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The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth has a small student body and a rural location, combined with world-class faculty and academic focus. As you approach your Dartmouth Tuck MBA application it will be important to consistently show how you will fit into the school values of leadership, teamwork and collaboration and bring your own unique qualities and experiences to the community. This revised set of essays focuses on global approach as a significant value as well.
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14 Jun 2017, 11:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Why I Pursued a Dual-Degree at Dartmouth and Tuck |
  By David Washer T’17 I knew coming into Tuck that I wanted to dedicate my career to serving the social sector and striving for social justice. In my work prior to Tuck, I found that many of the social problems my teams attempted to address often intersected with health, at the individual and community levels, and the U.S. health care system. As such, I decided to pursue an MBA/MPH in order to better understand how economic, political, and social forces impact our health and welfare. Dartmouth has the most integrated MBA/MPH program in the country and offers generous aid, through the Wilson Scholarship program, so that MBA/MPH students can receive both degrees without incurring additional debt or time out of the workforce. Given all of this, and that my wife was already pursuing her MD at Dartmouth, my decision to come to Tuck was easy! Studying in both degree programs has been intense at times, but also immensely rewarding academically. At Tuck, I have had the opportunity to round out my consulting toolkit and general management skills, and as a result, feel better equipped to rigorously identify, analyze, and solve organizational problems. Additionally, I now better understand some of the financial forces that drive income inequality in the United States. After leaving Tuck, I’ll be able to draw upon this knowledge to more effectively challenge the status quo to help create more equitable win-wins. At The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (TDI), I have been able to sharpen my data analysis and impact measurement skills all while starting to make sense of our infinitely complex health care system. The data analysis skills I have developed will help me to better assess social interventions across a variety of domains (e.g., traditional health care, child welfare, education, etc.) while the more specialized health care knowledge I have gained will enable me to help design better health care systems that do not marginalize vulnerable populations. For those social justice advocates out there considering whether or not to add an MBA to their grad school plans, I say go for it! Tuck and other business schools are becoming more socially conscious and you can help them on this mission while also gaining some valuable skills. Yes, you'll (rightly) have your thinking challenged by classmates who think differently from you, but you’ll also be surprised to find like-minded students who very clearly want to use business as a force for social good. I am very grateful that I have had the opportunity to pursue both degrees; the pragmatism of the MBA coupled with the heightened social awareness of the MPH has helped me to become a better social sector leader. I look forward to drawing upon both degrees (and the famous Tuck alumni community!) to serve the social sector as it continues to bring about positive change. David is a recent dual-degree (MBA/MPH) graduate at Tuck and The Dartmouth Institute at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. He originally hails from Texas but has been a New England transplant since graduating from Yale in 2011. Prior to Tuck, David worked at McKinsey & Company’s investment office (MIO Partners) and The Bridgespan Group, the leading social sector consulting firm affiliated with Bain & Co, where he'll return upon graduating. |
14 Jun 2017, 13:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Why I Pursued a Joint Degree at Dartmouth and Tuck |
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By David Washer T’17 I knew coming into Tuck that I wanted to dedicate my career to serving the social sector and striving for social justice. In my work prior to Tuck, I found that many of the social problems my teams attempted to address often intersected with health, at the individual and community levels, and the U.S. health care system. As such, I decided to pursue an MBA/MPH in order to better understand how economic, political, and social forces impact our health and welfare. Dartmouth has the most integrated MBA/MPH program in the country and offers generous aid, through the Wilson Scholarship program, so that MBA/MPH students can receive both degrees without incurring additional debt or time out of the workforce. Given all of this, and that my wife was already pursuing her MD at Dartmouth, my decision to come to Tuck was easy! Studying in both degree programs has been intense at times, but also immensely rewarding academically. At Tuck, I have had the opportunity to round out my consulting toolkit and general management skills, and as a result, feel better equipped to rigorously identify, analyze, and solve organizational problems. Additionally, I now better understand some of the financial forces that drive income inequality in the United States. After leaving Tuck, I’ll be able to draw upon this knowledge to more effectively challenge the