Apologies for the delay in getting you a blog update. As the last term of Fuqua took over in March and April, I wanted to make sure I took advantage of every last opportunity as a student! As my studenthood ended on May 11 (Graduation!), I have had some time to reflect and put together a list of my top memories of the Fuqua experience. I share these with you because I believe they are representative of the memories you can create at Fuqua. These past 2 years have been transformational. The unique Fuqua experiences, amazing Fuqua academics, and spectacular Fuqua culture have given me a new perspective on people, work, leadership, and the world.

I thank you for following my story over the past few years, and I hope you continue to stay connected to Fuqua and possibly choose the MBA program as your home for a period of time. I am confident that your memories will be as good as mine of your time at Fuqua.

With the Duke Blue Devil at BDW.

Memory # 1 – Blue Devil Weekend (BDW) Sets the Stage

It is nuts how well I still remember BDW from over 2 years ago. I still remember how much fun I had meeting amazing classmates — many who I am still close with. Heck, I might even figure out a way to come back for a BDW in future years to enjoy the fun!

Memory # 2 – Campout!

I am not the camping type. I like warm beds and running water. However, you do what you have to for the opportunity to win Duke basketball tickets. Looking back, I am so happy I camped out during both years. It was a great way to bond with my classmates, under not-so-perfect conditions. I was 50% in terms of getting tickets, but I would still go back and do it again if I could!

Section 3 rocking it during Orientation!

Memory # 3 – Section 3 (We will … we will … three you!)

As you may be aware, each Daytime student is placed in a section, and I had the unique honor of being chosen for Section 3. I am not sure how the sorting hat (awesome Harry Potter reference in case anyone caught it) got it SO right, but I absolutely loved my section. I am not sure I would have wanted to spend ALL that time with any other set of 70 people. I also like to think that we were the smartest of the bunch at Fuqua.

Memory # 4 – Social Life at Fuqua

At one of many theme parties.

As I re-join the real world, I miss my active social calendar. Mid-week theme parties, Wednesday Happy Hours, and Station Nine will all be missed. I had an amazing experience socializing with classmates, getting to know their families, and enjoying being a student again. From rocking Campout to ending with a hilarious beach week, I shall miss the Fuqua social life.

Memory # 5 – Travel

Many of my classmates did EXTENSIVE travel while in business school. Given my management consulting background, I was OK not being on a plane as much, but I did participate in the GATE program to Latin America. We visited Argentina and Brazil, and it was incredible. I got a very good view of business in Latin America and also got to do a great deal of sightseeing in those countries.

Enjoying some sightseeing in Rio De Janeiro.

Memory # 6 – FACEBOOK

I had the unique opportunity to intern with Facebook during the 2012 summer. This is an opportunity I only would have gotten through Fuqua, and it was EXACTLY what I was searching for. I wanted to identify an industry I could see myself working in sometime in the future. I definitely found it within the high tech space. It also didn’t hurt that Facebook is probably one of the best places to work, and I had an awesome boss and team. It was an amazing experience that I wouldn’t have had without Fuqua.

The Facebook thumbs-up.

Memory # 7 — #team8awesomegonuts

As you are well aware, each Fuquan is placed on a study team that we stay in for all of our core classes. I was on Section 3, Team 8, or as we like to call ourselves: #team8awesomegonuts.

My experience on my team was an incredible learning opportunity. I was surrounded by people totally different from me who taught me so much! We created a safe space where we could give tough feedback, be honest, and get along. As Fuqua likes to say, I think we got along and got it right! I will miss my team as we are spread all over the country (Chicago, Seattle, and Atlanta). However, we have our group text that keeps us informed and entertained during the day!

Last team meeting!

Memory # 8 – COLE Leadership Fellowship

I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a COLE Leadership Fellow and actually served on the leadership team for the Fellowship. It was such an enriching experience to be surrounded by 40 peers who each loved to talk about leadership. Our monthly meetings, first-year coaching responsibilities, and coffee chats will always be remembered as foundational tools that built my leadership style.

Memory # 9 – Duke Basketball

I came to Duke with no college basketball affiliation. Thank goodness, because how can you NOT love the Duke basketball team? After attending over 30 games in 2 years, I am a Duke basketball fan for life. I will continue to be a Cameron Crazy from the comforts of my living room for the rest of my life!

