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Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs

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Pandemic to Prosperity: A Project with the National Conference on Citi [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   06 Aug 2020, 14:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Pandemic to Prosperity: A Project with the National Conference on Citizenship

Emily Laackman T’20

History has shown that large-scale crises accelerate pre-existing trends and permanently change societies and civic life. While most of the nation’s attention is currently focused on the response to Covid-19, we must ensure that recovery efforts in the months and years ahead lead to a more just and equitable society.

An Unexpected Final Term

I packed a suitcase for spring break and left Hanover, arrogantly oblivious to the fact that I would be living out of that suitcase for the next several months. The reality of finishing up my MBA from my partner’s couch was slowly hitting me. But because the Tuck community is really as strong as I’d hoped, my spring term was still packed with Tuckies—from virtual hangouts, to trivia nights, to movie nights, to group work sessions. I was adjusting to life in quarantine, and the constant engagement from classes and the community kept me sane.

But with the end of classes, I went from a stimulating environment that kept me busy enough to not think constantly about the pandemic, to relative isolation. And in that isolation, I just kept wondering, “What now? What do I do with my mind right now?”

Pandemic to Prosperity

I began to search for something that would allow me to feel helpful at a time when the world was spinning out of control. Lucky for me, I found a project being created by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), a nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving civic engagement in a variety of ways and in doing so, improving our democracy.

This new project, Pandemic to Prosperity (P2P), is led by Denice Ross, Allison Plyer, and Jeff Coates. It was inspired by a similar project led by Ross and Plyer, The New Orleans Index, which informed myriad public and private decisions and actions following Hurricane Katrina. Pandemic to Prosperity’s inaugural report launched on July 21st, six months to the day after the first announcement of COVID-19 on US soil. Subsequent reports will be released monthly, following the trajectory of the pandemic to provide the most helpful information to the public.

With the goal of providing a clear understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting the United States (from access to food, to ability to pay rent, to ease of voting in the upcoming election, to many others), Pandemic to Prosperity connects the dots between the different facets of life that are in jeopardy because of the pandemic. Our goal for the country is not based on pre-pandemic benchmarks, but rather a scenario in which livelihoods across the board are lifted to a new set of equitable standards.

As Lead Data Analyst for Pandemic to Prosperity, I’ve had the privilege of analyzing a wide range of data, calling out injustices that the pandemic is exacerbating. For example, while COVID-19 is increasing the cases of food insecurity across the country, the fact is that Black and Hispanic/Latinx households go hungry twice as often as white households. Insights such as that are crucial to understanding what the path forward should look like. Barriers to recovery will look different for different communities, and the more we understand what those obstacles are, the better equipped we will be to help tear them down.

I am so fortunate that I have been able to work on Pandemic to Prosperity. It aligns my analytical and storytelling skills so perfectly with my passion for equity and social justice. The timing of this opportunity has helped me productively channel my anxieties about the many crises in the United States into doing something helpful for our future.

Emily Laackman T’20 is the lead data analyst for Pandemic to Prosperity at the National Conference on Citizenship. Emily has a background in data analysis, visualization, and storytelling. Prior to Tuck, Emily worked at Digitas, a global digital marketing firm, where she was a manager of Data Analysis and Strategy. If you are interested in learning more about Pandemic to Prosperity, please visit their website to be notified about future reports.
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Sharing Our Stories: BSAT’s Virtual Ahmaud Arbery AMA [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   18 Aug 2020, 09:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Sharing Our Stories: BSAT’s Virtual Ahmaud Arbery AMA



By Roderick Milligan T’21

At Tuck, there is a long tradition of being open to your classmates and making yourself vulnerable by telling your story. Sharing our stories is done through different facets of mediums like TalkTalks, Ask Me Anything panels, or short rides to the nearest ski resort. Each moment allows one to be their authentic self and broaden the minds of those who may not have had similar experiences in life.

When Ahmaud Arbery was killed in February, my wife implored me to speak up. My initial reaction was to write a post about how Ahmaud Arbery's death impacted me, and I did so on LinkedIn. I wrote about my current successes and how Mr. Arbery would not be able to reach his full potential; then, I encouraged some of my followers to run, walk, or hike xxx miles in remembrance of Ahmaud Arbery.

The next day, the Black Students at Tuck (BSAT) club asked me to help organize an event to discuss this incident of injustice with the Tuck community. To be honest, I was tired. It was a week before the end of the school term, and I just wanted to study, play with my son, and be around my wife. And yet, as a black man and the newly elected Diversity and Inclusion chair, I knew that it was a burden I had to bear for my son and classmates that were profoundly hurting. We organized an Ahmaud Arbery Ask Me Anything (AMA).

These types of extracurricular activities can feel like a "Black Tax." The “Black Tax” requires spending time to host events to educate people on black issues or working to advance minority presence in the student body.  The "Black Tax" strips one's time from studying and other club or fellowship activities to focusing on educating others on and developing solutions for black issues. Many underrepresented groups are "taxed" in this manner. We proceed because we understand our seeds might bear fruit later.

We decided to host a virtual Ahmaud Arbery AMA event that focused on the panelists’ personal experiences with racism and the weight it leaves with them. The panelist also discussed the lack of initiative from other people to speak up about similar incidents of injustice. We were all open in our responses, and there was tremendous interest in advocacy from the Tuck community. I left the discussion exhausted, in need of time to mentally decompress, and instead we began to plan an "Allyship Series" to equip our community with concrete actions.

Unfortunately, a few weeks later, George Floyd was senselessly murdered by a police officer. I didn't think I needed to say anything else; I didn't want to host another AMA event. I wanted someone else, someone outside the black community, to step up. They did.  As the news began to spread about Mr. Floyd’s death, I was overwhelmed with the number of Tuckies that reached out to see if they could do anything. A few weeks later, a group of Tuckies organized a book club to read The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. Two hundred fifty people signed up to join the book club, including Tuck deans, faculty, and staff members. I didn't have to implore anyone to step up; the Tuck community had listened to our Ahmaud Arbery AMA event and responded with great empathy.

The majority of people hope that their efforts towards a cause will bring about change. We wake up early and stay up late, not to improve ourselves but out of altruism for the future of our community. I believe the AMA event was a small push towards sweeping changes in the future. The Tuck community provided its black students with that platform, and it will continue to do so.

If you would like to learn more about Tuck’s efforts towards creating a more diverse and inclusive environment from the student board perspective, please feel free to contact me.

Roderick Milligan T’21 serves as the Tuck Student Body’s Diversity & Inclusion chair and is a MBA Fellow with the Center for Digital Strategies. This summer, he interned with Apple as a Global Supply Manager. Milligan holds a BS in electrical and electronics engineering from Tuskegee University.
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Why You Should Join Us for the Tuck Women in Business Conference [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   31 Aug 2020, 07:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Why You Should Join Us for the Tuck Women in Business Conference



By Kelsey McInerney T’21, Tuck WIB Co-Chair

After a seven-year career in marketing, I made the difficult decision to leave my job and pursue my MBA. While studying for the GMAT, deciding which schools to apply to, and writing my applications, I realized that I needed to take a step back and truly think about which school was the right fit for me. Thankfully, a friend recommended the Tuck Women in Business Conference as a way to experience Tuck’s culture, which I had heard so much about, first-hand. I applied to the conference hoping that it would paint a clearer picture of life as a Tuckie, and the weekend did just that and more. The conference provided a sneak peek into Tuck academics and student life, while also showcasing the strong Tuck alumni network.

The best part about the weekend was meeting other prospective students at the conference who were going through the same process that I was experiencing. We shared our career backgrounds, talked about our future goals and of course vented about our shared experience with the GMAT. I not only broadened my network during the weekend, but I also developed close friendships and expanded my incredible Tuck support system.

The conference also provided the opportunity to connect with Tuck alumni in a more intimate setting. Through career panels and the keynote, I was able to meet Tuck alumni and learn about each of their unique Tuck experiences. One event that highlighted the strength of Tuck’s alumni network was the keynote speech by Nykia Wright, CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times. Nykia strongly emphasized how the Tuck community helped foster her professional career years after graduating, highlighting how Tuck’s close-knit community truly cultivates long-lasting relationships long after your two years in Hanover.

Finally, the conference provided a glimpse into Tuck academics. The professors and the classroom environment at Tuck are unparalleled, and the mock class ended up being the highlight of my weekend. Any nerves that I had about transitioning back to the classroom were immediately alleviated when I experienced Tuck’s interactive, collaborative, and stimulating teaching style. I experienced the shift from in person to online at the end of my first year and was incredibly impressed at how seamless the transition was. I credit the brilliant Tuck professors who are committed to delivering engaging lectures, promoting discussion and cultivating the same in-person learning experience in a virtual environment for students.

The WIB conference provided an incredible opportunity to learn more about Tuck's close-knit community and connect with the collaborative faculty, professors, and students. Tuck truly has a unique energy and spirit, and I hope that you will be able to join us in October to experience this one-of-a kind community first-hand!

 

The Tuck Women in Business Conferencewill be held virtually October 23-24.

  Register today
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Three Takeaways from Reading “The New Jim Crow” [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   01 Sep 2020, 08:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Three Takeaways from Reading “The New Jim Crow”

By Emma Sapat T'21

This spring, watching my country reckon with its long history of racism and police brutality towards people of color, I felt a paralyzing combination of grief, frustration, and helplessness. Navigating conversations about racism, I was struck by how easy it had been for me, in “normal” times, to avoid the discomfort that arises from frank discussions of these issues. To me, allyship meant both embracing this discomfort and committing to sustained self-education on racial justice: these goals brought me to TALK, or Tuck Allies through Leadership and Knowledge.

