partners considering an MBA in general and attending Fuqua specifically? KELLY: Two years of school is a big investment for you, your partner, and your family. Consider what is most important to you and make sure the school you choose will provide an experience that is worth that investment. For us, Fuqua was the right place for our family and we are better for taking this leap. Also, remember that you and your partner are a team—be a good teammate! STEVE: If it is a goal, go for it! Don’t let the potential hardship deter you—Team Fuqua is here to help you get through it. The post Balancing Academics, Family and Fun While Pursuing an MBA With Your Partner appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
11 Apr 2023, 20:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Recruiting at Fuqua: An Inside Look at the First Year and Internships |
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As a 12-year veteran of Fuqua’s Career Management Center (CMC) and a Daytime MBA alumnus myself, I take great pride in how we support our students’ career searches. Throughout the program, we help students navigate recruiting while also preparing them for the career journey they’ll experience years after graduation. While keeping in mind that not everyone’s path is the same, here’s what recruiting at Fuqua typically looks like for a first-year MBA candidate. Recruiting Preparation Before Orientation In recent years, firms have been competing to get in front of our MBA talent earlier and earlier. Now, once MBA candidates have been admitted, we start engaging with them. The Admitted Student Website has resources that provide guidance, including a checklist of things students can do before they arrive on campus. For example, we recommend students read up on their primary industries of interest and begin to think about updating their resumes. Once the Program Begins The CMC begins teaching career classes during the [url=https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/programs/daytime-mba/program-format]summer term[/url], right after orientation. During these early sessions, we guide students through a process of introspection. What has caused them to excel in their past roles? What are their particular strengths? A few weeks later when second-year students return for Fall Term 1, things kick into another gear as we try to help first-year students gain as much exposure to potential career paths as possible. September calendars are filled with coffee chats, where first-year students connect with second-year students who have just interned with an employer or industry in which they’re interested. First-year students are also supported by a second-year career fellow who has been trained to guide a cohort of four or five first-year students through the MBA recruiting process. The second-year students share their recruiting, internship, and industry insights during these informal meetings. And the knowledge transfer often goes both ways, with second-year students learning from members of the first-year cohort who have just come from a company or role in which they might be interested. Our [url=https://blogs.fuqua.duke.edu/duke-mba/2018/03/05/arpit-garg/kicking-off-recruiting-season-at-the-finance-career-intensive]symposium series[/url] also kicks off, which includes alumni panels where even more insights are shared with students. By this time, the goal is for students to have had enough exposure to potential career paths that they’ve begun to form their own opinions about what they like and don’t so they can narrow their focus. First Contact with Recruiters Before company recruiters begin to descend upon campus, CMC programming educates students on “the hunt.” How do you identify your best and most desirable opportunities and how do you then do it? We help them master their pitch, interview strategy, and how to convert new connections into personal advocates. Company presentations are one of the first ways recruiters get in front of new students. Insights about companies’ opportunities, culture, and specific roles are gleaned and initial connections are made with recruiters, many of whom will be the ones interviewing first-year students for internships later in the recruiting cycle. When Do Interviews for Internships Begin? In some cases, interviews start as early as the fall or even earlier in late summer. For students who know exactly what they want to do, that timing works. However, the majority of interviews occur in January and February, driven largely by the consulting and banking industries. By the time students start to conduct interviews in the new calendar year, they’ve already completed their core coursework. Our 6-week terms help students absorb more learning and concepts in a shorter time period and having this foundational knowledge of core business principles can help them going into interviews. Because much of our CMC guidance can be applied across different industries and roles, students can customize it to fit their own career search. We also prepare students for what happens if they don’t land the role they really wanted. How do they pivot toward a new target and go after it? We feel students’ pain when things don’t work out and celebrate all their wins along the way. And when those offers do start coming in, we’ve already coached students on how to choose between multiple ones and negotiate the best package. Once an offer is accepted, the CMC works with students to make sure they make the most of their internship. We provide guidance on how to be successful and intentional in the role so students get what they want out of the opportunity. Is a person’s primary goal to get a full-time offer at the end? About half of our students return to that same employer upon graduation. Or is someone focusing on developing specific skills and building experience in a new area? Internships can be a great way to test an assumption on what a student wants to do with their career long term. It’s Time to Intern All this hard work recruiting at Fuqua during the first year culminates in a summer internship. For more details on what kind of internships our students are getting, how they’re finding those opportunities, and what those compensation packages look like, check out our most [url=https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/recruit/why-duke#employment_stats]recent employment reports[/url]. And for a behind-the-scenes look at some of our students’ internships, check out these videos: McKinsey Morgan Stanley Nike Salesforce Spotify TikTok The post [url=https://blogs.fuqua.duke.edu/duke-mba/2023/04/11/ed-bernier/recruiting-at-fuqua-an-inside-look-at-the-first-year-and-internships]Recruiting at Fuqua: An Inside Look at the First Year and Internships[/url] appeared first on [url=https://blogs.fuqua.duke.edu/duke-mba]Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog[/url]. |
11 Apr 2023, 20:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Discovering Your Leadership Strengths at Fuqua |
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Growing up in a small town with limited resources, I never had many opportunities to explore leadership roles or discover my full potential. But all of that changed when I joined Fuqua’s Daytime MBA program. Suddenly, I had access to a wealth of formal and informal opportunities to engage in leadership roles and learn more about my own strengths and weaknesses. One of the most valuable experiences I had at Fuqua was participating in experiential learning projects, such as the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP). Through these projects, I was able to observe myself and others in various settings and gain a deeper understanding of what kind of leader I wanted to be. I discovered that I enjoy bringing structure to new problems and thrive in ambiguous situations, but sometimes lose interest during the execution stage. In other words, I’m an ideas and planning person, not an execution leader. But leadership is not just about having a specific style or approach—it’s also about helping others achieve their goals. That’s why I loved working as a career and admissions fellow, where I got to mentor first-year and prospective students and help them discover their own leadership potential. It was incredibly rewarding to see my mentees grow and succeed, and I found that I was truly passionate about making dreams happen. One of the things I appreciated most about my experience at Fuqua was the diversity of leadership styles and opportunities. There were so many different ways