status quo to help create more equitable win-wins. At The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (TDI), I have been able to sharpen my data analysis and impact measurement skills all while starting to make sense of our infinitely complex health care system. The data analysis skills I have developed will help me to better assess social interventions across a variety of domains (e.g., traditional health care, child welfare, education, etc.) while the more specialized health care knowledge I have gained will enable me to help design better health care systems that do not marginalize vulnerable populations. For those social justice advocates out there considering whether or not to add an MBA to their grad school plans, I say go for it! Tuck and other business schools are becoming more socially conscious and you can help them on this mission while also gaining some valuable skills. Yes, you'll (rightly) have your thinking challenged by classmates who think differently from you, but you’ll also be surprised to find like-minded students who very clearly want to use business as a force for social good. I am very grateful that I have had the opportunity to pursue both degrees; the pragmatism of the MBA coupled with the heightened social awareness of the MPH has helped me to become a better social sector leader. I look forward to drawing upon both degrees (and the famous Tuck alumni community!) to serve the social sector as it continues to bring about positive change. David is a recent joint degree (MBA/MPH) graduate at Tuck and The Dartmouth Institute at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. He originally hails from Texas but has been a New England transplant since graduating from Yale in 2011. Prior to Tuck, David worked at McKinsey & Company’s investment office (MIO Partners) and The Bridgespan Group, the leading social sector consulting firm affiliated with Bain & Co, where he'll return upon graduating. Learn more about joint and dual degrees offered at Tuck. |
15 Jun 2017, 08:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: The Halpern Lecture: Tom Linebarger, CEO of Top Diesel Company, Revs Up the Audience |
 The annual Ariel Halpern Lecture on Ethics and Social Responsibility presents prominent individuals who have exemplified principled business leadership in their work and life. By Rachel E. Brooks Building high-performing teams in a global industry is no easy task, but Tom Linebarger of Cummins, the largest maker of diesel engines in the world with over fifty thousand employees and operations in one hundred and ninety countries, certainly knows a thing or two about leadership. The Chairman and CEO gave this year’s Halpern Lecture, a talk hosted by the Center for Business, Government & Society to feature individuals who have exemplified principled leadership. Linebarger was visiting campus for Professor Curt Welling’s Business & Society mini course that explores the roles of governments, corporations, and markets in creating social impact. During the Halpern Lecture, Linebarger shared how he brings his personal values and a global mindset to leadership and decision-making. In sharing his own personal leadership journey, he walked the audience through his childhood to the present day as well as what draws him to the work at Cummins. The emphasis on diversity and inclusion is what first attracted Linebarger to the company over twenty years ago. With manufacturing happening on six continents, Cummins has to think critically about how to create a unifying company culture while existing in so many locations and cultures. Linebarger stressed the importance of balancing global expansion with adherence to the core values that hold the business together. “The how,” he said, “matters as much as the what.” When considering personal values, Linebarger points to three areas that drive him: justice and fairness, hard work, and fun, family and friends. His personal statement, “Solving problems that matter with people I care about,” guides his work by unifying the different aspects of his life and sparked me to brainstorm thoughts for my own personal statement. Those who aspire to become strong leaders, Linebarger says, should work to achieve alignment of who they want to be, who they are, and how people perceive them. When those areas are the same, leaders need not concern themselves with others’ perceptions and can focus their energies on creating positive outcomes and collaborating with other smart minds. I was moved by Linebarger’s willingness to share the challenges along his personal leadership journey with others. While company barbecues and teambuilding exercises have their place, real trust comes from exposing one’s own vulnerabilities, says Linebarger. He points to the previous Chairman and CEO of Cummins, Tim Solso, as a guiding force in his success. Solso, he says, “worked really hard on trying to make me better.” Linebarger’s leadership development journey yielded benefits that affected more than just the diesel company. He believes he became a better father and husband, too. Inspired by working for a company that has a positive impact, Linebarger leads with purpose in issues as diverse and complex as international trade and investment, technological change, equal opportunity, and environmental sustainability. In that spirit, the Center for Business, Government & Society partnered with Tuck Sustains to make the event’s catering more sustainable, too. All items were compostable, and students were encouraged to bring their own water bottles. If the chatter in the hallway immediately following the Halpern Lecture is any indication, students are drawn to opportunities at companies with a strong sense of purpose and reflecting on Linebarger’s insights for their own leadership journeys. I know I am.  