TALK was born from the recognition that leadership requires continued self-education on how race and social justice have historically influenced and are currently influencing the world in which we hope to lead. As the acronym implies, TALK’s summer programming series was designed to foster empathy and action through community learning and dialogue. Over the summer, members of the Tuck community met virtually in small groups to discuss Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Reflecting on the nights my six-person group spent talking over Zoom and asking each other questions, I came away with three key insights. 

1. We must reexamine our past history to understand our racial present 

As Alexander wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed piece, “we cannot solve a problem we do not understand.” Reading The New Jim Crow helped our discussion group build a firmer foundation of historical knowledge, allowing us to develop a common language we could use to discuss the ways in which racial inequality remains entrenched in our society. The TALK format of Socratic dialogue, where each member poses questions to the group, encouraged us to rethink our previously unquestioned historical narratives. When I shared that because I had grown up in Maine, a state that ranked among the least diverse in the US, I felt I had few personal memories of racial conflict, TALK pushed me to examine my assumptions about my home state. In fact, Maine was more racially diverse in the 19th century than it is today, and of course the state was settled by Native American tribes long before the first Europeans arrived. Within our TALK group, by deconstructing the historical myths we’d all absorbed, we could better understand the context that influences our current historical moment.

2. The systems we build reveal our values 

In The New Jim Crow, Alexander exposes the many ways that the American criminal justice system fails to live up to the ideal of “equal justice under law,” analyzing how the War on Drugs has enabled rampant discrimination against African Americans. Reading Alexander’s analysis, I was struck by how badly the criminal justice system fails to deliver a more just society. At Tuck, we are taught that an organization’s strategy goes beyond its stated goals and values; as leaders, we are accountable for allocating resources and shaping systems in ways that actually deliver on those goals. For years, the War on Drugs has imposed truly staggering human and economic costs on America while doing little to solve the societal problem of drug abuse. That all people are created equal is a foundational American value, yet our criminal justice system acts to systemically deny the equal dignity—and even the humanity—of African Americans. In our TALK group, we found ourselves reflecting on what the value of “justice” meant to each of us, and whether reallocating resources towards alternative strategies to combat poverty, drug abuse, mental illness, and violence could help create a more truly just society.

3. To change the big picture, change your (and others’) mind

Discussing the enormous challenges standing in the way of effective criminal justice reform often felt bleak. But our TALK group took solace in Alexander’s vision of a sweeping grassroots movement challenging the core principles of mass incarceration—one that could arise from an upwelling of public consciousness about racism and racial justice. As Alexander writes, “our only hope for our collective liberation is a politics of deep solidarity rooted in love.” To Alexander, solidarity spreads outward from the individual—only through our willingness to move past denial and confront uncomfortable truths about the discrimination imposed by supposedly race-neutral systems can a new moral consensus be forged. Writing for The New York Times, Alexander poignantly describes rising support for the Black Lives Matter movement as “another American mirror—a reflection of the best of who we are and what we can become.” Through TALK and other self-education initiatives, I hope to contribute to this hopeful vision.

Emma Sapat is a T’21 student hailing from Falmouth, Maine, a small town where moose have been known to wander into the gas station. Prior to Tuck, she worked in government as an analyst at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
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Inside the Virtual Tuck Bay Area EcoSystem Deep Dive: Energy Track [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   09 Sep 2020, 15:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Inside the Virtual Tuck Bay Area EcoSystem Deep Dive: Energy Track



By Ayo Adare T’22

Having lived most of my life in Nigeria, my reality of the power and energy space was characterized by a lack of connection to the grid, incessant power cuts for those connected, inadequate energy sources, and very traditional electricity grids with little to no home-grown innovation. I have often wondered how different it would be in a developed economy with a developed energy ecosystem.

My objectives going into Tuck's three-day virtual Bay Area Ecosystem Deep Dive program was to gain a broader exposure to the energy ecosystem in a developed economy, develop strong networks in the energy space, and get closer to achieving my long-term goals for a global career in power and energy, and impact across Africa. I think this was largely accomplished.

During the course of the Tuck Bay Area EDD, I had the opportunity to meet seven companies in total—six in the power and energy space. Our virtual tour of Lingrove by the CEO and Co-founder, Joe Luttwak, helped me gain  insight into a sample facility of a start-up clean-tech company in California, even though I was thousands of miles away in Lagos, Nigeria.

Further, I had the opportunity to connect with eleven other energy enthusiasts, some of whom already have extensive experience in the energy space. I look forward to more interactions with them and forming deep relationships with them over the next two years at Tuck and beyond.



High Fidelity, which is working to create online audio spaces for virtual gatherings, hosted students for a happy hour to test out the beta version of their product.

Lastly, I gained incredible insights related to the energy value chain from interactions with key companies and professionals, some of whom are Tuck alums. For instance, I was excited to learn about the work Elemental Excelerator, represented by Nneka Uzoh, was doing in spurring many power and energy startups by granting them necessary seed financing and mentoring opportunities. It was also interesting to learn how UtilityAPI created a niche for itself in making electricity data readily available to corporates who need it to adequately meet customer needs. I also particularly enjoyed the opportunity to engage with the Cypress Creek Renewables team as the interaction involved interesting conversations on renewables project development, development finance, and tax equity which are very relevant and important concepts. Other notable companies at the event were Volta Industries, Calpine, and 3Degrees.

Overall, I have gained clear insight into the power and energy space in the U.S. I now better understand the renewable energy value chain and I received guidance on how to learn more about the energy sector in the U.S. I am grateful for the leadership of April Salas and Madeleine Bothe who were very instrumental in this remarkable learning experience.

Ayokunle (Ayo) Adare T’22, CFA, is a trained engineer with an undergraduate degree in electrical and electronics engineering, and a holder of a graduate degree in power systems engineering from University of Manchester (United Kingdom). He has spent six years of his career in the financial services space in deals advisory and infrastructure finance while working at PwC and InfraCredit. He worked on projects that cut across various sectors including power, renewables, oil and gas, transportation, and telecommunications. This year’s Ecosystem Deep Dive program was led by the Center for Entrepreneurship and the Revers Center for Energy.
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Inside the Virtual Tuck Bay Area Ecosystem Deep Dive: Energy Track [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   10 Sep 2020, 06:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Inside the Virtual Tuck Bay Area Ecosystem Deep Dive: Energy Track



By Ayo Adare T’22

Having lived most of my life in Nigeria, my reality of the power and energy space was characterized by a lack of connection to the grid, incessant power cuts for those connected, inadequate energy sources, and very traditional electricity grids with little to no home-grown innovation. I have often wondered how different it would be in a developed economy with a developed energy ecosystem.

My objectives going into Tuck's three-day virtual Bay Area Ecosystem Deep Dive (EDD) program was to gain broader exposure to the energy ecosystem in a developed economy, develop strong networks in the energy space, and get closer to achieving my long-term goals for a global career in power and energy, and impact across Africa. I think this was largely accomplished.

During the course of the Tuck Bay Area EDD, I had the opportunity to meet seven companies in total—six in the power and energy space. Our virtual tour of Lingrove by the CEO and co-founder, Joe Luttwak, helped me gain insight into a sample facility of a startup clean-tech company in California, even though I was thousands of miles away in Lagos, Nigeria.

Further, I had the opportunity to connect with eleven other energy enthusiasts, some of whom already have extensive experience in the energy space. I look forward to more interactions with them and forming deep relationships with them over the next two years at Tuck and beyond.



High Fidelity, which is working to create online audio spaces for virtual gatherings, hosted students for a happy hour to test out the beta version of their product.

Lastly, I gained incredible insights related to the energy value chain from interactions with key companies and professionals, some of whom are Tuck alums. For instance, I was excited to learn about the work Elemental Excelerator, represented by Nneka Uzoh, was doing in spurring many power and energy startups by granting them necessary seed financing and mentoring opportunities. It was also interesting to learn how UtilityAPI created a niche for itself in making electricity data readily available to corporates who need it to adequately meet customer needs. I also particularly enjoyed the opportunity to engage with the Cypress Creek Renewables team as the interaction involved interesting conversations on renewables project development, development finance, and tax equity which are very relevant and important concepts. Other notable companies at the event were Volta Industries, Calpine, and 3Degrees.

Overall, I gained clear insight into the power and energy space in the U.S. I now better understand the renewable energy value chain and I received guidance on how to learn more about the energy sector in the U.S. I am grateful for the leadership of April Salas and Madeleine Bothe who were very instrumental in this remarkable learning experience.

Ayokunle (Ayo) Adare T’22, CFA, is a trained engineer with an undergraduate degree in electrical and electronics engineering, and a holder of a graduate degree in power systems engineering from University of Manchester (United Kingdom). He has spent six years of his career in the financial services space in deals advisory and infrastructure finance while working at PwC and InfraCredit. He worked on projects that cut across various sectors including power, renewables, oil and gas, transportation, and telecommunications. This year’s Ecosystem Deep Dive program was led by the Center for Entrepreneurship and the Revers Center for Energy.
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3 Reasons Why Tuck Is a Great Fit for Military Veterans [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   17 Sep 2020, 08:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: 3 Reasons Why Tuck Is a Great Fit for Military Veterans

To learn more about what distinguishes Tuck among top-tier business schools and what you need to know to transition from the military into the right MBA program, attend the 2020 Tuck Veterans Symposium on Saturday, September 26 through Monday, September 28. During the event, you’ll get a chance to see what distinguishes Tuck among top-tier business schools and what you need to know to transition from the military into the right MBA program. Register here.