to get involved, from joining the student body to organizing major events like Blue Devil Weekend and Orientation. It was inspiring to see how my classmates chose to use their skills and strengths in different ways, and I learned a lot from them about what it means to be a leader. Of course, finding your own authentic leadership style is not always easy. It takes time, reflection, and feedback from others. That’s why I was so grateful to have the support of my professors, especially Professor John M. de Figueiredo. Through conversations with him and others, I was able to identify my strengths and weaknesses and chart a career path that was a perfect fit for me. After graduating from Fuqua, I will join Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to further develop my skills and apply what I had learned about leadership. The role could be a great opportunity to work with talented driven people and help them tackle some truly challenging problems. Knowing my strengths, I am more prepared for this role than I ever could be. Overall, pursuing an MBA degree at Fuqua has been a life-changing experience for me. I’m struck by how much it has transformed me as a person and a leader. I started out feeling uncertain and unsure of my abilities, but I’ve emerged with a much clearer sense of my own strengths and a newfound confidence in my ability to make a difference. I’m excited to see where my newfound confidence takes me. So, if you’re thinking about pursuing an MBA, I highly recommend Fuqua and Duke—who knows what amazing things you will discover about your own leadership style? The post Discovering Your Leadership Strengths at Fuqua appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
14 Apr 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Plugging Into Fuqua’s Energy Community |
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Energy: it’s a word with many meanings. If you’re a scientist, you might say it’s the ability or capability to do work. If you’re in business, you might say it’s an industry that powers our everyday lives. And if you’re spiritual, you might say it’s this non-physical intrapersonal force or essence. At some point in my life, energy and its multitude of meanings became central to my identity. As an engineer, I’d done my fair share of physics. Before business school, I worked in the energy industry, and in my personal life, I’ve spent a lot of time discerning what vitalizes me. I knew that when I embarked on the journey to pursue an MBA, evaluating the energy balance (the energy that I received from school and the opportunities that I would have to give it energy in return) would be a critical part of my decision. Fuqua was where I found equilibrium, and I’ll tell you why. I believe there are three essential pillars every prospective student must evaluate: academics and the learning experience, recruiting opportunities, and community. Given my background and interests, I was looking for a program that had an energy lens on each of these pillars. Duke’s MBA stood out because of the Center of Energy Development, and the Global Environment (EDGE). I liken the EDGE opportunities at Fuqua to applying an energy and sustainability filter to your traditional MBA offerings. Academics I’m currently enrolled in an EDGE Seminar taught by Professor Dan Vermeer, and it is by far my favorite class at Fuqua. Every seminar features a guest lecturer from the industry who gives a presentation in their area of expertise. I’ve broadened both my knowledge base and my network in a space I’m passionate about. I’ve learned about direct air capture technology, carbon dioxide removal, asset management, and impact investing. I’ve been challenged to think about complex problems like how we address sea-level rise and the communities impacted by it in an equitable, sustainable manner. The class is also a fantastic opportunity to network with professionals from the industry—some of whom may be hiring! Recruiting From a recruiting perspective, the Energy Club hosted its annual Energy Trek, which I had the pleasure of attending this winter. I discovered that Durham is booming with cleantech startups! Many of these firms featured Fuqua alumni who candidly shared their post-MBA journeys with us and talked about their experiences navigating the startup space. The trek featured many opportunities to connect with these alumni to discuss internships or full-time opportunities. Community Okay, so I had to save the best pillar for last: community. Pursuing an MBA is far more than what you learn in a classroom or where you land your summer internship. Coming to business school, I knew I wanted to find an energy community (EDGE and the Energy club), but I also wanted to find a community that gives me energy. Ultimately, I chose Fuqua for the people. It’s a community where you get congratulatory phone calls when accepted and where your classmates offer to watch your dog if you’re traveling. It’s where you get text messages checking in on your well-being during recruiting season and where one of the most popular phrases on campus is, “How can I help?”. So, when people ask me, “Why Fuqua?” I say, “It’s the energy for me,” and now you all know exactly what I mean. The post Plugging Into Fuqua’s Energy Community appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
08 May 2023, 08:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Navigating the Health Care Industry with Experiential and Classroom Learning |
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Reflecting on my last two years as a Daytime Fuqua MBA student, I combined classroom learnings with various experiential learning programs. Coming from an energy and financial services background, I knew I needed to develop my functional skills further, regardless of my industry of choice. As a first-year MBA student, I enrolled in the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) to further strengthen my functional skills in strategy and finance, helping a regional private jet company to understand its competitive positioning in the industry with the mentorship of Professor Pranab Majumder. My “Accidental” Health Care Journey I was not initially interested in pursuing health care, but I was influenced by a friend at Fuqua to explore the industry more. During the summer of 2022, I had the opportunity to intern with Bain & Company in Southeast Asia. I was part of the health care team, working with various clients across the health care ecosystem. My time with Bain & Company inspired me to get more involved in the health care industry. I decided to pursue the Health Sector Management (HSM) certificate at Fuqua to learn the health care value chain through in-class learning and health care-related experiential learning programs. I enrolled in various classes such as Medical Device Strategy, Healthcare Provider Strategy, and Biotech/Pharma Strategy to learn the basics of the industry. Armed with this foundation, I pursued three experiential learning programs in my second year at Fuqua to put health care theory into practice. Mentoring MMS Students As part of an MMS FCCP project, I was an Engagement Manager for a New York-based startup aiming to assess its competitiveness in the health tech industry. The experience challenged me to lead a team of MMS students with minimal working experience in the health care industry. Monthly leadership training sessions with Professor Stephanie Knight and Professor Tony O’Driscoll were eye-opening. They helped me understand my leadership style and the nuances of the health tech industry.  Me (far left) with my MMS FCCP mentees and Professor Tony O’Driscoll (far right) Duke University Hospital Experiential Learning Program (DUHELP) As part of DUHELP, I was involved in a hospital operations project to expand the enrollment of patients into a new health care vertical at Duke University Hospital (DUH). I had the opportunity to shadow pharmacy technicians, attend various DUH leadership meetings, and receive mentorship from Professor James Emery to deepen my knowledge of hospital administration and operations further.  Me (far right) with my mentors (from left to right) Professor Stephanie Knight, Fiona Behm, Professor Pranab Majumder and Professor James Emery Mentored Study Program (MSP) In MSP, I led a large-scale survey of the Durham Habitat for Humanity Repairs Program, focusing on the impact of the repairs program on the beneficiaries’ health and wellness. I also had the opportunity to volunteer as a builder throughout my two-year Fuqua journey.  Me volunteering as a builder with Durham Habitat for Humanity Post-MBA Impact Through health care classes and experiential learning programs at Fuqua, I learned about my skills gap and developed various skillsets that would be essential for my post-MBA roles. The experiential learning program solidified my industry and functional knowledge, and it gave me a glimpse into my future career in consulting. My Fuqua MBA journey has been a transformative experience, and I look forward to engaging with health care again when I return to Southeast Asia. The post Navigating the Health Care Industry with Experiential and Classroom Learning appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