My Dear World picture from the COLE Capstone Experience.

Memory # 10 – Graduation!

All good things come to an end, right? I guess so. I would have loved to make the case for a 3-year MBA program! However, May 11th arrived with sadness and optimism. Sadness that I would be leaving such an incredible group of people, and optimism that I would take what I learned out into the world and be a leader of consequence. It was a bittersweet moment moving from student to alumnus, andI look forward to staying a part of the Fuqua community for years to come.

I was very skeptical about moving to Durham from New York. But two years later, I don’t want to leave! Of course, I missed the accessibility and 24/7 nature of the Big Apple (my home for several years), but Durham is very charming and a very easy place to live. My classmates and I are already feeling nostalgic about this place!

Visiting the Duke Lemur Center … Yes! There are lemurs at Duke!

So what’s so special about Durham? Here are 2 things that are at the top of my list:

1. The places you’ll eat!

I have a very long list of fancy restaurants, cheaper restaurants, food trucks and festival gatherings where I have literally eaten my heart out. Even better, food is always a good way to bring people together — whether we were going out for ice cream, making a Southern Fast Food quest, or making a home cooked meal to share a piece of our culture and heart with others — the result was usually delicious.

2. Never a dull moment – unless you want one!

Without question, Duke has a beautiful campus. There are beautiful gardens, museums and architecture, as well as academic/speaker events and awesome art performances to keep you busy.

Further afield from your Fuqua home, there are state parks and great biking trails. There is always something happening on and off campus. Catch a Durham Bulls game. Visit the Duke Lemur Center – the only place on the planet with a sizable Lemur population outside of Madagascar! Living in Durham, you can be as active or relaxed as you want.

All that being said — don’t take my word for it.

Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh have been rated as some of the best cities to live in. Between all the academic institutions, entrepreneurial activity, sunshine and temperate winters, great restaurants, accessible outdoor activities and southern charm, it’s easy to see why.

As I move on and move away from Durham, I am already looking forward to coming back in the near future.

Take a look at some more photos from my time in Durham:

I moved to Durham on Saturday, July 20, and started the Health Sector Management (HSM) boot camp on Sunday. The boot camp was a quick transition back to school, and the perfect way to kick off my first year at Fuqua. It was a fascinating week packed with new information, engaging speakers and a taste of the tremendous opportunities yet to come at Fuqua.

HSM boot camp was a 6-day comprehensive course designed to familiarize students with the structure and function of the US healthcare system. Through 21 lectures by experts in the field, we learned about the major players in the US healthcare system and how these players interact to form the healthcare system as a whole. We learned about the deep connection between government policy and healthcare, and gained insight on how health reform is going to alter the landscape of the US healthcare system.

The boot camp opened my eyes to areas of the healthcare sector that I had previously had little exposure to. I came to Fuqua from Washington, DC, where I worked as a Research Analyst at a health policy research firm evaluating and consulting on various health policy initiatives. From my previous work, I was familiar with many issues related to health policy, but much less familiar with some topics we dove into during the boot camp, such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and managed care. The fact that my 85 classmates came from diverse backgrounds, from health consulting to pharmaceutical companies to providers, made for fascinating discussions. Another highlight of HSM boot camp was the nightly employer presentations about opportunities available for MBA interns and grads.

HSM boot camp made me very excited for what is to come this year through the HSM program: weekly seminars from prominent speakers in the healthcare field, the opportunity to pursue experiential learning opportunities and electives relevant to the field, and most importantly, the opportunity to take the knowledge I gain at Fuqua to my future internship and job to ultimately make a difference in the lives of patients.