Rachel Brooks is the Program Coordinator for the Center for Business, Government & Society at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Prior to Tuck, she spent two years in South Korea as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. A native of Virginia, Rachel graduated from the College of William & Mary with a bachelor’s degree in public policy and honors in interdisciplinary studies. The Center for Business, Government & Society is focused on meeting the evolving complexities facing business leaders in today’s global economy. In the context of globalization and technological advancement, business success increasingly depends on reconciling the interests of its immediate stakeholders with the broader, deeply intertwined interests of both governments and society. Business leaders adept at navigating these many interests will be better equipped and empowered to help build a more sustainable global economy. |
29 Jun 2017, 08:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Center for Digital Strategies Alumni Fellow Spotlight |
 This blog originally appeared on the Center for Digital Strategies. An Interview with John Greco T’02 Director of Strategy & Corporate Development at Analog Devices  Where are you currently working and what type of work are you doing? I currently work at Analog Devices, a diversified semiconductor company that enables customers to interpret the world around them by intelligently bridging the physical and the digital. You can find our products in virtually any electronic device across every industry, from automotive safety to consumer handsets to factory robots. I am responsible for the evolution, organization, and execution of our strategic planning processes as we seek to continue to grow by identifying and acting on new market and technology opportunities. Do you think about digital strategies in your current role? How often? Constantly! Our business has always focused on sensing and measuring the “real” world, then connecting it with the digital world where it can be processed and turned into useful insights that customers can use to create a valuable business outcome. When business processes migrate to the cloud, it usually creates an opportunity for us because now there’s a mechanism that can make use of more data, often in real time, and when it comes to generating more real-world real-time data we can generate more data from more sensors than you can imagine. So we have to be on our toes and recognize when these dislocations are happening, assess the impact we could have, and then decide how we should proceed. How have digital technologies impacted your company/industry since leaving Tuck and the CDS? I think that overall it has created tremendous opportunity, as the demand for expertise in the sense-measure-connect loop continues to rise. But it has also encouraged an increase in competition; everybody wants to jump in to this space and many of the new entrants are players with enormous potential to support scale. In addition, it has forced us to begin to rethink our business models (for example, should we be trying to build services and platforms around our data capabilities, rather than simply selling big volumes of chips?) and has changed the way many of our customers want to interact with us. We see more and deeper partnerships with customers built around digital strategies and our participation in very complex ecosystems (shout out to Professor Adner and his work here!). This massive rethinking extends to our own business processes as well. Our sales and marketing teams are now armed with an extensive set of online selling tools and sophisticated opportunity pipeline management technology to help them help their customers better. I don’t even know if we have printed collateral any more. Finally, digital is completely changing the way we interact with customers on a daily basis, particularly in the way we use the web to deliver a highly customized experience that maximizes the relevance of the content that we deliver to each customer. People build fairly extensive relationships with us before they have any human contact! What lesson(s) did you take away from your time as a CDS MBA Fellow that has been useful in your career? For me, the lessons came from working with other Fellows who had different interests than my own. It was around the time of the dot-com boom-and-bust, and I had a fairly cynical view of the online madness, seeing it as a lot of hype that really wasn’t generating anything that would last. My peers in the CDS really helped me change my mindset, cut through the hype, and see what the real potential was for digitization over the long-term. That has been useful to me throughout my post-Tuck career where I’ve worked as a consultant, an operations analyst, a product manager, and now a strategic planner. The market has a way of creating a massive excite-and-disappoint cycle where it hypes new technologies and doesn’t have a lot of patience for experimentation. I learned from CDS that you need to be patient, embrace the uncertainty and experimentation that a new space needs, and stay open-minded. What advice do you have for our current MBA Fellows when it comes to digital strategies and careers? Now you’ve invited me to ramble, so I will take you up on it. Hopefully some of it is good advice!