08 May 2023, 08:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Connecting With Classmates Through Cultural Experiences |
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Looking back on the last two years, I have so many feelings about my MBA journey in Fuqua. I am so proud to say that I am a Taiwanese, East Asian woman. One question I had coming in was how to meet more classmates and how I should introduce my culture to them. Fuqua has such a diverse student body that facilitate cultural experiences, such as identity workshops and diversity week to make this community better, but here is how I navigated sharing important parts of myself throughout the two years. Getting Out of My Comfort Zone I attend many activities and events, trying to push myself out of my comfort zone and meet different people. One thing I like a lot about Fuqua is they promote allyship and give students the flexibility to join different affinity clubs’ events. For example, a party hosted by Black & Latino MBA Organization (which starting in Fall 2023 is splitting into two groups: the Black Business Student Association and American Latinx Management Association), a Latin American Student Association (LASA) conference, a festival hosted by INDUS, the South Asian Business Club, or even trips organized by classmates to their home countries. Those events gave me the opportunity to get to know my classmates with various backgrounds extensively. Knowing my classmates more and seeing how passionate they are about their countries makes me humbler in my own point of view but also more confident about where I’m from and how I identify myself. Connecting Through Food Sometimes, I enjoy connecting with people more in a small group social setting to really form a connection with each other. Nothing can bring people together like food! Some classmates and I share our own home-cooked dinners and invite classmates over. For example, I’ve been to Italian, Moroccan, Korean, Israeli, and other dinners hosted by my classmates. I think those are the most authentic ways to engage with different cultures. I like to make Taiwanese meals, especially dishes that are very special for people who have never tried it before. Also, at the dinners, I would tell stories about Taiwan and the meaning behind those dishes to my classmates. In those casual but meaningful environments, we can get to know so much more about each other and connect deeper. I also held several hot pot dinners for my whole section to get to know more about East Asian culture and food. I cherish these experiences. Gaining Confidence Through New Connections Because of those different bonding experiences with my classmates, they are also willing to teach me anything I don’t know and would like to learn. One big improvement is my speaking and understanding of conversational English, something I would never learn from textbooks. Looking back again on the past two years, I am much more confident and have so much gratitude for the environment that I’m in. Connecting With Classmates Through Cultural Experiences appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
09 May 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: How Experiential Learning at Tesla Expanded My Professional Ambitions |
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As a current second-year speeding toward graduation, the number one piece of wisdom I would impart to my former self naively headed to Fuqua’s First-Year Orientation would be to take advantage of as much experiential learning as possible over the next two years. There is a lot to learn in the classroom, but nothing compares to putting your knowledge and skills to the test in the real world. Enter Fuqua’s Client Consulting Practicum, more commonly referred to as FCCP. The FCCP program matches student teams (primarily made up of Fuqua students, but several teams include students from other graduate programs including the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Sanford School of Public Policy) with participating businesses to develop solutions to current business challenges. FCCP gives students a taste of what a career in consulting could look like, but the program is much more in that it provides students an opportunity to dive into a new industry or further develop their skills and familiarity within a certain sector learning through action rather than theory. As a career switcher, this opportunity to try on a new industry for size was uniquely appealing. Diving Deep Into Energy For my FCCP project, our team consulted with Tesla, working with their Energy Programs team. Prior to coming to Fuqua, I worked in the outdoor industry in communications and brand strategy. The world of energy was new to me, and I was somewhat nervous but mostly excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the brilliant innovators at Tesla. Prior to our first client meeting, the team at Tesla sent us several energy regulation reference documents and a white paper detailing the current state of energy storage in the United States. I spent the next few days Googling everything in the documents. I had never given much thought to where our energy comes from and suddenly, I was analyzing interconnection queues and interviewing developers and members of Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) across the US. Before I knew it the fiction on my nightstand had been replaced with Gretchen Bakke’s The Grid and Saul Griffith’s Electrify, and where Taylor Swift had previously accompanied me on runs, I now found myself binge-listening episodes of Watt It Takes and the Energy Gang. A Strong Team Bond One of the best parts of the FCCP experience was working with my team. FCCP matched me with a talented group of peers with diverse backgrounds in renewable development, market expansion, sales, and energy analytics. With curiosity as our superpower, we went to work deepening our understanding of the market challenges and opportunities. Each member of the team brought a unique skill set, and I learned a great deal from them. Early in the semester, the two members of our team more familiar with energy hosted us for Energy 101 sessions, schooling us in the intricacies of market participation, pricing, and interconnection. The member of our team with a background in sales could get anyone to agree to a phone call with our team (their masterful outreach techniques have benefited me greatly in the recruiting process) and our team member with experience in marketing and market expansion was an Excel wizard, brilliantly analyzing interconnection queues (I aspire to such talents). The feeling of Team Fuqua presents itself in many ways and the FCCP experience is no different. We not only developed a strong working relationship with each other but also a close personal bond. That’s not to say there weren’t challenging moments or any of the struggles that come from working on a team, but I learned a lot from the few brief moments of conflict about giving and receiving feedback and asking for help when I need it. Outcomes and Impacts So much of the graduate school experience is rooted in the theoretical. FCCP provides the opportunity to put your skills to the test, grow your knowledge and skill set, and practice your abilities as a leader and teammate. It’s also an opportunity to have real impact at an organization. Several months after our FCCP project ended, our team heard from the client that our work had informed a decision the company made for a developing hardware product. We made a small impact at Tesla, and at the same time, FCCP had an outsized impact on me. My curiosity and passion for accelerating the energy transition have grown exponentially since undertaking this project. It shifted my professional aspirations and has sent me down a different career path than I anticipated when I started at Fuqua. I am incredibly grateful for the FCCP experience, the opportunity to work with the brilliant folks at Tesla, and the privilege of being part of an incredible team. The post How Experiential Learning at Tesla Expanded My Professional Ambitions appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