The answer is complicated when I am asked, “why an MBA at Fuqua?” I’m often asked why I decided to leave a career in the military and government that — by all metrics — was successful and satisfying. “You’re too old” or “you don’t need an MBA to get a job” or “stay in the Marine Corps,” were quotes I often heard. It’s a good question because it forces me to be thoughtful and connect the MBA experience with where I came from and where I want to go. It’s not an answer that comes easily for me, a former active-duty Marine Corps officer. Before asking why I chose to earn an MBA from Fuqua, it’s far more useful to ask me “why did you leave the Marine Corps?” I think it’s far more powerful to understand why we leave (a place we love or hate) to take the next step that helps us shape what we’re seeking in our future. So my story goes like this …

The Marine Birthday Ball is a holy night for Marines. It’s an annual gala commemorating the formation of the Corps in 1775. We sing our hymn, remember battles fought and friends lost, and drink and dance late into the night (think of Shooters, but with 238 years of history). It’s the one night of the year when it’s easiest to persuade a Marine never to leave active service. It was celebrating this night at the most recent Birthday Ball that my longtime mentor tried to convince me to stay in the Corps. It was a difficult conversation, and he explained that I had a long and promising career in the Marine Corps and that it would be hard — not just challenging — but very hard to find anything as meaningful as my time in the service. He waved his hand at the night unfolding around us, Marines dressed in their finest uniforms, proudly escorting their dates to tables, and raucous toasting celebrating the title of “Marine.”

It was fitting that on this most sacred night, I was able to find words to passionately explain why I wanted to leave. I had done everything I had come to do. I had been to two wars, led Marines, and shared the emotional highs and lows that mark a career in the military when our Nation calls its men and women to arms. My Marines were my heroes. They sacrificed far more than I ever would and they humbled me with their dedication to duty that has — and always will — make our country possible. Still, it was time to apply the energy and fervor I had put into my Marines, to prepare them for war, to something else. We had left Iraq and were preparing to leave Afghanistan. It was time for me to be consequential in another capacity.

So I told my mentor that I hoped I would go to Duke to apply my energies to becoming an even more effective leader. Like the Marine Corps, Duke is an institution that develops leaders with moral compasses — leaders who choose right over easy — Leaders of Consequence. Fuqua’s core values are compatible with those of the Marine Corps, making it the right place for me to acquire new skills and experiences in business management. I think the best preparation for ethical challenges is to study historical cases and reflect on one’s own experience. I chose Fuqua because it offered me a chance to delve into the former and provide time to consider the latter. I also chose Fuqua because it focuses on developing leaders with a global perspective, to build on my international experiences from being in the Corps. I believe this global outlook coupled with a deep study of ethics and leadership will enable me to effectively respond to future leadership challenges.

So, as a decade of war came to a close, I was ready to embark on a new journey that would continue my growth as a leader, at a place where I can look critically at the intersection of leadership and ethics and draw out additional lessons from my own experiences. Duke is also a place that already meant so much to me; it’s hard to put into words. Having graduated from Duke 8 years ago, it is a part of my identity. As my Marine Corps experience came to an end, it was humbling to come back to Duke and again be a part of a community that will prepare me for the next chapter of my life, like it did when I was an undergrad.

Everyone says that time flies in business school — this is true — but you don’t understand or believe it until you experience it for yourself. In addition, you are so busy (even in your second year!) that it is really easy to lose sight of your goals and things that are important to you. I recently finished my first term of my second year at Fuqua, and literally woke up one morning wondering where the last 9 weeks went?! Seriously …

I came back to school in late August and participated in re-orientation (a requirement for second-year students). It was so nice to reconnect with my friends, as well as meet people who I was not very close to in my first year. We talked about our summer internships, discussed classes we were hoping to take, and of course, partied! Re-orientation was refreshing for me because it gave me the chance to refocus on what I came to business school for … you know, those things I wrote about in my application essays. All the re-orientation sessions challenged me to be true to myself about the impact that I hope to make once I leave Fuqua. Very hard questions were asked, some very uncomfortable, and necessary conversations were had. I walked away from re-orientation feeling closer to my classmates, more in love with Fuqua, and more importantly, extremely motivated to be a “leader of consequence.” But then, life happened. Before I knew it, I was stressing out about how to calculate the variance analysis for my managerial accounting class, constantly running from one meeting to the next, trying to socialize with the awesome new first years, and attempting to keep in touch with my friends and family.

I’ve done Campout, but am yet to attend a Duke basketball game!

So as I embark upon my third-to-last term at Fuqua (I’m so not ready to leave!), I intentionally took some time to make a list of things that I want to do, see, or accomplish before I graduate. Fuqua is such an awesome community, with a wealth of information, knowledge, and experiences, and I would hate for the next 7 months to just pass me by.