The Center for Digital Strategies offers several MBA Enrichment programs to Tuck School students. The MBA Fellows Program gives second year students the opportunity to deep dive into digital stategies through in depth research projects, on campus events, networking opportunities, and more. |
30 Jun 2017, 13:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: A Veteran’s Transition to Tuck |
 This interview was originally featured in an Accepted blog series featuring interviews with business students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top programs. Introducing Keal Harter  We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? I’m originally from West Michigan, but I’ve moved around a lot since I finished undergrad at the University of Michigan. There I studied political science. I got a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and then I became an officer in the U.S. Navy. So other than a few economics classes, I hadn’t taken a single business course before applying to business school. That was a little nerve-wracking, but so far it has been a great experience. Where are you currently in b-school? What year? I’m currently a first-year student at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in lovely Hanover, New Hampshire. I expect to graduate next spring. Why Tuck? How did you know their program would be the right “fit” for you? I chose Tuck because of its incredibly tight-knit community. With the smaller class size comes the opportunity to know more of your fellow students, and the Upper Valley is a beautiful area to do that. There is so much to do—skiing, hiking, biking, checking out great farm-to-table restaurants and craft breweries. The strong core curriculum was also a driver for coming to Tuck. Again, I didn’t come from a business background; I rarely had even used Excel. Tuck’s core curriculum builds students’ depth of knowledge in several business disciplines from marketing to capital markets in the first year. First-year courses are essentially chosen for you the first few terms (if you don’t test out of them) which I found helpful in establishing a foundation of business knowledge. You were in the Navy before transitioning to the civilian world and attending Tuck. How has this transition been? How has Tuck supported you along the way? My transition has gone really well. Veterans in particular arrive to a strong network at Tuck. Second-year veteran students and veteran Tuck alums are always accessible and eager to provide guidance on everything from where to live in Hanover if you have a family to class selection, case interview preparation, and crafting your narrative so that you can translate your military experience to those in the private sector. Fellow classmates who aren’t coming from the military are also invaluable resources, as they have insights from their own private sector experiences. Tuck is also extremely generous when it comes to the Yellow Ribbon Program. There is no limit on the number of veterans who can receive Yellow Ribbon funding at Tuck, and the school recently announced an increase in its level of funding under Yellow Ribbon. You’re a student chair on Tuck’s Armed Forces Alumni Association. What does the AFAA do for current students and alumni? The Armed Forces Alumni Association provides resources and support to veterans at Tuck and their families through integration, recruitment, and veterans’ networking initiatives. Within the community, we raise awareness and create discourse about military and veterans’ issues by taking part in events such as Veteran’s Day talks at local schools, a Tuck vets vs. Ice vets sled hockey game, and our annual Tuck Runs for Vets 5k which benefits a local veteran’s organization. For prospective veteran business school students, we answer questions that they may have about transitioning, the b-school application process, and are happy to help them make connections. And the Tuck AFAA hosts Military Visit Day so that veterans can come see what the Tuck community is all about. There really is no better way of assessing fit than visiting a school and meeting current students. What has been your favorite part about attending Tuck thus far? What has been your biggest challenge? My favorite part about Tuck thus far has been challenging myself with more complex business classes such as decision science or accounting. I’ve also met a lot of great people along the way. Lastly, what advice would you like to give you current applicants? Anything you wish you would have known before, that you know now? My advice to applicants is find the program with the best fit. I found that visiting the school is a great way to experience the culture and environment. MBA programs are a huge investment in forgone wages and time, so you want to be in a place that you like and where you can make the most of it. For me, I found that place to be Tuck. Keal is originally from Holland, Michigan, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2008. He was commissioned as a naval officer from Officer Candidate School in 2011 after working on Capitol Hill and obtaining a Master of Science in International Relations from the London School of Economics. Keal spent just under six years in the Navy prior to coming to Tuck. Keal enjoys skiing, sailing, and spending time with his wife. |
06 Jul 2017, 12:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: GMAT, GRE, & GPA…oh my! |