12 May 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: My Transition from ICU Nurse to Tech |
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My decision to pursue an MBA at Duke came during a critical moment in March 2020, working on the frontlines of the pandemic as a nurse in a makeshift intensive care unit for COVID patients. The pandemic was my wake-up call (as it probably was for all of us) to the inefficiencies I was experiencing in the health care system, directly impacting my colleague’s and patients’ lives. Also, during that time, I organized health care hackathons and witnessed the power technology could play in addressing these pain points—discovering my passion for tech. That transition influenced me to pursue my MBA and a career change. There was a multitude of factors, three of which I’ll highlight, that drew me to Fuqua. Health Sector Management (HSM) Program I wanted to better understand the complexities of health care globally and in the United States. Here I am in Spring 2 HSM Seminar, hearing guest lectures from partners at some of the most prominent health care venture capital firms, founders of global health care startups, and leaders in the health tech space. The Section Experience Being amongst a tight-knit group throughout your first year is truly an invaluable experience. From informal dinners to the 15-minute break between classes and navigating recruiting prep, I constantly am learning and experiencing new opportunities with my Section 4 peers. Well-Established Recruiting Pipeline for Tech Duke MBA Tech Club has a clear track record of placing at the top tech companies, and that built-in support system was critical. The Pipeline series laid the crucial framework for navigating tech recruiting. It helped me unpack how my past experiences are an invaluable transferrable asset. Fuqua alums at different tech companies extended a helping hand to organize coffee chats and mock interviews. Company-specific case competitions enabled the transfer of classroom knowledge into practice by pitching strategic initiatives to employees. As I head off this summer to intern at Dell Technologies as a product manager, I’ve seen how the factors that initially drew me to Fuqua have been the navigational markers throughout my first year! Ultimately, we are all drawn to Fuqua for different reasons. Being your authentic self will keep you rooted along your MBA journey! The post My Transition from ICU Nurse to Tech appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
16 May 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: My Three Opportunities to Learn Beyond the Classroom |
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Growing up in an Indian middle-income household, self-sponsoring my undergraduate education, and working for a cash-strapped startup has taught me how to do more with less. I’ve always had a default approach to optimizing resources and opportunities to maximize returns. Fast forward a month into the Daytime MBA program, I was overwhelmed with Fuqua’s plethora of resources and opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. I struggled to decide which ones to pursue. My ‘default approach’ was my impediment. I returned to the drawing board and asked myself why I chose Fuqua. The top two reasons were the Team Fuqua ethos and the experiential learning opportunities. I found many exciting and compelling opportunities to develop professional skills and abilities through experiential learning. So, I signed up for three of them. Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) As a student consultant, I worked with Clean Energy Ventures, a venture capital firm, to explore potential business applications for a novel technology, Vehicle to Grid (V2G). Using V2G, an electric vehicle owner can use the energy stored in the car’s battery to send electricity back to the power grid and get financial benefits. Although there was a steep learning curve, I got to work with some of my best and brightest peers in Fuqua, allowing me to learn about the automobile and utilities industry, the technical mechanisms of how V2G works, and the frameworks of building a robust business model. Additionally, the collaborative nature of this experience allowed me to develop my leadership skills in a different professional setting (moving from India to the US). Global Academic Travel Experience (GATE) GATE is an elective course in which you focus on a region’s history, politics, economy, and culture as your class travels through the region. Stephanie Robertson, assistant dean for the office of diversity and inclusion, led our course with the objective of studying how businesses in Germany and the U.S. can play essential roles in creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations. For me, this was the ideal conduit to explore Germany, learn about its economy and culture, learn about the business impact of DEI efforts, and, in the process, make lifelong friends. From meeting business leaders in Frankfurt to enjoying a kolsch at the bank of the Rhine, this was an experience of a lifetime.  International Exchange Program I did not have the opportunity to go for a study abroad program during my undergrad—so all the more reason for me to experience this at Fuqua. My exchange term at the SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy allowed me to internationalize my MBA experience, despite not being an official experiential learning program. I got to learn about global macroeconomics from European business leaders, work on EU business problems, study art in various renowned museums, visit race car manufacturing facilities, and eat some of the best meals of my life.  These experiences allowed me to learn beyond the classroom, making the most of my two years at Fuqua. I encourage you all to take the leap of faith; you will have a truly enriching experience. The post My Three Opportunities to Learn Beyond the Classroom appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
23 May 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: How To Tell Your Story |
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It’s July, and you find yourself at a pool party at Station 9 (a popular apartment complex for Fuqua students), singing karaoke with a bunch of strangers at Tavern (the local bar and grill), or getting to know people while moving furniture into your apartment. It’s the week before orientation and you knew you’d have to go to events and gatherings to meet classmates and potential friends, but you didn’t realize how much talking you’d have to do. The value of business school truly is your network. And in building that network you must become skilled at telling your personal journey, your background, and your story. Sometimes this is a 30-second version summed up in a breathless fashion, repeated in recruiting sip circles and coffee chats. Sometimes this is a 30-minute version told over drinks and food, with friends getting to know each other and forming lifetime bonds. As the VP of Communications with the MBA Association, I initiated a series called The Humans of Fuqua, featuring students, staff members, faculty, and members from the administration on social media and highlighting their journeys to Fuqua. It began as an attempt to showcase the wonderful stories of people within our community, bringing us closer and aware of each other’s achievements. Nonetheless, an overwhelming number of them wondered out loud, “What made you pick me?” We go on to compare our stories against those of our peers—our above-average, high-achieving classmates and discount ourselves in the process. In that vein, we begin with, “Well, it’s nothing special…” However, in recruiting, one must master the skill of overcoming this impostor syndrome and telling this story with pride and confidence, as we’re being evaluated to become future leaders and inspire communities. So, how do you tell your story? Own Your Story Firstly, it is extremely important to own your identity. Oftentimes, the lack of this is what leads to the self-inflicted question of “Why me?’” and furthers the non-appreciation for your personal journey. Own the fact that you come from a different country and speak a different language. Own the fact that you don’t know what