So, here’s my Fuqua Bucket List:

1. Attend a basketball game! The fact that this has yet to happen is shameful, I admit. It seems like it would be blasphemous to be at Duke for two years and not experience the awesomeness that is Duke basketball.
2. Explore Duke’s campus. I get so caught up in life at Fuqua that I sometimes forget that there’s an entire world out there … a Duke world, I mean. Every time I walk around campus I re-discover just how beautiful it is.
3. Take at least one class that challenges me, and by challenge, I mean scare me, each term. This is probably the last time in my life that I will attend school full-time, and I want to constantly push myself while I am here.
4. Write down my goals. I truly believe that there is some truth in putting what you want out there in the universe, in order to make it happen. And even if that whole theory is hogwash, the idea of introspectively thinking about what I want to do, not just on a day-to-day basis, but thinking about what type of leader I want to be — what type of legacy I want to leave — is helpful in and of itself.

   I hosted a dinner to introduce exchange students to other Fuqua students — I need to do more of this kind of networking.

5. Network, network, network! Networking was not always easy for me. While I find it very easy to start a conversation with almost anyone, my previous idea of what networking was, made me feel like I had to pretend to be someone that I am not. A guest speaker in one of my classes said something that resonated with me, and made me rethink networking. She said that networking is about being true and clear with yourself about your goals (this is why goal #5 is important), and making your goals known to others. So, when my perfect job opportunity surfaces, I want to be certain that there are people out there who think  of me for that job.
6. Exercise more. I had a conversation with one of my friends at Fuqua last week; she was really disappointed that she would not be able to run an upcoming marathon because of a knee injury. She was genuinely down about it … and this conversation was happening right after my managerial accounting exam, so I was clearly still thinking about the variance question (see above J). On a serious note though, this conversation really got me thinking. If my goal in life is to affect change in big corporations, I need to first be able to affect change in myself. I owe it to myself to take care of my body.
7. Sleep more. Following up on taking care of my body, I need to get more sleep. The hours of sleep that I get each night are ridiculously few. I do not know how I am going to accomplish this, but suggestions are welcome.
8. Arrange a time to sit down and talk with Dean Bill Boulding. Dean Boulding is an incredibly busy man, but I hope to get time on his calendar before May. I would love to pick his brain on what it takes to run Fuqua, as well as talk about his aspirations for the school. In addition to Dean Boulding, I want to use my remaining months here to really get to know a couple of my professors. With 6-week terms, we have limited in-classroom interaction with each professor, but they all make themselves available outside of class. I really hope to capitalize on this to learn more about their research and life experiences.
9. Donate to Fuqua. My experience here has been nothing short of amazing! I am the first in my family to attend and graduate from college, and now the first to pursue a graduate degree. I can truly say that this has been the most amazing almost two years of my life, and it would not have been possible without the faculty, staff, students, and alumni community that contribute to this place in various capacities. I want to continue this legacy so that those who come after me can experience what I have, and so much more.
10. Write thank-you cards to people who have helped me get where I am today. There are so, so many people who have helped me get where I am today. I do not think there is any life accomplishment that I can truly say I did on my own. And while I am incredibly busy, the interesting paradox about business school is that it is probably the only time in my life when I don’t have actual deliverables … I mean we have homework and stuff … but I don’t have a job that I’m getting paid to do. What I’m trying to say is, I have the time to reach out to the people who have helped me. No man is an island, and in addition to paying it forward and paving the way for others, I need to always remember to pay it backward as well.

Guest Blogger: Andrew Filauro

I am a second-year Daytime MBA student and currently serve as the president of the Duke MBA Armed Forces Association (DAFA). Prior to Fuqua, I graduated from West Point in 2007, served for 5 years as an active duty Army Captain, and was stationed in Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado, Afghanistan, and Maryland. But enough about me — the real reason I’m so excited to be a guest blogger is to tell you about an incredible event that recently took place here on campus.

Just a few weeks ago, DAFA and the Fuqua Admissions team co-hosted the second annual Veterans Symposium for Military Applicants. The Fuqua community recognizes and values the experience and leadership attributes of military veterans, who now represent the fastest growing student group throughout all of Duke University’s academic programs. From 2011 to 2013, the total number of veterans in the Daytime MBA program each year has increased from 11 to 21 to 39 today, demonstrating the importance of veterans within Fuqua’s diverse student body.