 Before we get to the details, it’s important to note that our evaluation process is truly holistic. Each applicant stands out for different reasons, and it’s possible to make up for an area in which you’re less strong in another where you really excel. In the simplest sense, the application consists of your academic record/predictors (GMAT/GRE and GPA), your work experience (as highlighted in your resume and throughout the application), your essays, letters of recommendation, and the interview. (Of course, there are a number of characteristics we look for within each of those categories—stay tuned to Tuck 360, where we’ll talk about them!) Tuck does not assign these components various weights or importance, there isn’t a special formula that spits out “admit” or “deny,” and we thoroughly review every single application, regardless of someone's stats (every application is seen by at least two members of Ad Com). GMAT/GRE Aptly called the Graduate Management Admissions Test, the GMAT was designed specifically with business schools in mind. That said, Tuck admits students who submit the GMAT as well as those who submit the more broadly used GRE (and both groups are successful in the program). You are not at any sort of disadvantage simply for submitting one instead of the other. We still see more GMAT scores, but here are a few reasons you might apply with a GRE score instead; you’re pursuing a dual degree and need a GRE score for the second program, you took the GRE a few years ago in preparation for a future, type-not-yet-determined grad school (both tests are valid for 5 years), OR you feel that your aptitude is better represented through the GRE (taking practice tests for both can give you a sense of what you might score). Other things of note regarding the GMAT/GRE:
Academic Performance (GPA) As mentioned earlier, your past academic performance and behavior helps us determine whether you’ll be able to handle Tuck’s rigorous MBA program. For some of you, this is great news because you killed it in college. For others, it can be nerve-wracking because your grades aren’t all that stellar and there’s no way to call for a do-over. Remember—it’s a holistic process! Moreover, your GPA is not evaluated in isolation. We consider the rigor of your course load and major, whether grades trend up or down, and other demands on your time, such as working while in school or serious involvement in extracurricular activities. It’s possible we’ll still have concerns, but looking at the big picture helps.
We hope this blog was helpful! For some of the more nitty-gritty, logistical info, check out this page. Stay tuned—we’ll break down other aspects of the application as the season goes on. Until then, good luck! |
11 Jul 2017, 07:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: Tuck’s 2017-2018 Essay Questions |
 Tuck’s essay questions for the 2017-2018 application cycle are now available! The application itself will go live in the coming days, but here’s a head start. Essays: 1) (Required) What are your short and long-term goals? Why is an MBA a critical next step toward achieving those goals? Why are you interested in Tuck specifically? (500 words) 2) (Required) Tuck’s mission is to educate wise leaders to better the world of business. Wisdom encompasses the essential aptitudes of confident humility, about what one does and does not know; empathy, towards the diverse ideas and experiences of others; and judgment, about when and how to take risks for the better. With Tuck’s mission in mind, and with a focus on confident humility, tell us about a time you:
How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself as a result? (500 words) 3) (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere and may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application. 4) (To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally. (500 words) Word Counts: All noted word counts are meant as a guideline—we won’t be counting, but do have great sense of what 500 words looks like. Remember, the essays are an opportunity to share with us who you are beyond the numbers and resume, so reflect, take your time, and be genuine. Communicate clearly and in your voice, not who you think we want you to be; and most importantly, answer the question you are asked. Tomorrow on Tuck 360: A true “Insider’s Guide to the Tuck Essays,” written by ad com. The Insider’s Guide provides a transparent and thorough review of what we’re looking for in this year’s essays. Don't miss it! |
12 Jul 2017, 07:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: A Conversation with Everest Summiter James Brooman T’10 |
 James Brooman is a T’10 ex-investment banker who is currently an entrepreneur in the outdoor technology space. He recently climbed Mt. Everest without bottled oxygen. He has also spent two years cycling from Northern Alaska to the southern tip of South America (check out his book about it) and eighty days running across Australia from Perth to Sydney. Harsha Gavarna is a T’18 and co-chair of the Tuck Outdoor Club. He loves climbing hills—be it the Himalayas or the ones around Hanover. He is also an avid student of mountaineering history. Below is Harsha's recent conversation with James.  