an accounts receivable is but can play four different instruments. Own the fact that you aren’t exactly sure where you’re headed, but you sure as hell know where you came from. Highlight Your Favorite Moments Secondly, find parts of your story that you love the most. What makes you you? If someone randomly asked you for a fun fact, would you shudder and spit out, “I’m no fun!” Or would you think about a time you were careless and made a mistake but then learned immensely from it? You are fun, I guarantee you. And if you were 25 times fun the way you described in your ‘25 Random Things About Yourself’ essay, you surely love something about what brought you to business school. Identify What Sets You Apart Think about what makes you stand out from this crowd of high-achievers. This is easier said than done because of how incredible everyone here is, yet you are no less. During these 30-second versions of storytelling, also known as the TMAY or “Tell-Me-About-Yourself,” the listener is bombarded with multiple such versions from everyone at the table and will more often than not find it difficult to remember who said what. You want to be memorable and say something worth holding onto. What is it that makes you different? Lean into it. Have Pride Lastly, be proud. Tell your story with the confidence it deserves and don’t be afraid to correct some details along the way. “No ma’am, I’m actually not a stereotypical Indian who only eats butter chicken and biryani.” When you tell it from a position of strength, everyone else listens. I came into Fuqua not knowing at all who I was and where I was headed. However, through numerous coffee chats, lots of panel discussions, and an infinite amount of small talk, I have found a way to talk about myself with conviction. It took an immense amount of patience to listen to myself and gain self-awareness. Nevertheless, it is a story that will continue to morph and transform as I discover more things that I like about myself and more ways in which I am different. Telling a compelling story is no easy feat, but if you’re at Fuqua and ready to make a difference, the story may perhaps just come to you. The post How To Tell Your Story appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
30 May 2023, 07:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: How Team Fuqua Helped Me Build an Entrepreneurial Mindset |
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My journey as a social entrepreneur began during my undergraduate degree at NYU—when I didn’t even know what entrepreneurship or an entrepreneurial mindset was. My father has been working as a bureaucrat in India for the past 30 years. He often brought his work home. Issues such as poverty, inequity and polarization were dinner table conversations. These conversations stuck with me even when I went to pursue my undergraduate degree at NYU, and I tried to find ways in which I could use the resources around me to give back to communities back home. One such resource was the Reynolds Program for Social Entrepreneurship. There, I worked closely with faculty across NYU schools to develop a unique drama curriculum that could be used to teach English as a second language. I secured a grant at NYU to take this curriculum to schools in my city Pune where I eventually launched my first entrepreneurial venture – Jazz Hands Foundation. It has now been six years since we began teaching underprivileged children in the city English using drama. We have worked with more than 5,000 students and 2,000 youth volunteers. Jazz Hands solidified my desire to continue in my father’s footsteps and work in the public service sector, but it also exposed me to the then relatively new concept of social entrepreneurship. My Entrepreneurship Journey at Fuqua When I enrolled at Fuqua, I had a nascent venture idea and a LOT of accompanying fear about dedicating my time at business school to focus on it. That fear kept compounding as I saw everyone around me land incredible summer internships and as I read the abysmal stats about women founders receiving the capital and support they needed to succeed. At Fuqua, I found that my courses and support from mentors helped me develop an entrepreneurial mindset. I immersed myself in coursework and opportunities that would help me create the institutional safety nets necessary to pursue a new venture. The New Ventures: Develop course taught by Professor Jamie Jones and Max Stern is one of the best hands-on courses a student founder can take at Duke. We spent two terms developing and testing assumptions that are critical to business success by conducting customer discovery and working on our ventures with a team of students across the university.  Me (middle) with my New Ventures: Develop professors and mentors Jamie Jones (left) and Max Stern (right) I found Professor Manuel Adelino’s Venture Capital & Entrepreneurial Finance class extremely valuable in terms of helping me think through ways to finance my venture and navigate the complex male-dominated VC landscape. Institutionally, the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) and Duke Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Duke I&E) have been pivotal in providing mentorship, resources, funding support and growth opportunities for me to take the next step in my entrepreneurial journey. I now realize that entrepreneurship is not about a profession but rather a mindset. A mindset to recognize real challenges coupled with a desire to solve those challenges and create a systematic approach to deliver a solution. Team Fuqua has helped me achieve that environment. Not only will I continue developing my entrepreneurial mindset throughout the rest of my time at Duke University, but I am also looking forward to helping empower other student entrepreneurs like myself through CASE, the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club, and Duke I&E. The post How Team Fuqua Helped Me Build an Entrepreneurial Mindset appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
06 Jun 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Developing My Leadership Philosophy |
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Exactly three years ago, I was sitting in my office in London frantically waiting to hear from HR on my performance reviews. After a few nervous hours fidgeting with my computer to prepare some slides for a client meeting, I got a joyous phone call with the news of a promotion. While the news made me jump for joy, what came after completely changed the course of my life. HR asked me, “So Adi, what kind of a leader do you aspire to be?” I was stunned silent. That day marked the beginning of my quest, probably a lifelong quest, to understand my aspirations of leadership, and to develop my leadership philosophy. In that pursuit, I decided to get my MBA. The variety of leadership opportunities that Fuqua provides to its students really stood out for me, and after a few chats with students, I was confident that Fuqua would provide me with the right platform to rediscover myself and develop as a leader. Within a couple of weeks of starting school, I learned that in order to truly discover my leadership philosophy, I had to step out of my comfort zone and start practicing, and that’s what I did. Serving My Peers From my role as a section representative in my first year to being the co-president of the MBA Association (MBAA), I had tremendous learnings. The responsibilities that came with these roles taught me the true essence of leadership—the ability to inspire and empower others to reach their full potential. One of my core values throughout my journey at Fuqua was a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). I firmly believed that a diverse and inclusive community fosters creativity, innovation, and empathy. I strived to create an environment where individuals from all backgrounds felt seen, heard, and valued. The MBAA’s DEI team, along with the Gender Equity Working Group (GEWG) put together a lot of creative events and programs to make Fuqua an even more inclusive space. Through these events, I learned the importance of perseverance, courage, and empathy as a leader. Being an international student myself, I understood firsthand the unique struggles that 47% of the international class faced. Language barriers, cultural adjustments, and navigating a new educational system presented their own set of challenges, and I made it my mission to support and uplift my fellow international classmates. MBAA’s VP of International Affairs along with the International Programs Office (IPO) developed a lot of events promoting intercultural dialogue, and fostering an atmosphere of mutual respect. I learned that embracing diversity enhances the richness of our experiences and strengthens our collective bond as a community.  