 

By Stephanie Puzak T'22

1. Space to redefine yourself.

The military provides structure and at times, emphasis on conformity (think back to basic training). You are given a task and probably told once or twice to “bloom where you are planted.” You become very good at going with the flow and “embracing the suck” when things are less than ideal. When you leave the military, the opportunities seem endless. You transition from having a job and location passed out every few years, to an open sea of options for lifestyle, industry, career path, location, and more. You choose based on what is best for YOU—not the overall needs of the military. It can be a little overwhelming.

Transitioning from the military is hard. It will still be hard if you attend a top-tier MBA program (please don’t let anyone convince you otherwise). One of the largest reasons it is difficult is because it requires a lot of introspection and self-reflection which are not easy things to do. Military veteran or not, Tuck forces you to reflect on what you might actually want to do and provides resources to explore those paths. The smaller class size means that the resources are also allocated to a smaller number of people and in turn, you have a higher-touch experience with career services, industry centers, and faculty experts.



Stephanie Puzak T’22 spent six years in the Air Force as a cybersecurity officer.

There are no longer bounds on what you can pursue, and it is not limited to your AFSC or MOS experience. If you are interested in starting a company, pursuing a career in technology, healthcare, venture capital, energy or the public sector Tuck has a center for that. If there is not a center for your desired career path (see: consulting) then Tuck has clubs focused on a variety of topics and careers. The class is also intentionally diverse and likely has someone coming from the industry you desire to enter. The alumni network is vast and strong, standing by ready to support as you redefine yourself and what path you want your career to take. The kicker is all these things are tied together with a close-knit community that thrives on collaboration and support.

The resources are essential, but I would be remiss if I did not at least also touch on location. Tuck also provides real, unfettered access to natural space. Dartmouth is surrounded by mountains of trails for hikes, access to ski resorts, golfing, and general outdoor activities. Sometimes the best way to reflect is to simply disconnect so physical space is also important.

Take the time you need in your transition to understand what you want in your next chapter of life and use the support available via resources at Tuck to help redefine what that looks like.

2. Focus on creating your brand of leadership.

Most employers value leadership but few organizations train and emphasize leadership as much as the uniformed services. Similarly, most business schools value leadership but few emphasize and focus on leadership development like Tuck does. While military veterans’ leadership experience is already highly valued at Tuck, veterans are also encouraged and supported to define their personal brand of leadership.

If you are considering applying to Tuck, you may have perused the essay questions. Tuck values individual experience and holds it in high regard while reviewing applications. So much so, that the applications asks specifically how you will contribute to the fabric of Tuck and how you have helped others succeed. Identifying that you have valuable leadership experience and will be encouraged to share that experience with your classmates is something I felt was unique to Tuck. Simply by speaking with current Tuckies who are veterans, you learn just how much their experiences are valued and lauded at Tuck. more about current veterans.

The mission of Tuck is to “develop wise, decisive leaders who better the world through business.” This mission is integrating into everything at Tuck—the core and elective curriculum, co-curricular and extracurricular activities all encourage students to develop their own brand of leadership through academic work, experiential learning, and reflection.

The military is a great place to learn and develop as a leader by seeing and doing, but I did not experience enough opportunities for reflection. When stepping out of uniform, I think it is essential to take time to develop greater self-awareness. Reflection and feedback is one of the best ways to build self-awareness. That reflection can then feed into what leadership style works best for you (which is not a one-size-fits-all solution).

Choosing Tuck means you are committing to sharing your leadership experience with your classmates but also defining your personal leadership brand with hopes to better the world post-MBA.

3. The strength of community.

It is no secret that Dartmouth is located in more of a rural location than many top business schools. The class size is on the smaller end, sitting below 300, and the city of Hanover has a population in the tens of thousands rather than the millions. On the flip side, the size and location faciliate an unparalleled depth of community. That depth of community also extends to the alumni network. I have been impressed over and over again by how often alumni have taken calls with me to share their time and experiences at Tuck and beyond. I’ve also been impressed with how close-knit the community is on and off-campus.

In the military, moving is a way of life but you know that, at a minimum, you have a built-in community waiting after each move. Each base will have individuals with similar experiences you can relate to and become “instant friends” with you and your family. Your spouses or significant others are invited to events and included. You can reach out to leadership or other military members to learn about their experiences or locations. Tuck is very similar. To emphasize this, I invited my TP (Tuck Partner) Matt to do a cameo in this section by sharing his personal experience at Tuck. Matt is also a military veteran and working full time (global operations – technology industry) while I am studying at Tuck. In the T’22 class, percent of students attend with partners.

TP’22 Matt’s feedback on the Tuck community:

“Crazy year and global pandemic aside, the ability to work remote has afforded me the unique opportunity to accompany my fiancee to Tuck, which has thus far been an incredible blessing. One of the things that stuck out to us during Steph’s courtship of the various MBA programs was how above and beyond Tuck specifically went to make the partner feel welcomed into the Tuck community, not just the prospective student. This was a big deal to us and went a long way in solidifying the right culture fit, as we knew in many ways we would need to tackle this next stage of Steph’s professional development as a team. And we wanted to invest our time with an organization that treated us as such. To that end, the Tuck community has done a phenomenal job in organizing safe, inclusive events for students and their TPs. I genuinely feel a part of the community and look forward to friendships and experiences we’ll foster here.”

Want to know more about the partner perspective? Check out this blog post by a TP’21 on life in the Upper Valley.

All in all, it is important to remember that transitioning from the military will be and is hard. You are redefining yourself outside of the uniform with no bounds on what is possible. Choosing a school that supports that journey is essential. Tuck’s resources provide support as you redefine yourself, develop your brand of leadership, and integrate into a long-lasting community are unparalleled and a great fit for veterans.

Stephanie Puzak T’22 grew up in Colorado and graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2012 (BS) and Sacred Heart University in 2016 (MS). She spent six years in the Air Force as a cybersecurity officer. Stephanie deployed once to the Horn of Africa supporting crisis action communications planning. After Stephanie transitioned from the military in 2018, she worked as a management consultant specializing in technology strategy in the commercial sector and innovation work in the public sector.
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The Best Hikes in the Upper Valley [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   21 Sep 2020, 13:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: The Best Hikes in the Upper Valley

By Maria Mastanduno T’21

The Upper Valley is home to beautiful hiking right out the back door. For those looking for bigger hikes into the alpine zone, there is plenty of terrain within a two-hour drive. Hiking in New Hampshire is very different than in other parts of the country, however; it is rocky, technical terrain. Often the vertical in the hike is reached in the last few miles—and you can bet no White Mountain trail-cutter ever bothered with switchbacks. Read on for a list of hikes of varying difficulty!

Gile Mountain (Easy)

Located 20 minutes from Tuck’s campus, Gile mountain is a well-maintained 1.4 mile hike up to a fire tower that has beautiful views of the Upper Valley. Great for a sunrise or a sunset, this hike is incredible during peak foliage weekend (10/9).

Holt’s Ledge (Easy)

25 minutes North along route 10 sits the Dartmouth Skiway, a small but steep mountain with views towards Eastern NH. At 3.4 miles, this trail is a quick summit. The trail is well-maintained with a great lunch spot at the top of the chairlift. (Photo, top)

Smarts Mountain (Intermediate)

Part of the Appalachian Trail, Smarts is a great mountain for those looking to add more mileage and build up to steeper peaks. While the trail is mostly in the trees, the 3.5 mile ascent takes the hiker passed viewpoints that look out to Dorchester and Holt’s Ledge and finally to a fire tower with panoramic views of the Green and White mountains. At 7 miles total, this is a great day hike without having to drive far.



Sunset on Giles Mountain. Photo by Seamore Zhu, Dartmouth College.

Mount Moosilauke (Intermediate)

Just over an hour from campus, this 9 mile hike is a good introduction to steep terrain. The trail is well maintained by the Dartmouth Outing Club and boasts beautiful views of the White Mountains from the top. Get an early start on weekends as the parking lot by the Mossilauke Ravine Lodge tends to fill up quickly. Take the Gorge Brook Trail up and the Carriage Road to Snapper Trail down.

Mount Osceola and East Osceola (Hard)

In this hike it becomes apparent how little New Hampshire natives like switchbacks. Parts of it are straight up with massive boulders and a section referred to as “the Chimney.” Well worth the huffing and puffing, the second summit consists of a sunny, flat ledge perfect for that trail PB&J with great views of Mount Carrigan and Mount Washington. On the way down, stop by the Greely Ponds for a refreshing (NH term for bone-chilling) swim. Take the Greely Pond Trail to the Mt Osceola trail. This hike is 8.3 miles and about 90 minutes from campus.



Hiking Franconia Ridge. Photo by Seamore Zhu, Dartmouth College.

Franconia Ridge (Hard)

A technical and steep hike, this loop starts at the Falling Waters trail, taking the hiker past numerous waterfalls and steeps before popping out onto Frankie Ridge. After a traverse with views to both sides and two more summits, the Bridal Path Trail descends past the Greenleaf Hut and back to the parking lot. Not for the faint of heart, this 8.6 mile loop has beautiful views of Franconia Notch and the Pemi Wilderness. Bring layers to the top of the ridge as weather can blow in quickly.

Presidential Traverse (Sufferfest)

One of the more technical point-to-points in NH, this trail starts with a steep ascent of Mount Madison. The trail bags Mount Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Eisenhower, Pierce, and Jackson (bonus peak). Clocking in at about 20 miles, this trial covers over 9000 feet of vertical. The terrain is technical and exposed but has some of the most beautiful views in New Hampshire. Complete it in a day if you really want that pain cave.