For the symposium, we were fortunate to host 34 MBA applicants who have served or are currently serving in our nation’s armed forces. The symposium’s agenda addressed the most pressing questions on the minds of our guests, who despite their remarkable leadership records, often struggle to translate how those experiences will help them become Leaders of Consequence within the walls of Fuqua and in the business world.

Symposium attendees and current students crawl through an obstacle course during Fuqua Friday.

Event Provides Inside Look at Fuqua

Beginning with an introduction from Dean Bill Boulding, the symposium included overviews of the admissions process, the Fuqua academic curriculum, the Career Management Center, and the Yellow Ribbon and Post-9/11 GI Bill programs. Participants and their spouses/partners had the opportunity to have lunch with some of Fuqua’s 39 current veteran students, whose conversations ranged from admissions interview tips to combat stories to the evening’s DAFA-sponsored Fuqua Friday. The afternoon’s events kicked off with an alumni panel of Fuqua veterans who took time out of their professional schedules to venture back to Durham. The panel provided a forum for our guests to ask questions about how the alumni successfully transitioned from the military to Fuqua and eventually to the business world — and, of course, why Fuqua is the best place to start.

Headlining the symposium was keynote speaker Matt Moellering, who is the Chief Operating Officer of Express, Inc. Matt is a 1988 West Point graduate and served as an active duty Army officer before earning his MBA from Fuqua in 1995, and he was thrilled by the opportunity to speak about his career path and experiences. He described some of the skill sets that he believes veterans bring to business, as well as weaker areas that the two-year Fuqua experience helped him transform into strengths.

Throwing “grenades” at a mini UNC mascot during the obstacle course.

Following the keynote address, our guests participated in a mock class with Professor Grainne Fitzsimons to experience the learning environment at Fuqua. The final event of the day was the DAFA and Beer Club-sponsored Fuqua Friday, which is essentially a big party that celebrates the end of each week. In addition to the Oktoberfest theme, the highlight of the event was a military obstacle course. Teams of students competed to complete the course as quickly as possible. The obstacle course included low-crawling, burpee pushups, infantry movement tactics, and “grenade” throwing toward the UNC mascot.

Following the evening’s social festivities, nearly all of our guests threw their game faces back on and conducted their required admissions interviews the next morning. Finally, the symposium concluded with a farewell lunch and attendees were given free tickets to the Duke vs. Navy football game, which was fittingly Duke Football’s Military Appreciation Day.

The symposium was an unrivaled opportunity for our guests to learn first-hand what Fuqua is all about, and how our robust veteran network is dedicated to helping us find the best possible career paths after B-school. But don’t take it from me — one of our veteran guests sent us a note after the event:

“Thank you for all the help and advice the past few days. The Veterans Symposium was a true first class experience. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it and are extremely excited about the chance to join Team Fuqua. Your hard work putting such a fantastic event together is greatly appreciated.”

We’re so pleased that our guests enjoyed the event so much, and hopefully got a much better feel for Team Fuqua. If you’re a veteran and you’re interested in Fuqua, please send us an email at dukearmedforcesassociation@duke.edu. We look forward to seeing you at next year’s symposium! Keep an eye on the symposium website for info about the next event.

When I visited Duke’s campus around this same time last November, it was raining and a bit cold. The weather was much nicer than in New York City, but being surrounded by nature in Durham felt different. To a person who was born and raised in one of the biggest cities of the world, nature can be quite frightening. What felt different wasn’t the fact that there were over 1,000 different colored leaves around me in Durham, but the fact that even with the rain, everything looked beautiful. I captured the greatest pictures that weekend. I should probably print them to adorn the Admissions Office …

I can’t help but think back to last November — I was in Durham for The Duke MBA Workshop for Minority Applicants, hosted by the Black and Latino MBA Organization (BLMBAO). It was the 30th anniversary of the event. And this weekend, right now, the 31st workshop is taking place.

Arlenis Almonte illustrated what life could be like for me as a Fuqua student.