Left: James Brooman T'10 on the summit of Mt. Everest; Right: Harsha Gavarna T'18, Tuck Outdoor Club co-chair How did you feel at the top of Mt. Everest? It was a unique experience to finally stand at the summit. It was a feeling of great satisfaction more than anything else. No euphoria or great emotional ‘release’ though, as I was acutely aware that I was really only half way at that point, and I was too tired and hypoxic to get too carried away. It was in many ways like the mix of feelings you get when finishing a marathon. What was it like up there? It was a perfect weather day in Everest terms, which meant around -40 degrees Fahrenheit windchill; not actually so bad but also uncomfortable enough to make you not want to linger there for too long even though the view was spectacular. By the time I summited at 10:50 a.m. some clouds had moved into the most distant valleys, but you could see all the mountains for a hundred miles in each direction. Sunrise was even clearer, with not a cloud to the horizon. I remember climbing up from the Balcony (a small platform a few hundred meters below the Everest summit) and looking over the ridge to my left towards the beautiful stratified colors of the sunrise. Clear as day there was a dark triangle which started in front of me and ended at a point on the horizon. It was the shadow of Everest, and it was utterly breathtaking. It was a view I’d wanted to see my whole life and there it was. I didn’t take a photo as I was climbing hard, but those few moments will stay in my memory forever. How did you develop an interest in the mountains? I’ve always enjoyed being in the mountains, ever since my parents took me to the alps when I was 4 years old. My mother is from a small village in the Italian Tirol so I guess the mountains are in my genes. It never gets old to see clouds below me; it brings a smile to my face every time. Why did you decide to climb Mt. Everest, especially without bottled oxygen? There are a couple of reasons. The first is historical. I was first there in 2014, climbing with oxygen with everyone else. I was fortunate to meet some truly wonderful and incredibly athletic people on that trip, and was surprised I could hold my own. We seemed miles stronger than many of the other teams and I started to think that if those other folks had a chance of summiting, what was I capable of? I was talking to one of the climbers there who had been on Everest several times we talked about climbing with no oxygen. He thought I could do it, and that got the wheels turning. The second reason is that I thrive on personal challenge. Both the difficulty and the additional complexity of making a no-oxygen attempt was something I found appealing. The fear factor and the low success rate were real motivators which helped me train and prepare as hard as possible, which, if I’m really honest, I wouldn’t have done quite as vigorously than if I had gone back using oxygen once again. Reinhold Messner, one of the greatest ever mountaineers, said it best when he referred to climbing being a form of internal exploration, about knowing more about himself. He saw climbing with oxygen as a barrier to some of that intimate knowledge of his own limits and capabilities. For me, I felt much the same way. I often told my Sherpa that I would rather try and fail without oxygen than use it and summit, because it wasn’t about summiting, it was about finding those limits. How did Tuck help you in your outdoors journey? It helped in a number of ways, as a lot of the things you are exposed to at Tuck transfer into life in many ways. Tuck helped me develop my willingness to get input from others - and seek it out in the first place - which helped in my preparation and execution of this climb. I’m also still inspired by many of my classmates and the amazing things they have achieved, which has helped me to ‘think big’ with my dreams and goals. And they don’t come bigger than Mt Everest! You are the CEO at a fitness startup called Firefit. Can you tell us a little about the challenge you are working on? Sure. In the physical side of my life I’m very much an amateur athlete, and I used to have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. Getting a coach would have been very beneficial, but I didn't value that part of my life enough to warrant the high cost. My current start-up is exploring ways of using technology to bring the expertise and personalized feed back of a coach to amateur athletes, but at a much more affordable price point. I’m excited to help people inspire others and grow their confidence by reaching their fitness goals, whether that's doing an Ironman triathlon or getting a marathon personal best. Any parting advice for all those trying to climb their own Mt. Everest? A couple of things. First is to figure out what the goal is and why you want it. If you don’t know what you are aiming for, you can’t get there, and if you don’t know why you want it you’ll run out of drive before you do. Second is to dream big. Anything is possible with enough dedication, focus and resourcefulness. And third is to have fun and take some calculated risks. I think Tuck folks understand that better than most, but when working in the corporate world its easy to lose sight during the daily grind. Some people say I’m so lucky to have these adventures, but really its just been a set of choices I’ve made. For better or worse! |
12 Jul 2017, 08:00
| FROM Tuck Admissions Blog: A Conversation with Everest Summiteer James Brooman T’10 |
