When asked by your family, friends, and colleagues why you want to go to Duke, what do you tell them?
Throughout my application process, family, friends and colleagues have asked me why I want to attend Fuqua. I always share with them that Fuqua is my first choice for all the following reasons:
Anyone who knows me well already understands my passion for travel. I have studied abroad in France and Mexico four times, and have also traveled extensively through Europe, Central America and parts of Asia and Africa. I find being in new places, surrounded by people with different backgrounds and culture, to be absolutely invigorating. Those who know me will also tell you that my career goal is to follow this passion, becoming a Management Consultant for a company like Bain in its Travel, Hospitality & Leisure practice. After gaining the skillset necessary at a larger firm, I plan to transition to a smaller, niche consulting firm in the industry, eventually achieving the rank of Partner. There, I will lead the practice to ultimately help our clients offer rewarding travel experiences.
Academically, Fuqua is the best place for me to achieve my goals. While as a CPA I have a solid understanding of accounting, Fuqua’s rigorous foundation within the general management core disciplines and variety of teaching methods will give me a more well-rounded skillset. I also am drawn to the emphasis on teamwork because after having spent considerable time working on teams during graduate school and at EY, I enjoy collaborating with a diverse range of people; I believe that working together is the best way for me to learn and solve problems. While at Fuqua I plan to earn concentrations in both Strategy and Management, which will provide me with the skills I need to excel in my career in management consulting. I am excited to take classes like Strategy Implementation with Professor Joao De Figueiredo and International Strategy with Professor Arie Lewin; the former will teach me how to broadly execute strategies to successfully deliver value to my clients, and the latter will help me to better understand some of the specific nuances and global challenges my Travel & Leisure clients might face. The Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum also offers a unique opportunity to tailor my education, and I hope to pursue a project aimed at solving a Travel & Leisure company’s real-world issues. I also tell my family, friends and colleagues how excited I am to participate in Fuqua’s Global Academic Travel Experience, and my desire to travel somewhere new like China. Learning firsthand about all aspects of China’s business, politics, economics and culture will prove extremely useful when I am staffed on engagements for Asian hospitality companies. As a whole, GATE will give me greater exposure to international businesses, which is crucial for my desired career path.
Outside of the classroom, Fuqua has all of the professional extra-curriculars in which I am interested. I am excited to join the Consulting Club, and aim to eventually become a Cabinet Member of the organization, so that I may facilitate networking and coordinate case interview preparation with other members. I also plan to be involved with the International Business Club, which will help me learn more about international business opportunities and connect with fellow students from different countries, learning about some of their personal travel experiences both in the U.S. and overseas. Finally, I will become a member of The Association of Women in Business, because coming from the male-dominated field of private equity, I appreciate some of the unique challenges women face in the workplace. I want to surround myself with people who are supportive of one another.
Fuqua on Board is another program that personally excites me about Fuqua. I am a member of the Executive Board for Girl Scouts Association (GSA), a non-profit that provides educational events for GSA members and raises money for scholarships. Serving on a non-profit board through Fuqua on Board will enable me to continue my involvement with a non-profit, further develop my leadership abilities and allow me to give back to the Durham community in a way that’s meaningful to me.
Arguably what I am most excited to tell my family, friends and colleagues about matriculating at Duke is the resounding sense of Team Fuqua that permeates throughout the student body. When looking at undergraduate colleges, I was drawn to Emory’s strong sense of school spirit, which ultimately drove me to be actively involved both in and out of the classroom. This spirit is also what has propelled my strong involvement as a current member of the Emory Alumni Association. I appreciate the unquantifiable benefits of an active and spirited school body and am looking for a similar engagement with my MBA program. Speaking with Jason DeValdenebro, a Fuqua first-year and former undergraduate school classmate and friend, he relayed that Fuqua’s sense of school spirit is palpable, and noted that Fuqua’s emphasis on collaboration and teamwork is similar to that of Emory. I felt this sense of school spirit firsthand during my visit to Fuqua, where everyone from my tour guide to the students on the Curriculum Panel seemed genuinely excited about Fuqua. This made me even more thrilled to be there than I already was. My visit also allowed me to truly envision myself as a Fuqua student, and daydream about what my life would be like, the sorts of classes I would take and the lifelong friends that I would make.
When the people who matter to me most ask me “Why Fuqua?” it is not always a quick answer, despite being one I am truly excited to give. Academically, Fuqua offers the best of both worlds for me – a solid general management foundation, with countless options to tailor my studies to prepare me for Management Consulting within the Travel & Leisure space. Outside of the classroom Fuqua offers the extracurriculars that excite me both professionally and personally, including Consulting Club and Fuqua on Board. Finally, Fuqua’s spirited and collaborative student body are intangible assets unique to Fuqua that excite me not only about starting my MBA program at Fuqua, but also about giving back to Team Fuqua for many years beyond.