Last year, Arlenis Almonte (MBA ’13), a member of my personal board of advisees, encouraged me to attend the weekend, and boy did she set me up for a weekend of exceeded expectations! Celebrating the 30th anniversary gave me a deeper understanding of how much Duke values diversity and the large investment the school makes every single year to recruit top talent. The Fuqua alumni who returned for the workshop added so much to my experience that weekend that I still bring up stories about the conversations I had with Kareem Cook (MBA ’00), Rod Chappell (MBA ’96), and Owen May (MBA ’83). I sat with them over 3 meals and learned so much about Duke, as well as how my personal and career interests could add value to the school.

Surprisingly, the weekend was not a 3-day Fuqua sales pitch, instead it was 3 days of personal guidance and exposure to important ideas that would help us, regardless of where our futures would take us. The most impactful session was with the women alumnae. Anne Sempowski Ward (MBA ’04) shared an anecdote that related directly to a challenge I was facing in my professional life. I was able to connect with her after, to get her opinion on resolving the issue and all I could think was, “Wow, what an incredible person.” I could not believe that so many talented alumni came back to Fuqua to share their experiences and advice with us on a weekend, during their personal time. It felt like a family reunion, like I was meeting long lost relatives; relatives who were committed to my future success.

The workshop gave me a real feel for what it would be like to be a part of the Fuqua community — during business school and after. There were almost more alumni then prospective students, and I was impressed by their commitment to Fuqua.

My conversations with current students and alumni helped me realize that through Fuqua I could accomplish my career goals. So, even though the workshop wasn’t focused on “selling Fuqua,” it had a huge impact on my decision to attend Fuqua because it just felt right. I hope everyone attending the workshop this weekend will leave with the same euphoric feeling that I had last year. And hopefully the weather will be better, but there is rain in tomorrow’s forecast …

Guest blogger: Paul Escajadillo, first-year Daytime student. He served as a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, deploying to Ecuador, Colombia, and twice to Afghanistan.

Integrity. Courage. Perseverance. Personal Responsibility. Professionalism. Adaptability. Team Player. Capability. What do all of these values have in common? They are the Army’s Special Operations Forces attributes, which define the military volunteers who become key fighters and influencers in the global fight against terrorism. Their experiences and leadership lessons could fill volumes of management textbooks.

Authentic engagement. Loyal community. Collective diversity. Supportive ambition. Uncompromising integrity. These are the paired principles which form the values held by the Daytime student body. Pretty standard, but what truly sets Fuqua apart is that it provides more than a transactional experience. Fuqua students are challenged to create a transformational experience in which they grow as individuals and become “Leaders of Consequence” who become positive agents of change within their communities and professions.

Fuqua’s mission sounds quite similar to how Special Operations Forces are trained to quickly adapt to complex environments while considering long-term effects in order to effectively accomplish their mission. If only there was a way to challenge these MBA candidates with the real-world leadership assessing scenarios that Special Operations Forces undergo …

MBA students pushed their limits at one of Ft. Bragg’s training sites.

Enter Operation Blue Devil. For the second year, the Duke Armed Forces Association (DAFA) organized Operation Blue Devil to provide Fuqua students with the ability to experience leadership outside of the classroom from some of the most well-versed practitioners in the craft: the elite men and women of Special Operations Forces. Much like Wharton’s Quantico Venture in which the University of Pennsylvania partners with the U.S. Marine Corps, DAFA is creating a partnership with Army base Fort Bragg that will assist in creating our intended “Leaders of Consequence.” The idea started with Duke student veterans who were stationed at Fort Bragg prior to their transition to Duke University. For many of us veterans, returning to our old stomping grounds in order to provide a unique experience to our peers is something we wholeheartedly believe in.

Students went through Army training obstacles.

For a weekend in November, several student veterans acting as observers (myself included) took 19 Daytime MBA students to Fort Bragg. These 19 students’ military experience was limited to movies like “Black Hawk Down.” They volunteered to participate in Operation Blue Devil in order to push their boundaries and exit their comfort zones. They boarded a bus on a Friday evening and over the course of two days, slept in both a barracks room and in sleeping bags underneath ponchos in the woods of one of Fort Bragg’s premier training sites. They ate military Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs), and experienced the life of a Special Operations Soldier in training. For many of them, it was the first time they attempted to lead diverse groups amidst foreign, dynamic, and ambiguous environments. They attempted to complete “missions” with incomplete information, limited time, and no clear “right” answers.