The True Meaning of Leadership Throughout my leadership journey, I realized that true leadership is not about personal achievements or recognition, but about amplifying the voices of others. It is about creating an environment where every individual feels empowered to share their ideas, thoughts, and perspectives. My main goal in this journey was to ensure that every student’s voice was heard, regardless of their position or background. I encouraged open dialogue, active listening, and collaboration to foster a community where ideas were celebrated and differences were embraced. As I conclude this chapter of my life at Fuqua, I carry with me a profound understanding of leadership’s true essence. It is about being a catalyst for positive change, a beacon of inspiration, and a servant to others. My time at Fuqua has taught me that leadership is not about personal glory, but about empowering others to succeed. In the words of John Quincy Adams, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” Let us all strive to be leaders who ignite the spark within others, leading them to greatness and leaving a lasting impact on the world. The post Developing My Leadership Philosophy appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
13 Jun 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Launching My Social Enterprise as a First-Year MBA Student |
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Rather than taking on an internship, I will be tackling a new challenge in India this summer. I am launching the pilot for my venture Himayat, a digital employment benefits platform. While working at Jazz Hands, my first entrepreneurial venture, I often met the parents of the students we were serving, many of whom would be domestic workers. My two other co-founders and I wanted to create a safety net for informal workers. Despite being the main source of income for their families, these workers have little to no access to employment benefits. To launch Himayat, I will use funding won during Fuqua Fast Pitch, a celebration of entrepreneurship on Duke’s campus. The competition is a unique chance for student founders to pitch their ventures to the Duke community and even secure startup funding! With three awards and $15,000 up for grabs, I was excited but also extremely nervous about sharing my company with the world. My Fuqua Fast Pitch Experience By participating in Fuqua Fast Pitch, I had the opportunity to work one-on-one with mentors like Erin Worsham from the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) to solidify our business plan and eventually pitch to a group of 10 judges. For the final event, I had an incredible opportunity to pitch my venture to the larger Duke community. I couldn’t believe my luck when Himayat won ALL three of the awards, taking home not only the grand prize and the audience choice award, but also the Dean Yep, Jr. Prize, awarded in honor of a beloved member of the Fuqua community who passed away in 2016. In the end, I was so thankful for this chance to share Himayat’s mission.  I was also selected as the recipient of the CASE Launch Pad Prize. The annual award provides $10,000 and other resources to Fuqua students with an impact enterprise idea. This funding, along with funding earned through Fuqua Fast Pitch, is giving me the opportunity to bring that vision to life. And in another show of Team Fuqua support, my New Ventures: Develop classmate Monica Macheca is traveling to India this summer to help with the launch. Gaining Confidence as an Entrepreneur People were often surprised when they heard about my undergraduate majors in journalism and environmental studies and my family’s background, which is not remotely related to business. My father is a policymaker, and my mother is a professor and author. This surprise would seep into my own thought process, and I too would second guess my competency for attempting to pursue an entrepreneurial venture. However, after engaging with Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Duke I&E) for over two years during my dual MPP/MBA degree at Duke, my internal definition of what it means to be an entrepreneur has transformed. To be an entrepreneur is to completely change your way of thinking—to be dedicated to solving problems. There were several moments when I considered pivoting and pressing a pause on my entrepreneurial journey. I am SO grateful to Team Fuqua and the incredible people who kept pushing me and created the support system I (and so many student entrepreneurs) needed to succeed. The post Launching My Social Enterprise as a First-Year MBA Student appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
20 Jun 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Partnering with Alumni to Create New Opportunities for Students |
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What value does an MBA degree truly offer a student? One might argue it provides a foundation upon which to build across a host of subject areas. Or perhaps an MBA degree truly delivers its return on investment through the network it allows one to develop. I would challenge that the value of an MBA program (at least one worth its sweat equity and capital investment) is truly delivered when it provides a means by which its students can lead meaningfully. Put simply, Fuqua asks a lot of its students. It demands we show a level of decency quotient (DQ), intelligence quotient (IQ), and emotional quotient (EQ) worthy of its name on our diploma. Its curriculum coupled with recruiting and the immediate expectation that we will all contribute to its robust roster of clubs leaves many a first-year treading water. And for our part, we as Fuquans expect that our effort be matched—that the administration responds in kind, affording us the appropriate level of autonomy and power to affect change on campus. It is this exchange that makes Fuqua unique amongst elite MBA programs. It is this dynamic that forges the strong friendships found on campus and creates the engaged alumni network that offers its support for one, two, or 10 job searches after graduation. I write this blog post to illustrate an example of a time I was given both the opportunity and the freedom to transformationally lead, an opportunity made possible through a highly-engaged alumnus, himself renowned for his work in just this area. While struggling through recruitment season, I was tipped off by a classmate about a possible internship offered by an alumnus on the Board of Visitors who wanted deeply to give back to Fuqua. After speaking with some deans, including Russ Morgan, about the internship, I learned that Demetrio Carceller Arce, President of Damm Brewery, the largest brewery in Spain, was actively looking to launch a joint internship and mentored study experience that would be offered only to Fuqua students. This experience would be piloted in the Summer of 2023 with an initial cohort and then expanded in subsequent years. It would notably allow Fuquans to flexibly design their own internship rooted in the spirit of transformational leadership, working for one of Demetrio’s many businesses, all while living in Barcelona. I was immediately intrigued and reached out to the Damm team who were eager to learn about my goals and ambitions at Fuqua and beyond. Ultimately, I did not settle on interning for Damm over the summer. However, what happened next is a chain of circumstances that I feel could only come to be at the leadership incubator that is Fuqua. As I felt the internship program had a lot to offer and wanted to help strengthen it for my classmates and future Fuquans, both deans encouraged me to consult for the Damm team. Through that opportunity, I brought my perspective as a Fuquan to the table to create a transformational program. With a lot of help from Damm and feedback from classmates, I collaborated in putting together a strengthened internship and spread the word to find some interested students. From a strong group of initial candidates, three were later recruited by the company, forming what I hope will be the first of many cohorts to participate in this truly unique program. Because of the sense of community Fuqua generates, successful alumni aim to give back. It is because of these alumni that we as Fuquans are given the opportunity to live unique experiences, to lead, to develop our voice, and leave the community better than we found it. Because of empathetic and generous classmates, I was made aware of one such opportunity, and my hope is that I’ve now found a way to pay that forward. The post Partnering with Alumni to Create New Opportunities for Students appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