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James Brooman is a T’10 ex-investment banker who is currently an entrepreneur in the outdoor technology space. He recently climbed Mt. Everest without bottled oxygen. He has also spent two years cycling from Northern Alaska to the southern tip of South America (check out his book about it) and eighty days running across Australia from Perth to Sydney. Harsha Gavarna is a T’18 and co-chair of the Tuck Outdoor Club. He loves climbing hills—be it the Himalayas or the ones around Hanover. He is also an avid student of mountaineering history. Below is Harsha's recent conversation with James. Left: James Brooman T'10 on the summit of Mt. Everest; Right: Harsha Gavarna T'18, Tuck Outdoor Club co-chair How did you feel at the top of Mt. Everest? It was a unique experience to finally stand at the summit. It was a feeling of great satisfaction more than anything else. No euphoria or great emotional ‘release’ though, as I was acutely aware that I was really only half way at that point, and I was too tired and hypoxic to get too carried away. It was in many ways like the mix of feelings you get when finishing a marathon. What was it like up there? It was a perfect weather day in Everest terms, which meant around -40 degrees Fahrenheit windchill; not actually so bad but also uncomfortable enough to make you not want to linger there for too long even though the view was spectacular. By the time I summited at 10:50 a.m. some clouds had moved into the most distant valleys, but you could see all the mountains for a hundred miles in each direction. Sunrise was even clearer, with not a cloud to the horizon. I remember climbing up from the Balcony (a small platform a few hundred meters below the Everest summit) and looking over the ridge to my left towards the beautiful stratified colors of the sunrise. Clear as day there was a dark triangle which started in front of me and ended at a point on the horizon. It was the shadow of Everest, and it was utterly breathtaking. It was a view I’d wanted to see my whole life and there it was. I didn’t take a photo as I was climbing hard, but those few moments will stay in my memory forever. How did you develop an interest in the mountains? I’ve always enjoyed being in the mountains, ever since my parents took me to the alps when I was 4 years old. My mother is from a small village in the Italian Tirol so I guess the mountains are in my genes. It never gets old to see clouds below me; it brings a smile to my face every time. Why did you decide to climb Mt. Everest, especially without bottled oxygen? There are a couple of reasons. The first is historical. I was first there in 2014, climbing with oxygen with everyone else. I was fortunate to meet some truly wonderful and incredibly athletic people on that trip, and was surprised I could hold my own. We seemed miles stronger than many of the other teams and I started to think that if those other folks had a chance of summiting, what was I capable of? I was talking to one of the climbers there who had been on Everest several times we talked about climbing with no oxygen. He thought I could do it, and that got the wheels turning. The second reason is that I thrive on personal challenge. Both the difficulty and the additional complexity of making a no-oxygen attempt was something I found appealing. The fear factor and the low success rate were real motivators which helped me train and prepare as hard as possible, which, if I’m really honest, I wouldn’t have done quite as vigorously than if I had gone back using oxygen once again. Reinhold Messner, one of the greatest ever mountaineers, said it best when he referred to climbing being a form of internal exploration, about knowing more about himself. He saw climbing with oxygen as a barrier to some of that intimate knowledge of his own limits and capabilities. For me, I felt much the same way. I often told my Sherpa that I would rather try and fail without oxygen than use it and summit, because it wasn’t about summiting, it was about finding those limits. How did Tuck help you in your outdoors journey? It helped in a number of ways, as a lot of the things you are exposed to at Tuck transfer into life in many ways. Tuck helped me develop my willingness to get input from others - and seek it out in the first place - which helped in my preparation and execution of this climb. I’m also still inspired by many of my classmates and the amazing things they have achieved, which has helped me to ‘think big’ with my dreams and goals. And they don’t come bigger than Mt Everest! You are the CEO at a fitness startup called Firefit. Can you tell us a little about the challenge you are working on? Sure. In the physical side of my life I’m very much an amateur athlete, and I used to have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. Getting a coach would have been very beneficial, but I didn't value that part of my life enough to warrant the high cost. My current start-up is exploring ways of using technology to bring the expertise and personalized feed back of a coach to amateur athletes, but at a much more affordable price point. I’m excited to help people inspire others and grow their confidence by reaching their fitness goals, whether that's doing an Ironman triathlon or getting a marathon personal best. Any parting advice for all those trying to climb their own Mt. Everest? A couple of things. First is to figure out what the goal is and why you want it. If you don’t know what you are aiming for, you can’t get there, and if you don’t know why you want it you’ll run out of drive before you do. Second is to dream big. Anything is possible with enough dedication, focus and resourcefulness. And third is to have fun and take some calculated risks. I think Tuck folks understand that better than most, but when working in the corporate world its easy to lose sight during the daily grind. Some people say I’m so lucky to have these adventures, but really its just been a set of choices I’ve made. For better or worse! |
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