Some obstacles were higher then others (literally and figuratively).

Starting at 6:00 a.m. Saturday and finishing by 12:00 p.m. Sunday, these brave Fuquans conducted an Army physical fitness test of 2 minutes of pushups, 2 minutes of sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. This was followed by team events which challenged them mentally as well as physically, including exercises in adapting random pieces of equipment (such as wheels, boxes, pipes, and rope) that could serve intended purposes such as transporting 200-pound sand bags, which represented fallen comrades. They also sat in on multiple survival classes, and the event culminated with an after action review that provided invaluable feedback on their overall performance, before boarding a bus and returning to Durham.

Hiking with a 35-pound military backpack.

Physical challenges in a military setting may seem quite straightforward, but it was the mental challenges that were more applicable to future business leaders. It was fascinating to see what happens to a group of high-performers when you deprive them of simple comforts and tire them out with physical activities: reaction times lessen and complex problem solving skills decline. Solving simple math problems may seem beneath these MBA students with high GMAT scores. But after sleeping for only 4 hours, then hiking through the woods with a 35-pound rucksack (military backpack), it can become as complex as differential equations.

From this environment, true leaders arose. Ultimately, the participants emerged with a better grasp of their strengths and weaknesses. And while studying for midterms and preparing casework is important, they are more likely to remember Operation Blue Devil than the particulars of a class they took as the years go by. What matters now is whether they take time for reflection and apply what they’ve learned or allow it to become a simple memory. Were the links between the Special Operation Force’s attributes and Fuqua’s paired principles established in their minds? Could they take a lesson from the experience and apply it to their Fuqua teams or beyond? Did it become one of those transformational events we should all aspire to obtain during our stint at Fuqua? Deep down, after some careful and honest evaluation, only those 19 students will know.

If I met you out on the road or at one of our campus events, you’re likely to have heard me talk about the “black box” of Admissions. Applications go into the box, and decisions come out. What happens in the middle is unclear to anyone outside of the Admissions Committee. It causes much trepidation on behalf of the applicant — you may wonder, what is Fuqua looking for, and why are they asking me that?

At Fuqua, we do everything we can to demystify the admissions process. We want to help our applicants to understand what we are seeking so that you can first determine whether or not our programs are the best fit for you, and then you can put your best foot forward for the application. So let’s break down the application to provide some insight into not just what, but why we ask for what we do.

Academic Readiness

We utilize your GMAT or GRE scores, academic record, and work experience relevant to our coursework to answer one fundamental question — Will you be successful in our classrooms? The pace of the MBA program is incredibly fast. I know — I went through the Daytime MBA program, and we covered the material from my semester-long undergraduate accounting course in the first two classes at Fuqua! When you are balancing rigorous courses with your career search, leading clubs and activities, and your personal commitments, you simply must have the intellectual horsepower and quantitative aptitude to be successful. We do not want you to study 24-7. We want you to network, pursue your career and personal passions, and grow into a stronger leader and team player. If your academic background and tests are not a strong reflection of your academic aptitude, I encourage you to consider taking additional course(s) such as statistics, finance, and accounting, as success in them will demonstrate your aptitude as well as build a stronger foundation for your coursework at Fuqua.

Work Experience

We assess your work experience to answer two questions: Will your classmates learn from you? Will your past experience + our program translate well into your future aspirations? The learning in the classroom is not gained simply from the professor sharing his or her knowledge, but rather the students share their personal experiences and insights. Every class involves discussion and team assignments during which classmates share their best practices and ask thought-provoking questions. So, from an admissions perspective,  we assess the quality of your previous professional experiences, including how you progressed compared to your peer group, whether you have team and leadership experiences to draw upon,  if you’ve been exposed to diverse industries/functions/geographies, and whether you had the opportunity to dive deep into specific fields. Both depth and breadth are valued, and in choosing the cohort for the program, we ultimately aim to build a microcosm of the world in our classrooms through the experiences and perspectives of our students. Your resume will be our roadmap to your professional experience, so be certain that it is understandable to those outside of your industry, is impact-focused, and allocates space to the experiences that you value most.