 

Maria Mastanduno T’21 is an Upper Valley native and has spent many a summer playing in these mountains. Thanks to her understanding employer from this summer, she was able to complete the Presidential Traverse two times and summit Moosilauke 27 times. Her dog, Nori, does every hike with her. Both are powered by Cabot.
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Why Tuck Bridge Was One of the Best Decisions I Have Ever Made [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   28 Sep 2020, 15:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Why Tuck Bridge Was One of the Best Decisions I Have Ever Made

By Tamara Gomez-Ortigoza D’21, Bridge ’18

Thinking about finding your first job after college and setting out on your independent adult life can be intimidating. Or at least it was for me, especially because as an immigrant I did not understand the US job market nor the type of opportunities it might hold. I applied to Tuck Bridge before starting my sophomore year—right around the time when I first started to worry about having to find a job in a few years and about not knowing what I wanted that job to be. I had just started to settle into the idea of majoring in economics, so I thought perhaps something in the business world might be a good fit, but the terms so often being thrown around by older students—“private equity,” “consulting,” “venture capital,” etc—were mostly meaningless jargon to me. At least they all just kind of blended into this image of a corporate job taking place in some high-rise building somewhere. I felt confused and overwhelmed, and yet I knew that I wanted to somehow get ahead and start familiarizing myself with a profession that might be a good fit for me, and this was where Bridge seemed to come in, so I decided to take a chance and joined the Bridge 2018 Winter cohort.

I will not lie and tell you it was simple and wonderful, because it was not. Bridge was challenging and stressful, but also life-changing. The three weeks both crawled and flew by, but at the end of it I could hardly believe just how much I had learned and changed in such a short period of time. All these storm clouds of confusion and doubt somehow cleared so that after Bridge I had a good idea of what I wanted and where I wanted to go after graduation. I finally had a clear understanding of all the different career paths I could pursue and how well they fit with my interests and personality. And in addition, through courses with some incredible Tuck faculty, I had also gained valuable skills in subjects like Excel and accounting. Not to mention that throughout the entire program I was able to interact with remarkable Tuck MBA student mentors who would continue to stay in touch with me and to help me when I finally went through the corporate recruiting process.

Looking back, I could not be happier about deciding to be part of Tuck Bridge. It truly was what helped me find my path in many ways and what provided me with the confidence and support to seek out opportunities that I might once have thought inaccessible. If you are on the fence like I once was, take the leap. It will change everything.

Designed for top liberal arts and STEM undergraduates and recent grads, the Tuck Business Bridge certificate program delivers a comprehensive business curriculum taught by top-ranked MBA faculty from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, a capstone team project, recruiting services, and one-on-one career guidance. Business Bridge provides students with essential business skills by combining an intensive classroom experience at a world-class business school and the hands-on training of an internship–all designed to help launch a rewarding career.

Apply to Bridge
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Top Family-Friendly Activities in the Upper Valley [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   29 Sep 2020, 11:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Top Family-Friendly Activities in the Upper Valley

You may recognize Hanover, NH as home to the Tuck School of Business, but it’s also the heart of the Upper Valley—a beautiful, vibrant region that straddles the Connecticut River between the borders of New Hampshire and Vermont. With its lush outdoors and tight-knit community, the Upper Valley is a prime place for family fun!

We turned to the Tuck community—including staff, faculty, students, and partners (many of whom live in Sachem Village, pictured above)—for advice on their favorite family-friendly activities. Here’s what they had to say: 

Riverview Farm

“This farm is our family’s ‘pick’ (pun intended) for apple picking! In the fall, you can enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride through the orchards, a wonderful corn maze, and fields of pumpkins that you can pick from the vine. You can do it all while sipping on homemade apple cider and eating an apple donut made fresh at the farm.”

—Hunter Beless TP’21

 

Quechee Gorge

“In the summer, the water is the perfect temperature for floating around with the kids and relaxing. Although it’s a bit of a trek to get uphill, it is a stroller friendly hike with beautiful views at the top and from the bottom.”

—Sherrelle Milligan TP’21



Quechee Gorge

Montshire Museum of Science

“The Montshire includes floor after floor of interactive science-based activities for children of all ages. From bubble-making stations to telescopes to actual beehives, the Montshire is where you want to be when it’s too cold to play outside.”

—Hunter Beless TP’21

 

Storrs Pond

“Storrs pond is very kid-friendly with plenty of sandy beach and a large picnic space. It has a camping area with showers and bathrooms, providing beginners, like us, with a friendly environment. It also has several tennis courts and an outdoor pool available with a reservation. It’s a great place to enjoy your outdoor time with family and friends!”

—Kazuha Cortes T’21



Storrs Pond

King Arthur Baking Company

“Stop by the King Arthur Baking campus to sample delicious baked goods and get an insider’s look into their kitchen to see how the bread and other tasty treats are made!”

—Valeria Weins, Tuck Staff

 

Cedar Circle Farm

“Cedar Circle is one of our favorite places to pick berries in the summer. They also run a series of educational programs where children can learn and practice farming techniques. In the fall, don’t miss the Pumpkin Festival!”

—Felipe Severino, Tuck Faculty 



Cedar Circle

Dartmouth College Events

"Dartmouth College is always creative with hosting kid-friendly activities. If you ask my kids, they’ll tell you there’s nothing that beats their Saturday mornings. In the winter, they start with sledding and ice skating at the Dartmouth Outdoor Club house, and end with sitting by the fire, while sipping hot chocolate and listening to Dartmouth students read children’s stories. In the fall and spring, they almost always include Hopkins Center for the Arts’ HopStop series—performances designed to introduce young community members to the world of dance, music, theater, and storytelling.”

—Valeria Weins, Tuck Staff

 

VINS Nature Center

“Just a short hike from Quechee Gorge, VINS is a bird rehab facility with a variety of birds to see and learn about. You can watch a live raptor program, explore the dinosaur exhibits, walk the trails, or enjoy a forest canopy walk.”

—Joanna Lovett, Tuck Staff



VINS Nature Center
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Being a Mother and an MBA Student at Tuck [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   30 Sep 2020, 11:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Being a Mother and an MBA Student at Tuck

By Kazuha Cortes T’21

Every evening, after dinner, I give my two-year-old daughter a bath with her friends (baby turtle, dolphin, crab, starfish, and sunfish dolls). I put on her pajamas (“I want pink pajamas, not yellow!”). I brush her teeth (it takes 10 minutes just to motivate her enough to open her mouth). I read her books with plenty of Q&A sessions (“Why is the lion crying?” “Where does the rain go?” “Why is the tree green?”). And then I put her to sleep. She falls asleep within 15 minutes if we are super lucky, but it often takes up to two hours.

Once she finally sleeps peacefully, it’s the time for me to study. Two hours later, when my brain is working at the most efficient speed, a voice echoes through the house.

“Moooommyyyy!!! Where are you???”

I go back to her room, hug her until she falls asleep again, and then finally, get back to studying. I finally finish (or give up) a mountain of assignments and then go to bed at 2 a.m., hoping not to hear another ‘Mooommyyy!!!’ before 5 a.m.

An MBA student’s life is tough. A parent’s life is also tough. We have only 24 hours in a day and much of that time is dedicated to unpredictable situations. However, at Tuck, you can be both because there is such an empathetic and supportive community. Many of my classmates are raising kids, and I am having a great experience with the tremendous support from my wonderful classmates, their partners, faculty, and the overall community. Prior to COVID-19, Tiny Tuckies played a beautiful role in Tuck life. They would run around campus and become honorary study group members.

While life as an MBA mom is manageable, overcoming the psychological pressure has been quite the challenge. I have struggled a lot with that internal pressure, and I would like to share my two learnings here, hoping that they might be helpful for future professional moms (and of course dads).

1. No family is perfect.

Before joining Tuck, we were living in Tokyo, Japan, and both my husband and I were working full time. When we decided to move to Hanover, my husband who has been very passionate about his professional life, had to leave his job in Japan. A wife making her husband leave his work and a mother taking her baby to a continent far from home is seen as a surprise. I made a conscious effort not to hear direct and indirect comments and criticism on my decision. I realized, however, what caused the most stress was the guilt and doubt I felt regarding my decisions. Am I disturbing my partner’s career? Is my daughter less happy because I am studying/working? Am I a bad wife and a bad mother? Seeing my daughter cry because she wants to spend more time playing with my husband and me while we were facing a big life change led to a lot of self-doubt.

What I realized after my first year is that no family is perfect. Perhaps it is true that my decision requires extra effort from my family now. At the same time, I am sure that this MBA journey will allow me to support my partner’s future career choice and continue loving my daughter with a profound view of life in the future. No family is perfect, and we strengthen the bond through overcoming ups and downs together.

2. We become stronger when we work for others.

My daughter’s birth definitely inspired me to realize my life goal: to create a more inclusive society where people receive opportunities based on their will. I dreamed about creating social and economic impact in developing countries since I worked in Kenya in my early twenties, but this is no longer a dream and it becomes a concrete objective. The presence of my daughter strongly encouraged me to join the hard MBA life and keeps me working hard for the next generation.

Another change I became aware of is that my little life story could inspire others. I was surprised when I heard that some of my wonderful and inspiring classmates are worried about managing a family and children while also trying to achieve their career goals. It feels great that living a full life every single day could encourage others. It is surely a tough path, but worth trying. The more visible MBA parents are, the more young professionals will be inspired to keep changing the world.

Being surrounded by a very positive and supportive community like Tuck makes me feel better about my choice. Sadly, there are certain cultures, industries, and people who hold a negative view of working mothers. We cannot navigate this world if we do not stand firm in decisions. My first year at Tuck added an important and great element to my family and me.

It is 2 a.m. now and time for me to go to sleep. The journey as a mother MBA continues!