27 Jun 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: New Testing Options and Application Updates |
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In Admissions, our goal every year is to find new ways to make the MBA application process less stressful and more straightforward. We want to ensure that our application allows applicants to feel comfortable being fully themselves by highlighting their unique strengths, skills, and aspirations. In that spirit, we have made the following updates to the 2023-2024 Daytime MBA application. New Testing Options GMAC and ETS, which administer the GMAT and GRE exams, respectively, announced updated versions of their standardized tests. The new GMAT Focus and the revised GRE exam will both offer shorter formats with different options for score reporting, feedback, and question formats. Fuqua will accept both of the new test format scores and also continue to accept the standard GMAT and GRE exams, as well as the Executive Assessment. As always, we have no preference for which test score a candidate submits. They should choose the test that is the best fit for them. Applicants are welcome to submit more than one test score and/or test format, and our Admissions team will consider the score that is most beneficial to the applicant. We will continue to require at least one valid test score for all applicants. New Optional Section to Share More We can’t get enough of the stories we hear in our “25 Things” essay, so we are leaving our essay questions the same as in previous years. However, we have added a new optional section within the biographical pages of our application that allow applicants to share a little bit more about their personal stories if they wish. Applicants who may be the first in their family to attend college, those who grew up facing financial hardship, or any other unique lived experience may now use this section of the application to help our Admissions team understand how that background has influenced their life, education, or career. Additional Application Round Remains One of the most important lessons learned during the past few rather tumultuous years is that the future is always uncertain. Between a lengthy pandemic, global economic uncertainty, and mass layoffs, we have all felt the effects of a rapidly changing world. In the 2022-2023 year, we made the decision to add an application deadline to help applicants who may have made the decision to apply to business school a little later in the application cycle, and we had a very positive response to the new round. We have decided to keep the round for the upcoming year. In addition to our Early Action deadline in September, we are offering application deadlines in September, January, February, and April. Indicate Interest in Fuqua Impact Scholarships Two years ago, we introduced a new scholarship program called the Fuqua Impact Scholars. Aligned with our five centers of excellence in social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, leadership, energy and the environment, and health care, the Fuqua Impact Scholars program matches highly qualified students with a center based on their interests and potential to contribute and grow. This year, we have added a short answer question to allow applicants to indicate an interest in the Fuqua Impact Scholars program, to choose up to two centers they are interested in, and a short answer response to share how they might engage as an Impact Scholar. We have several different merit scholarship opportunities as well, and all applicants are considered for all merit-based scholarships for which they qualify. We hope these changes will make it even easier for candidates to provide their strongest application and we look forward to getting to know each of them. The post New Testing Options and Application Updates appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
30 Jun 2023, 07:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: How Fuqua Campus Visits Can Enhance Your MBA Application |
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When applying to business schools last year, it seemed like most of the schools were very similar. However, after I attended Fuqua’s Pride Weekend, a mock class visit, and an admissions information session, I noticed how Fuqua and its students had unique values that aligned with my own. Now, as a Daytime MBA Student Ambassador, I help prospective students understand how they will fit into the Team Fuqua culture. As I’ve talked with prospective students, they’ve shared the fruitful events that helped them choose Fuqua. I recommend prospective students take advantage of campus visits to help provide context for the Fuqua MBA application. One-Day Campus Visits If you sign up for an in-person Fuqua campus visit, there are five components of the visit, and each will shed light on a different aspect of Fuqua. Mock Class Visit The mock class visit will help you understand the dynamics within a Fuqua classroom. Here, you will understand the culture of the classroom, where participation is highly encouraged and all students share their unique perspectives on certain topics or industries. Although you may not know which classes will be available on the day of your visit, I recommend signing up for a class that is outside your comfort zone. When I did my mock class, I took Digital Landscape in FinTech. As someone who has no interest or background in financial technology, I realized that if I could enjoy that class, then the faculty at Fuqua must be special. Information Session with an Admissions Counselor You should attend this information session if you are currently working on your application. They take place in the Admissions lounge with a small group of prospective students, and you will be able to ask an admissions counselor any questions you have prior to submitting your application. I recommend coming prepared with questions, specifically anything around essay prompts, resume, or general programming of the Daytime MBA. Fuqua Tour & Lunch in the Fox Center A Fuqua tour will be led by a current Daytime MBA student, and they will show you the classrooms, study rooms, library, main entrance, and auditoriums. You will most likely see current Fuqua students occupying the team rooms with their C-Leads and witness Team Fuqua in action! The tour culminates with a lunch in the Fox Center, where current MBA students will be having lunch during the daily free-time period from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. During lunch, you will have another chance to talk to a first-year MBA student and other prospective students. I recommend asking any questions you have about classes, adjusting to an MBA, job recruiting, and clubs so you can get a better understanding of how you fit in at Fuqua. Conversations in the Admissions Lounge with Fuqua Students I am a little biased here since I work in the Admissions lounge and front desk, but another way to get great insights on the Team Fuqua culture is by chatting with the Daytime MBA Student Ambassadors in the Admissions lounge. We love answering all your questions and want to ensure you leave Fuqua knowing whether you see yourself here. These chats will be informal and don’t even have to be about Fuqua. Use this time to make yourself more comfortable before all the events, build a rapport with current students and showcase your authentic personality. This is the perfect time to ask about the clubs or initiatives you are interested in joining and how you can add value to these clubs, which will help add substance to your essays! Fuqua Friday If you are visiting Fuqua on a Friday, you should absolutely stay until 4 p.m. to attend the weekly Fuqua Friday with free food and drinks. Personally, Fuqua Friday is the highlight of my week. It is one of the few times all your classmates will be in the same area. My favorite Fuqua Friday was when Argentina was playing the Netherlands in the World Cup. Hundreds of Fuqua students were crowding around the TVs in the Fox Center—the energy in the room was palpable! I recommend using this event to casually learn about Fuqua student culture and determine if you can picture yourself hanging out with these students every day, which is what I determined when I visited!  