 



Prior to Tuck, Kazuha Cortes T’21 worked for a nonprofit in Kenya as project coordinator; in business development for a Japanese manufacturing company; and negotiated for social infrastructure construction projects with foreign governments. She is a Nonprofit Board Fellow and co-chair of the Asia Business Club. Post-Tuck, Cortes is aiming to launch social infrastructure business in developing countries and create positive social and economic impacts in the region.
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What’s Up at Tuck: The September Edition [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   30 Sep 2020, 15:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: What’s Up at Tuck: The September Edition

By Tuck Admissions

Autumn in the Upper Valley has arrived, and while many of our officers would typically miss the beautiful foliage season while on the road meeting all of you, this year they get to enjoy the season while engaging in virtual meetups and information sessions.

What’s Up at Tuck is our new monthly blog series, highlighting some of the exciting things going on across various departments at Tuck.

Admissions

With our September 1 guaranteed interview deadline and September 28 Round 1 deadline behind us, interviews and application review for the class of 2023 are officially underway. Our reading team is flexing their application review muscles and our student interviewers are hard at work, conducting interviews virtually. We all look forward to getting to know you better through your application!

For those of you who are in the early stages of your application journey, our blogs on the admissions criteria are a great way to delve more deeply into what we look for in our applicants and where these criteria emerge in your application.  Also note we'll continue to host Online Events throughout the academic year with our Admissions officers, students, and alumni, to offer an inside view of life at Tuck and the Tuck MBA experience.

MBA Program Office (MBAPO)

Coming off a reimagined virtual Tuck Launch program, with new sessions that emphasized personal connections and empathy, our T’22s are settling into their study groups and getting to know their peers. They recently attended Tuck’s first-ever virtual club fair where they had the opportunity to join Zoom meetings led by each of the second-year club leads and learn more about club missions and activities.

This month we also welcomed back our T’21s. With both classes back in session, the MBAPO is focused on supporting students through this challenging time and encouraging them to safely partake in activities that promote community, health and wellness, and mindfulness—from hiking in the Upper Valley, to visiting local coffee shops and bakeries, to tuning into Tuck’s immersive and timely virtual programs. The Tuck Mindfulness Society is soon launching its fall series: “How to Cultivate the Natural Strength and Clarity of Our Mind during These Challenging Times” and Dartmouth's Anxiety Toolbox Workshop is open to all Tuck Students.



The MBAPO's Lauren Morse and Vincent Mack

Career Services

Our T’22s are already halfway through Fall A and are gearing up for their first taste of MBA recruitment at the end of the month while our T’21s are getting ready for (virtual) on-campus interviews. Our Career Services team is planning a multitude of career events, from Networking Nights, a multi-industry career fair-style event, to mock interviews and office hours, leveraging all resources to ensure that the recruitment journey is personal, connected, and transformative.

Centers

With first- and second-year classes back in sessions, Tuck is also seeing an increase in center programming. Tuck's six centers offer students myriad opportunities to explore new industries and deepen their interests. This month centers will host kick-off events for the new academic year, as well as networking events, executive visits, discussions and lectures, and much more. This month the Center for Digital Strategies and the Technology Club hosted a successful virtual SHIFT Tech Conference that featured Tracy Sun T’05, co-founder of Poshmark; Kenny Mitchell T’04, CMO at Snap Inc.; Francis Barel T’05, leader of PayPal France; and more.

Tuck News

September 1 marked a new appointment for Dia Draper who was named Tuck’s first Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Leveraging her long-standing role at the forefront of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the Dartmouth College and Upper Valley communities, Dia is uniquely suited to support the school’s desire to improve in areas of strategic importance—areas that include race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, nationality, and socioeconomic status.

"This Week, I Am Inspired By..."
 

Shared by Amy Mitson

Co-Executive Director, Admissions and Financial Aid


“In addition to sharing personal and professional goals when applying, applicants are asked to share how they would like to impact the community at Tuck. I am always inspired seeing this in action. This month a group of students leading the Mental Health and Wellness Initiative offered an opportunity for fellow students to become certified peer mentors, acting on their personal missions to build and support community at Tuck. This student-led initiative is focused on increasing mental health awareness and advocating for wellness resources for the community.

Spoiler alert: You will need support during your MBA—you cannot do it alone. Peer support is important to mental health and even more critical this year as students begin their MBA experience against a backdrop of a global pandemic, racial tensions, and the challenge of virtual community building. The Mental Health and Wellness Initiative is the perfect example of by the community, for the community, and reflects our lived mission at Tuck of being personal and connected.”
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The Top 5 Lessons from My First Year at Tuck [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   01 Oct 2020, 13:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: The Top 5 Lessons from My First Year at Tuck

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we asked Carol Reyes—a self-described “extroverted introvert", Latina, and Forté Foundation Fellow—to share her thoughts on her first year at Tuck.

By Carol Reyes T'21

As my partner, Nassar, and I set off on the 21-hour drive from my parents’ house in Florida to my dorm at Achtmeyer Hall, I began to think about my unlikely journey to an MBA. I chose Tuck because each time we visited, the place and the people felt more and more like “home.” But before Nassar and I had even hit the Georgia border, I was already questioning it all: “Does a quiet, 33-year-old, half-Cuban, half-Guatemalan with little to no quantitative skills and a background in international education even belong in a top MBA program?”

Twelve long months (and countless Zoom classes later), the answer to that question is a resounding: “Yes.”

So, in the Tuck spirit of sharing our story, here are the top five lessons I have learned during my first year at Tuck (that I hope will especially resonate with MBA applicants who feel like they’re too much of this or too little of that).

Lesson #1: Bring your whole self to business school.

Being in an MBA program, especially one in a small, tight-knit community like Tuck’s, can feel like living in a bubble. In the case of a top business school, that bubble might feel like it is dominated by extroverted, type-A personalities with an affinity for beer pong—and in some cases, it is. But, if that does not describe you, don’t be deterred: The easiest way to find your tribe and build a community that embraces who you are is to lead with the truest version of yourself. That might mean that you choose not to drink alcohol or you don’t dream about being a consultant or you prioritize going to church each Sunday or you prefer board games to nights out. Whatever that thing is that makes you you, don’t stop doing it because you are in the bubble. Grow, explore, try new things, yes … but keep being you.

Lesson #2: Leadership does not require you to be the loudest person in the room.

Unfortunately, we live in a world that does not value the power of introverts or the importance of quiet leadership. Instead, we learn through movies, books, and even the majority of cases taught in business schools, that leaders must be outspoken, risk-takers with a bias for action (oh, and that most of them are men). But if I have learned anything at Tuck, it is that leaders come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. In fact, some of the best leaders make good decisions because they listen more than they talk, they build successful organizations by empowering others to be great, and they influence outcomes not by being loud—but by wielding empathy to understand what drives people at the core. Simply put: you don’t need to be the lead actor (or even be on stage!) to direct an award-winning play.

Lesson #3: Prioritize the people and experiences that energize you.

During the MBA, you will have no shortage of opportunities to join clubs, networking events, parties, treks, and more. The one thing you will have a shortage of? Time. So, make sure that—in the words of decluttering guru Marie Kondo—you focus your limited time and mental energy on what “sparks joy.” For me, that means recruiting future generations of Latina Tuckies, being intentional about which friendships to pursue, volunteering through Community Consulting, and re-reading “Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty” instead of “Case in Point.” For everything else, I’ve learned to practice the critical (and very empowering) skill of saying “No.”



Carol paddling on the Connecticut River

Lesson #4: Hustle, hustle, hustle.

As the daughter of small-business owners, who lived through the Guatemalan Civil War and the rise of communism in Cuba, I learned early on that hard work and sacrifice are key to success. If you, like me, are coming from a non-business background or you want to pivot into a new industry, then the MBA is a golden opportunity to reinvent yourself if you are willing to put in the work. That might mean waking up at 5 a.m. to interview FinTech players in Asia for an independent study, adding a 10-hour unpaid internship to your full-time schedule, or taking a class on Coursera during your dwindling free time to learn a new skill that will help you smash that interview. Need inspiration? Remember one of my dad’s most-repeated quotes: “Mientras más duro trabajo, más suerte tengo” (Translation: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”)

Lesson #5: Don’t forget about life beyond the MBA bubble.

It is tempting to become so laser-focused on immersing yourself in the MBA experience and all that comes with it that you forget the people who helped you get there in the first place. The parents who cheered you up after your third GMAT attempt? The partner who read all of your essays (over and over…)? The mother-in-law who delivered food to your house because she knew you forgot to eat during application season? The boss who wrote your recommendation letters? They all deserve a medal and, every now and then, they certainly deserve a phone call.



Carol Reyes T’21 was raised in Guatemala and spent eight years working in the public and social sectors prior to Tuck, where she now serves as a Hispanic American Student Association Co-Chair and a Center for Business, Government and Society Fellow. This summer, she interned with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Transformation Strategy and was recently selected for an academic-year internship with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Carol is a two-time Fulbright Scholar and holds a B.S. in Journalism and Communications with minors in French, Portuguese, and Latin American Studies from the University of Florida, and a master’s in International Education from New York University.
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Advice to Future Bridge Students, From a Bridge Alum [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   07 Oct 2020, 12:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Advice to Future Bridge Students, From a Bridge Alum



By Alison Parman, Bridge ’16, Colgate ’18, senior consultant, EY FSO Consulting

When I began my time at the Bridge Program in the Summer of 2016, I had no solidified plan for what I wanted to do after college. Accounting, marketing, corporate finance, and investment banking all seemed interesting to me, but I didn’t know how to decide what was the best fit. I came to Business Bridge with the hope that the program’s curriculum could help me narrow down my goals for the future.

I remember enjoying every class I took during the program. Corporate Finance and Financial Accounting taught technical skills that my Liberal Arts degree would not. Marketing and the simulation project allowed my team to grow closer together and bring not only analytical mindsets to the table, but also creative solutions. Business Communications taught me how to be a better colleague and teammate.

The more time I spent at the Bridge Program, and the more classes I took, the harder it became to figure out exactly what I wanted to do after college. I wanted to do everything—to keep learning and growing in all areas of business.

One afternoon, my capstone project team wanted to attend a career panel discussion on business consulting during our lunch hour. I had never heard of the field before and was reluctant to go to a career panel on something I hadn’t considered one of my future career options. But my team convinced me, and the more I listened to Bridge’s guest speakers, the more I realized that I had found my path. The ability to rotate through different projects and clients with work that spans across many different areas of business management, was exactly what I was looking for.

My advice to future Business Bridge students? Come in with an open mind and utilize every tool the program gives you. Go to all the information sessions, career panels, and career fairs. The more information you gather, the more informed you will be about the business world when you leave the program. You may be introduced to a new business area that you want to continue studies in, a new business idea or solution you want to continue to build on, or a career path you would’ve otherwise not known of, that turns out to be perfect for you.

Designed for top liberal arts and STEM undergraduates and recent grads, the Tuck Business Bridge certificate program delivers a comprehensive business curriculum taught by top-ranked MBA faculty from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, a capstone team project, recruiting services, and one-on-one career guidance. Business Bridge provides students with essential business skills by combining an intensive classroom experience at a world-class business school and the hands-on training of an internship–all designed to help launch a rewarding career.

Apply to Bridge
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Tuck Admissions Insights: Optional Information Section [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   07 Oct 2020, 13:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Tuck Admissions Insights: Optional Information Section

By Valeria Wiens, Associate Director, Evaluation

When meeting many of you during our virtual events, one of the questions I hear often is how to best use (if at all!) the Optional Information section of your application. We use the term Optional Information deliberately. This part of your application is intended only to be used to clarify and provide context around parts of the application you think might raise questions if left unaddressed.

As the word optional suggests, it is to be used if needed. Below, I provide additional guidance on how the Optional Information section is best used, contexts where extra information may be needed, and when to refrain from using it.

Do use it to clarify.

The purpose of this section is to address areas of your application you feel that you were unable to explain elsewhere. While not an exhaustive list, these are some topics we most commonly see addressed in the optional information section.

Your choice of recommenders; not asking your direct supervisor

Our application asks that at least one of your Letters of Reference (LORs) comes from your current direct supervisor, however, we understand that not all of you are comfortable asking your current supervisor (or employer) for a LOR. This could be for a variety of reasons:

  • not having worked with your supervisor long enough for them to be able to confidently and meaningfully comment on your performance
  • not being ready to disclose your MBA plans; concern that news of your future departure may impact upcoming promotions, bonuses, or projects
  • working for a family business where your supervisor may be a relative

Address any of these, or other reasons specific to your individual circumstances here, to eliminate potential questions about the strength of your professional performance or the quality of your working relationship with your supervisor.

Circumstances that affected your academic performance

If your academic performance was not strong, for all or a portion of your studies, help us understand why. Although individual reasons vary, we tend to see two sets of explanations rise above the rest. The first is extenuating circumstances: factors that significantly impacted your academic performance and were entirely or mostly outside of your control (personal emergency, family issues, illness, etc.). The second is factors that impacted your performance but were at least partially within your control (overextended yourself with extracurriculars, ineffective time-management and prioritization of commitments, work obligations to support yourself financially, etc.).

GMAT/GRE

This is the place to address something that significantly impacted your performance while taking your test, or if you think that part of your score comes up significantly short and is not representative of your academic aptitude, tell us this as well but then be sure to point to other evidence of your academic aptitude instead. You can also use this space to inform us of any upcoming GMAT/GRE test date(s), if applicable, and when our team can expect to hear from you with an update.

Work trajectory or jumps in employment history

The employment history section of the application is the place to address any employment gaps of three months or more. It is not necessary to repeat that information here. If, however, there are other aspects of your work progression like your organization has a flat structure and promotions are rare, your move from one employer/industry/role to the next might look like a departure from your previous trajectory, or you just started with a new employer and you worry how the admissions committee might perceive your decision to now apply to business school, speak to it in this section.

Avoid using it as an additional essay.

We ask you to provide evidence that you are smart, accomplished, aware, and encouraging elsewhere in the application. We are deliberate about the questions we ask, and evaluate the information provided in all parts of your application. We appreciate that there is more to you than what you can fit into three essays and other supporting materials, yet we ask that you exercise good judgement and restraint. Ask yourself if you can input the information you are considering providing here elsewhere in your application. Using this optional information section to highlight additional examples of accomplishments at work, community involvement, why you are applying for an MBA now, etc. might not be an effective use of this space, or your time.

Final thoughts on tone and structure.

If you want to provide optional information, be brief, concise and direct, while still conveying all the necessary information. Remain objective, avoid excuses, and if applicable, tell us what you have done, or are planning to do to address the situation going forward. If you need to address several topics, bullet points are ok. As you can see, this part of your application is truly optional, should be used sparingly, and only if needed. Most of you will likely not need to use this section at all, and for those of you who do—own your past. It has brought you to where you are today, and we are looking forward to getting to know you even better in the future.
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Three Things I Learned from Valerie Jarrett [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   19 Oct 2020, 13:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Three Things I Learned from Valerie Jarrett

By Liz Calby T’21

On September 30, the Tuck School of Business had the distinct honor to virtually host Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, in a conversation with Dean Matthew Slaughter. Before her time in the White House, Jarrett served as the CEO of the Habitat Company, chair of the Chicago Transit Board, and Chair of the Board of the Chicago Stock Exchange.

These experiences in both the public and private sector give Jarrett a distinct perspective that she was gracious enough to share with us. Here are a few things I took away from the conversation:

There is No “Right Path”

Jarrett’s father used to tell her, “Sometimes, the shortest distance to where you really want to go means you have to be prepared to take the long way around.” To me, these words serve as a reminder that there are many paths to get where you want to go; the road that has led each of us to Tuck is invariably different, as will be our journeys when we depart Hanover. Throughout each of our respective lives, there will be moments of unpredictability. When faced with the unknown future, Ms. Jarrett encouraged us to take risks, but to do so in a way where you feel purpose in your life and career. More importantly, she reminded us that “where you really want to go” can be a constantly evolving objective, shifting as you enter different phases and pass certain milestones.

 



Pictured from top left: Valerie Jarrett; Tuck Dean Matthew Slaughter; Center for Business, Government & Society Executive Director John McKinley; and Alumni Engagement Director Renée Hirschberg

Tell Your Story

Throughout the conversation, Jarrett emphasized the need for vulnerable communication to engender trust and authentic connections with each other. She encouraged talking about the low points we have experienced because they are a critical part of who we are—not just the successes or final finished products. In that same spirit of candor and vulnerability, Jarrett told a story of legislating the Affordable Care Act in partnership with Congress, and her regret that they did not bring in outside voices to the process. I was struck by the duality of this example of leadership—communicating openly and honestly while listening constantly and freely. Here at Tuck, one of our most treasured and personal traditions is Tuck Talks, where our peers share their perspectives and stories with us. In keeping with Jarrett’s experience, the beauty of this event lies in creating a communal space for stories to be shared—the speakers sharing openly with a thoughtfully engaged audience as equal participants.

Change Happens on the Ground

During the conversation, a Tuck alum asked how we move forward to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today. Jarrett challenged us to feel empowered to make change one person at a time and hold ourselves accountable to the type of change that we want to see. She spoke of movements being started by ordinary people who decide that they can do extraordinary things. To create this enduring change, we must also build coalitions with unlikely partners and be willing to adapt our own mindsets. Ultimately, Jarrett communicated that each of us has a role to play, and intrinsic in that role is having tough conversations and listening closely to others, especially those with whom you may not agree.    

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention that Jarrett’s time since the White House has been committed to civic engagement, and she has created an organization in partnership with Michelle Obama to encourage voter participation. You can visit When We All Vote to check your voter registration status or register to vote!

 

 



Liz Calby T’21 worked at GE Ventures in Menlo Park, CA before coming to Tuck and spent her internship in a marketing strategy role at Indigo Ag. At Tuck, she is a Fellow with the Center for Business, Government, and Society, a Leadership Fellow, a Wine Club Co-Chair and a Golf Club Co-Chair. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a major in Government and minor in Spanish.
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100 Percent Immersion: Discovering What Makes Tuck Tick [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   20 Oct 2020, 06:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: 100 Percent Immersion: Discovering What Makes Tuck Tick

The following post is part of a series of student and alumni perspectives leading into the 26th annual Tuck Diversity Conference, taking place from October 30 through November 1.

By Teo Gonzalez T'21

“Where the heck is Hanover, NH?” was my mama’s first question when I told her I’d be going to Tuck for DivCo 2017. I burst out laughing but her question was completely fair—to our family the Northeast might as well have been a whole other world.

A little background on us: our family includes my sister, my mom, my dad, and two dogs. We are Latino through and through via our Puerto Rican homeland and our adopted home in South Florida (normally I’d say Miami, but if you are from Miami, I’m a poser and am actually from Pembroke Pines).

All this to say that Hanover and Tuck presented an opportunity unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I was eager to check out what all the hype about this “Tuck community” was.

I booked my ticket and off I went for DivCo 2017—a weekend that was absolutely EPIC, but also one that I really just took in stride. I truly had no idea what I signed up for. Even when I arrived I had a little moment of panic because I heard other attendees mention they were interviewing for admission during the conference. Initially, I was like, “Oh no!” I just came here to hang out and see the place, and I am not prepared at all for any interview. Fortunately, I can’t hide my emotions on my face well and one of the DivCo co-chairs came over to reassure me: “Just relax and have fun! The interviews are just if people wanted to opt-in to do them while on-campus.”