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Weekend Events Another great way to take advantage of Fuqua’s campus visits is to attend one of our four Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Weekends. I attended Fuqua’s Pride Weekend in 2021 and it was one of the main reasons I choose Fuqua. I realized that there is a supportive and caring community for me at Fuqua where I am encouraged to be my authentic self. These weekends contain mock classes, information sessions, social events, and so many other great opportunities to chat with students and alumni. If you identify with one of these affinity groups below, I recommend you schedule them into your application process. They will provide you with great experiences to mention in your interviews! Virtual Events If you cannot make it to one of Fuqua’s campus visits, I encourage you to sign up for a virtual Daytime MBA visit. If you would like to speak with a student reach out to our Daytime MBA Student Ambassadors. Students are happy to share their firsthand experiences and answer your questions. The post How Fuqua Campus Visits Can Enhance Your MBA Application appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
11 Jul 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: A Week as an MBA Student Entrepreneur |
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When I was applying for business school, some friends told me that MBAs were only for people wanting to pursue a corporate career. I thought that working for a couple of years post-MBA in the pet industry, my passion, could be the best way to be an entrepreneur in that field. However, I completely changed my mind the first week I started my MBA. With constant mentorship, resources and guidance, Fuqua offers a powerful curriculum for student entrepreneurs like me to follow their dreams. You are probably wondering: is the entrepreneurial path as an MBA student the same as a consulting or investment banking path? The answer is no. Being a student entrepreneur is much more fun! At least, this is how I see it. Let me tell you about one of the most incredible weeks I had during my second year. An entrepreneurial week full of work, ideas, great new people, and fun: Monday The first day of the week is always tricky when you have a routine. But guess what? As an entrepreneur, you will never have a routine! I start my week by having a few meetings with some potential investors, attending the exciting and challenging class Entrepreneurial Finance and finally going to the golf range to relax, improve my score (hopefully), and think about the week. Tuesday After attending the class Entrepreneurial Execution, I have a few meetings with some professors to ask for some advice for my startup. Then I return home to plan the questions I will ask as a moderator of one of the Latin American Student Association (LASA) Conference panels, while walking with my dog, Eira. Wednesday I start my day full of joy because today is the LASA Conference. My friends asked me to be the moderator of the entrepreneurship panel. I had the honor to interview Juan Pablo Ortega, the co-founder of Rappi and Juno. It was a unique and inspiring moment.  Me participating in a panel during the LASA Conference Thursday Today is a challenging day. I was invited to be part of the Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Duke I&E) Startup Showcase, representing my venture Truffa. It was selected among the three audience choice award winners—what an honor! It was an excellent opportunity to pitch to investors, academics, and students while learning more about other creative and revolutionary Duke founders’ startups. Friday I was invited to be part of the Career Management Center (CMC) live session for prospective Fuqua students. It was great to talk with Arya Diwase about our process of becoming founders while being Fuqua students. Later that day, I attended a meeting for fellows for the Fuqua/Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics (COLE). It was one of the most remarkable events you can attend at Fuqua—a private meeting with the legend himself, Coach K. He gave us an incredible speech about leadership and the challenges we will face after graduation. Not everything at Fuqua is about work. I wrapped up the incredible entrepreneurial week by enjoying a cold beer at Ponysaurus with friends in Durham.  Me (far left) with Coach K and other COLE Fellows Now that I am finishing my second year as an MBA student, I am proud to say that I am a Fuqua entrepreneur and that without the help and mentorship of Fuqua and Duke I&E, I wouldn’t be creating my dream startup in the veterinary field. The post A Week as an MBA Student Entrepreneur appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
18 Jul 2023, 06:00
| FROM Fuqua Student Blogs: Investing in Myself With an MBA |
Now that I have graduated with my MBA from Fuqua, it’s a great opportunity to pause, look back, and thank myself for this gift that I gave myself. I know it sounds weird—if Hollywood taught us anything it’s that we are supposed to thank our parents and partners first (and whoever else helped us reach this accomplishment). Of course, I’m grateful for everyone’s help along the way—shout out to my husband who moved to the other side of the world to help me follow my dreams! But I also want to take this opportunity to reflect on this great decision that I made and the hard work I put into it, and appreciate everything I got to experience. My husband. Ori, and I A New Perspective When I decided I wanted to go to b-school, I knew I wanted to advance my career. I was working in the tech industry in Israel as a business development manager. I wanted to have bigger and better work opportunities. Before school, like many people, I was most concerned about daily things like my client’s last email, my next promotion, or what I’ll eat for dinner. Though dinner is still a main concern of mine, taking two years off of real life to open my mind and focus on myself has been so eye-opening! I got to learn completely new skills and think about problems and opportunities from angles I’ve never seen before. And hey, I will admit, life was good even before b-school—I had a great job, lived in the best city in the world (if you haven’t been to Tel Aviv yet, book your trip now!), and had all my childhood friends and family around me. But at some point, I felt like I wanted more and that I could do more. I needed some real-life experiences to get me out of my comfort zone and challenge me. I expected my time at Fuqua to be a great two years, but I wasn’t expecting such a life-changing experience.  Beach week with Section 6 Growing as a Team It’s hard to describe what exactly in this environment creates all these growth opportunities. If I had to name a few it would be working with such a diverse group of people from different backgrounds, having the power to take on leadership opportunities, and being exposed to businesses, industries, and functions I wouldn’t have otherwise. One example from my personal journey was that I got to lead an 80-person trek to my home country, which involved a lot of logistics work (I feel like I basically got my Ph.D. in operations while at it), marketing, communication skills and team work.  Me (second from the left) with my iTrek leadership team So, if I could go back a few years, to when I was working tirelessly to get a good enough GMAT score (5th time’s the charm!) and writing all those essays—all to have to defer school by one year because of COVID and visa restrictions—I would tell my younger self to take a deep breath, keep an open mind, and keep doing your best. Getting my MBA was so worth it!  Graduation day for the Daytime MBA Class of 2023 Prospective students who don’t quite know what to expect yet (though you might think you do), should know that while it’s hard right now, and there will be a lot of hard work moving forward as well, you are going to be a better version of yourself by the end of it. I am so thankful that my younger self dreamed big, was so persistent in achieving goals, and did not give up, even when it was challenging. The post Investing in Myself With an MBA appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. |
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Hi Generic [Bot],
Here are updates for you:
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Tuck at Dartmouth
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