After that mini heart attack, it was smooth sailing. Hour after hour I found myself in electric rooms with students, faculty, alumni, and staff listening to and partaking in what makes Tuck tick. It felt like this was a place where you could get to know everyone if you wanted to, and where the limits of your success would only be set by you. I was hooked.

Fast forward and a lot has happened since DivCo 2017. I went through the full b school application process with Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). (Shout out to Coach Krista and my MLT Fam! You know who you are, Krew.) I wrapped up my first year at Tuck during a global pandemic, and I’m now figuring out my next step after I graduate from here come June 2021.

While at DivCo, I felt totally enamored by the ownership one can have here and the ways people can be so connected. I’m happy to say that, even in 2020, with everything going on, that’s still real. You come here and you can truly accomplish whatever you want if you’re willing to put in the work. I have professors who make themselves available whenever I am confused on a topic, which is often. I have classmates who bring perspectives and push me to be greater. And I have access to more resources than I ever could have imagined as I look to accomplish my goals.

In this culture, I’ve been able to thrive and I think it’s been the perfect stretch experience that I was looking for in my MBA. That said, let’s level-set expectations right now. If you’re looking to be surrounded by panaderías or looking for an opportunity to cheer on your major sports team like El Heat in person, Tuck isn’t the MBA experience for you. That might be hard to swallow, I get that—I love those things too. I have my mama sending me over pastelitos de guava y queso on a regular basis and I definitely schedule occasional urban retreats where I can get my city fix that I value so much. My classmates and I even work together to bring extra Latin elements to this space, whether it’s by scheduling nights when we cook mofongo together or spending days just chatting in Spanish to make it feel like our casas. However, for me the beauty of this experience and why people come to Tuck is to live an experience that is 100 percent immersive in the community, the education, and in one’s own self.

Every day we are trying to enrich ourselves without the distractions that automatically come when I can just say “Peace!” and hit the beach. We’re looking to get to know one another and build relationships that will span the globe. We’re considering where we want to be as people, personally and professionally, and what we each need to do to achieve those goals. We come to Tuck because we want to be 100 percent invested in these two years, locked in on our growth and on cultivating this community. If you come with this understanding and mentality, I promise by the time you’re done here you’ll be so sharp that when you roll up to the New Yorks, the LAs, and the Londons, you’re going to show out and take this world by storm.

With that, I’m super excited to see y’all at DivCo and I hope you’re able to see all that makes this place so special. Good luck everyone—you’re gonna be phenomenal!

Abrazos,

Teo Gonzalez T’21

 

Teo Gonzalez is a Consortium Fellow, a Tuck Admissions Associate, a Venture Capital Fellow through the Center for Private Equity & Venture Capital, and President of the Student Board. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he majored in Health Policy and Management. Prior to Tuck, he was a Management Consultant at Accenture. Teo enjoys playing soccer, learning about venture capital and emerging markets, and assisting with Tuck’s recruitment/yield efforts.
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Advice from a Tuck Alumna: Giving Birth to a Daughter—and a Diverse Co [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   20 Oct 2020, 10:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Advice from a Tuck Alumna: Giving Birth to a Daughter—and a Diverse Company

The following post is part of a series of student and alumni perspectives leading into the 26th annual Tuck Diversity Conference, taking place from October 30 through November 1.

By Natalia Lumen T’14

January 2020 was a monumental month for me as I gave birth to two babies: my daughter and my company, ThyForLife, for thyroid patients. The former was an inspiration to building the latter, my company, as a fully distributed workforce. Why?

1. Access to global talent—location independent.

I had two primary motivations for building a fully remote organization. First, to access talent no matter their location. We have team members based in Canada, the U.S., Austria, and Ukraine, and employ a diverse range of nationalities including those of Chinese and Peruvian descent—a couple of them are Tuckies! A native Ukrainian myself, I have lived ‘permanently’ in eight countries across three continents, and have traveled to 70+ more; thus, I’m no stranger to working in multicultural environments and managing international teams. The second inspiration was my daughter who further reinforced my desire to never be tied to an office again.

Thankfully, being fully remote left us well equipped when COVID-19 caused havoc in people’s lives. Recruitment, meetings, socializing ... everything was and still is done via video call! Although we have never physically met each other in person, focusing on giving adequate attention to each individual has enabled our team to forge strong long-lasting bonds.

2. Flexibility: we work our own hours

Having a newborn on my hands when I launched meant that the time I could initially spend on ThyForLife was completely unpredictable. She’s now nine-months-old already and has a much more predictable schedule enabling me to more easily plan out and distribute my workload. All this to say, having the flexibility to work whenever and wherever I want is a massive perk (for me) and has always been my dream. As our team continues to grow, I recognize that those interested in such working arrangements (having full autonomy on how to construct one’s day) self-select this kind of an environment.

3. Efficient and focused on results: we empower each person to take charge. 

My leadership style is situational. While culture plays a certain role, the more fundamental driver on how I lead my team is based on the crossroads of an individual’s competence and confidence with each specific task. I strive to give each team member as much ownership and responsibility as possible only stepping in as and when required. This kind of approach was fundamental to how I used to lead teams during my time as a former manager at Bain & Co as well.

Empowering each individual to take charge, have a voice, and lead in their own way is the ethos of our company. Tuck’s leadership courses and learnings I accumulated during my MBA ingrained in me to put relationships first. Forging strong relationships by enabling each individual to reach for the stars in their own way has become my mantra. 

On a final note, as an immigrant myself having moved countries several times, I have developed the grit to integrate and accommodate. I recognize the self-constructed societal borders that exist in our world today, and I sincerely wish for equity, equal opportunity to flourish, and inclusivity, no matter the background, for the generations to come. My daughter reminds me of this every day.



Natalia Lumen T’14 is the founder & CEO of ThyForLife, a mobile platform helping people thrive every day despite having a thyroid condition. Inspired by her own experience of surviving thyroid cancer and living the pain of tracking her own health data, Natalia is passionate about providing a solution and peace of mind to the more than 400m people around the world who currently suffer from a thyroid condition. Prior to founding ThyForLife, Natalia was a manager at Bain & Co, a leading strategy consulting firm, and led a successful career at the World Bank and European Bank. A 3x entrepreneur, Natalia holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, US, and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
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Feeling Like a Fraud? You’re Not Alone [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   21 Oct 2020, 07:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Feeling Like a Fraud? You’re Not Alone

The following post was originally published by Competitive Advantage: The Consortium Undergraduate Program and can be found here.

By Damali Harding T’06

Whether you’re in year one of your career or close to retirement, like many other people, you have likely felt like an impostor or fraud at some point. Known as impostor syndrome, these feelings have been experienced by even the most successful among us. The good news is there are ways to combat this sense of unworthiness.

Career coach Damali Harding recently spoke with Competitive Advantage to shed some light on this phenomenon and share tips for overcoming it. Harding has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Since graduating from Tuck in 2006 as a Consortium fellow, she’s worked in the energy industry in strategy and operations and is currently a business development director at Oracle Utilities/Opower. She has also led her own career coaching practice for the last 12 years and was recently elected to the board of directors of the American Association of Blacks in Energy.

Q: It’s natural for people, especially young people just starting their career, to doubt their abilities, but when does that doubting go too far?

HARDING: It is normal, regardless of where you are in your career, to feel doubt and apprehension. Even your favorite performer feels nervous before taking the stage. However, there is a distinctive difference between nervousness and impostor syndrome. In particular, impostor syndrome is defined by a sense of feeling fraudulent and not deserving of your accomplishments because you got there by “luck” and not by merit. Its full definition is below:

Impostor syndrome (also known as impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome) is a term coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes referring to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud.”

In fact, one of the most common phrases I hear from my clients is that they feel like they are “going to be found out.” This thinking that you “don’t belong” further reinforces the feeling of  “I just got lucky” and “I’m not here because I deserve to be.” The ramifications can range from an unwillingness to speak up in study groups or meetings to more pervasive impacts, such as increased anxiety, low self-esteem and getting “stuck” in one job long past your time despite performing well and/or wanting to gain additional responsibilities.

Q: What often causes impostor syndrome, and how does it manifest differently in different people?

HARDING: There is no singular cause of impostor syndrome. You can have high self-esteem in other areas of your life and feel like an impostor at work. It can start by comparing yourself — your education, your experience, your age, etc. — to others and thinking, “This person has had such an illustrious career. How am I here?” This is one reason why the sense of feeling like a fraud can magnify when starting in a new place, such as business school, or a new company, or when you receive a promotion. Impostor syndrome can also magnify itself when you are “the only,” such as the only person of color, the only woman, the youngest, etc. In these situations, it becomes easier to think that you are there only because of your “representation” rather than your worthiness. Ironically, impostor syndrome manifests itself more in high-performing individuals.

Impostor syndrome affects your career by preventing you from aiming for promotions, not speaking up in meetings or letting others speak on your behalf. In some people, it may manifest as an impossible work ethic, as they work harder to “prove” they belong. The cycle then begins again as they advance up the ladder, furthering the feeling of “waiting to be found out they are a fraud.”

Another area to pay attention to is your body. Many people experience an increase in physical feelings of anxiety including tension, headaches or stomach knots from worrying about what others will think about them and their performance. Impostor syndrome often leads to “should-ing”; you may lay awake thinking “I should be doing this” or “I should have answered that question differently.” Anxiety often coincides with other conditions, such as depression, and can lead to burnout.

Q: How have you experienced and dealt with impostor syndrome in your own life and career?

HARDING: I was first aware of the experience of feeling like an impostor on my first day at Tuck. I thought, “I haven’t had a glamorous career in consulting or finance — what am I doing here?” A long-time dean at Tuck walked into the room and said the words I have repeated to myself and others since: “You are not a mistake.” After hearing her, I realized that Tuck isn’t a charity. They don’t just accept applicants because they think that they would be good candidates or because they are nice. They let people in because they are absolutely deserving. Since then, I have repeated that mantra over and over again: “You are not a mistake. You are not here by charity.”

I have had many instances, such as career promotions or new leadership roles, where I have questioned my ability to be in the “room where it happens.” To continue to push forward, I use a multi-pronged approach that includes many tips, which I outline below. I also have a personal “board of directors” with whom I can safely discuss my feelings of being a fraud. This board consists of several individuals, including peers, mentors and sponsors. I also have a career coach I consult with once or twice a year to help keep me focused.

Q: How can young people overcome impostor syndrome?

HARDING: First, acknowledge that you are experiencing impostor syndrome, and then you can work from there. Sometimes the relief that [comes from acknowledging that] you are experiencing it is enough.

Second, acknowledge that you are not alone. I list some books at the end of this article, but there are countless blogs, videos and presentations where people discuss their experience with impostor syndrome. Find someone — a friend from school, an executive coach, a therapist — and begin to talk about these feelings.

Below are specific action steps I often recommend to my clients. I recommend that clients pick one to three and then modify them to suit their situation and habits.

  • Check in with yourself weekly for 10 minutes.
  • Schedule it on your calendar now.
  • Outline the specific actions you will take during those 10 minutes, such as journaling, reading a book or speaking with a friend.
  • Create a cognitive association, or affirmation, for the voice in your head to combat negative thoughts or comparisons.
  • This may be a nonsense phrase such as “coconut biscuits.”
  • Keep a list of your accomplishments and reference it from time to time.
  • Find a support group (e.g., personal board of directors, therapist, etc.).
  • Create a list of positive reinforcements (e.g., emails from clients, comments from peers, etc.)
  • Start a journal.
  • Focus on why you are going to school, why you’ve chosen the career you have, etc.
  • A journal doesn’t have to be written. It can be visual or voice recordings.

Q: Researchers have noted that impostor syndrome is often more prevalent among minorities, women and individuals embarking on a new endeavor (i.e., graduate school, careers, etc.). Why do you think this is, and how can these individuals begin to see what makes them different in a new light?

HARDING: One study at the University of Texas at Austin found that up to 70 percent of minorities will experience feelings of being an impostor. Some studies place that number even higher; however, studies have found little difference between men and women.

Although there’s been a lot of talk of diversity recently, in many cases, we are still the only people like us in the room. Below are a few tips to help reframe this paradigm:

  • Own your feelings and know that they are valid. There is nothing wrong with you.
  • Comparison is the thief of joy. Stop comparing your experiences, your background and your purpose to others. You are exactly where you are supposed to be.
  • Do not fear your mistakes or failures. We will all make mistakes — every single one of us. [Focus on] progress over perfection.
  • Practice achieving small wins, such as saying you will speak up once in a meeting for three weeks.
  • Use social pressure to help change habits (e.g., find an accountability partner and send a weekly update, or publicly post a challenge for yourself).

Q: Why is it important for people to be aware of and sensitive to impostor syndrome in others?

HARDING: A critical skill for leading effective teams is recognizing that performance is impacted not just by someone’s capacity to do the work, but by macro factors as well. A colleague or subordinate who is quiet or not taking on additional responsibilities may not be underperforming because the work is too difficult. That person may be suffering from impostor syndrome, and to others, they may appear to be disinterested or aloof. As a leader, it is critical to discuss what other factors may be impacting their job performance. If you don’t feel comfortable leading the discussion yourself, it may be helpful to bring in an outside party like an executive coach or HR to provide the person a safe space to discuss their feelings.

Additionally, sharing resources with your entire team may be a way to offer support to someone that doesn’t leave them feeling singled out. The ultimate goal is to make sure your colleagues feel supported and that they are not alone in their feelings.

Q: Are there any resources you recommend to help young people deal with this issue?

HARDING: >As we learn more about impostor syndrome, we continue to see an increase in the number of books, articles and resources about overcoming it. Below are a few that I recommend:
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The Power of Peer Support [#permalink] Tuck Dartmouth MBA Admissions & Related Blogs   28 Oct 2020, 14:00
FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: The Power of Peer Support

By Elisabeth Sum T'21

Rewind to October 2019, my first year of Tuck. Despite my initial worries, I’m well into making friends, taking on club leadership commitments, surviving core classes, feeling like I’m finally hitting my stride of writing this exciting new chapter of my life called Tuck.

And then comes the bad family news, news about my parents’ health I had been dreading since I started my MBA program. With that one call, on top of exams, on top of recruiting, control over my world was like sand, slipping through my fingers.

Trying not to draw attention to my problems, I tried to socialize more with classmates, overcompensating as if I wasn’t coming apart at the seams of my smiles, which only made me feel worse because all I wanted was to scream at the top of my lungs. I wasn’t sure how to cope through juggling a crisis with an MBA program, so I stayed sewed shut until I reached my breaking point of depressive thoughts.

Today, celebrating National Emotional Wellness Month this October, my mind drifts back to one year ago where I underwent a personal crisis, one of many crises I would be facing during my MBA, and how alone I felt.

But more so, I reflect on this simple, often forgotten fact: I was not and am not alone in having these scary, frustrating, and seemingly helpless experiences. It’s no secret that business school is hard. Transitioning to a new place, acclimating to a rigorous academic program, recruiting for a job with no experience, just trying to fit in and find your place in an unfamiliar environment—these are all natural triggers. 

And what brings me back from those breaking points, are my Tuck friends. I still remember crying in my dorm room with Louisa Chen (MD/MBA), about what to do about Tuck and my family situation, and she said, “If I told you today you couldn’t leave Tuck to solve what was going on with your family, how would you feel?” That was all the clarity I needed. Not even 24 hours later, I put exams on hold, cancelled all my Tuck plans, flew back to California, and addressed my most important priority, family.

Why were those words so impactful? Because Louisa had been through it before. Opening up to my Tuck friends, having their lived experiences help work through mine, is how over and over throughout the past year—especially during the pandemic—I find myself able to claw back from those dark corners of my mind.

We all have struggled or will struggle at some point in life, and we can find strength in the support of others with lived experience. We can all find strength in our peers.

Peer Support Counselor Program at Tuck

The words “peer support counselor” sounds so formal, but it means simply, “I am a voice for the feelings my classmates are experiencing during a crisis.” Most times, during a personal crisis, there is a chaos of emotions, ones you are experiencing but don’t know how to describe. It’s often easier to talk about what thoughts you are having than it is to identify in words how you are feeling.

Therein is the value of a peer counselor. We all have our own personal experiences with mental health, allowing us to identify, relate to, and support our community on a peer-to-peer level. To me, it means offering social and emotional support, by listening and encouraging the peers who come for a helping hand and a sympathetic ear. It means sharing the courage I discovered in my own low points to help Tuckies work through their low points, even if it means seeking more formal resources.

This desire to create a peer support counselor program at Tuck did not start off grand. I was supporting friends long before I knew there was a title, or specialized trainings – let alone a structured way to use my lived experiences of imposter syndrome, family issues, self-harm and eating disorders, and suicide, as “tools” to assist others on their mental health and emotional wellness journey. “I know what you are going through because I have been there.”



As part of their peer support counselor training, thirty Tuck students have completed their Mental Health First Aid and Suicide Awareness and Prevention trainings led by Dartmouth CARES.

What catalyzed this into a formalized program at Tuck was realizing that, frankly, Upper Valley mental health resources are not scarce, but they are limited. I remember calling therapists only for automated phone calls telling me there was a 6-month waitlist and that if I didn’t have substance abuse or wasn’t in imminent danger, I was a “lower” priority.

Low points during an MBA program don’t wait 6 months. They don’t even wait 24 hours to take a hold of you and drag you down. Dark thoughts of helplessness escalate when pain exceeds your “perceived” resources for coping with pain. And though there are strong resources available around Tuck, Dartmouth, and the community, there’s just not enough capacity.

My humble dream for launching a peer support counselor program under the Mental Health and Wellness Initiative at Tuck is for Tuckies to be a welcomed additional resource for our classmates. I want to break through stigmas—let’s have a heart-to-heart about our mental health and the struggles we all go through. Currently, 30 Tuckies are completing their Mental Health First Aid Training (certified by the National Council for Behavioral Health) and their Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training led by Dartmouth CARES. The thoughtful and raw conversations I see happening in these trainings make me so proud and emotional to be a part of this Tuck family.

Especially during these challenging, strange times, I hope by extending our trained, informed, empathetic hands to our classmates who needs us, many more people like myself can find their light through these seemingly endless tunnels.

Contact a Tuck peer support counselor

About the Mental Health and Wellness Initiative at Tuck

Started as a grassroots effort by students in early 2020, Tuck’s Mental Health and Wellness Initiative (MHWI) was created under the vision of a revolutionary approach to mental health at Tuck. The pillars are to increase awareness and visibility and advocate for more resources for wellness and mental health for the Tuck community. The MWHI is led by Louisa Chen MD/MBA T'21 and James Ozturk T’21.


 



Prior to Tuck, Elisabeth Sum T’21 worked at a regulated utility in California as a chief of staff leading large-scale transformation projects. At Tuck, she is a Forte Fellow, elected Student Board Social Chair, and a Revers Center of Energy Fellow. She is also the co-chair for Tuck’s Diversity Conference, Tuck Mentors, Tuck Follies, Tuck GIVES, a Tuck Admissions Associate, and the lead for Tuck’s Mental Health and Wellness Initiative Peer Support Program. Post-Tuck, Sum will be joining Altman Solon as a senior consultant.
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