Recommendations

How does an unbiased third party assess your performance as compared to your peers? Your two professional recommendations provide the Admissions Committee with the opportunity to understand your performance and contributions in a professional environment, through the voice of those who have worked with you closely (either in a professional setting or in community activities) and who have insight into your strengths and development areas. For your recommendations, it’s important to choose someone who knows you well, rather than someone with a big title. Preferably, recommendations can be from a supervisor or senior colleague who will take the time to provide a detailed, thoughtful recommendation with specific examples. Prepare your recommenders so that they understand why you are applying to Fuqua, and how their recommendation can highlight specific aspects of your experience and personality that are not contained elsewhere in your application. DO NOT ghost write your recommendations. DO give your recommenders plenty of time and thank them for their support. If you are unable to ask your current supervisor for a recommendation because they do not know of your business school plans, simply explain this in the optional application essay.

Leadership & Involvement

At Fuqua, a notable portion of your learning and development will happen outside of the formal classroom setting. We want to know — Will you be engaged in the community, share and pursue your passions, and make an impact at Fuqua and in the places where you live and work in the future? Your past activities and involvement — the things that you chose to do, rather than what was required for work or school, are the best indication of your potential future impact as a Leader of Consequence. Take the time to complete the leadership and involvement section of the online application, and in your essays share your passions and how you have committed yourself to them. Also be certain to mention your future aspirations about making an impact.

Essays

The essays are where you truly come alive, and where you have the opportunity to weave your application together into your personal story. Who are you as a 3-dimensional person? What are your passions and aspirations? If there are gaps in your resume or potential areas of confusion, have they been addressed? We really get to know you through your essays, and we were proud to be voted last year as the school who knew its applicants best (survey conducted by Huron Education). We LOVED the 25 random things essay that we incorporated last year as it truly provides applicants with the opportunity to share a wide range of interests and insight into who they really are, and we are excited to continue with this essay. (Check out the blog I wrote last year about the 25 random things essay.) Please, be genuine and passionate in your response to this essay — take ownership for your accomplishments and blemishes, and aim to provide the Admissions Committee with a holistic understanding of you, what has made you who you are, and what you hope to be.

Interview

Will others want to be on your team? Will you impress our recruiters and faculty? Will you make us proud as an alumnus/a? Why is the Daytime MBA program, with its incredibly cohesive and collaborative community and its focus on empowering our students to lead and make an impact at the school and beyond the right program for you? These are the key questions that our interviewers aim to answer through speaking with you personally. Our interviewers are current students and alumni who are tightly tied to our community, and they help to identify those who will carry on their legacy. The interview is a two-way street, though. It is also a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about the program and the student experience. So be prepared with your own questions. For more insight, read the blog post I wrote specifically on the interview process.

Ultimately, the application evaluation process is a holistic process. Your application will be read at least twice, and will go through multiple committee discussions. You will have the opportunity to interact with our students, alumni, and admissions officers either in person or virtually. Our hope is that we will each have a mutual understanding of who you are as an applicant, and how Fuqua and our community will cultivate you into the Leader of Consequence that you aspire to be. The admissions process is not a black box. You are engaged in the entire process, and we look forward to getting to know you! Learn more about the Daytime MBA application process, and contact us if you have any questions.

To announce which MBA program we’d be joining, we posted this picture of our daughter Surrey on Facebook. Go Duke!

By far, my favorite application essay to write was Fuqua’s “25 Random Things About Me.” However, I was surprised to talk to other applicants and hear how difficult many found the essay to write. My advice for those of you struggling with this non-traditional essay is to just have fun! This is a great and unique opportunity to show your interests, personality, and what sets you apart as a person.

I’m pretty confident that after reading my first blog (The Top 10 Reasons Why I Chose Fuqua), you thought to yourself, “Wow, this Trevor McKinnon sounds like an awesome guy. I wish I could get to know him better.” Well, it’s your lucky day! Below are some random things about me, and although this is not the same list I submitted as part of my application, it should give you the gist:

1. I was born in the US, raised in the UK, and have citizenship in both countries.

2. I played alto saxophone in a jazz nightclub in Prague.

3. My daughter’s name is Surrey. No, not because of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter (Suri) and not because of the iPhone app (Siri), but because Surrey is where I grew up in England. And yes, people ask me those 2 questions all the time.

4. Surrey is spoiled: she had been to Disneyland more than 10 times before the age of 18 months, even though she’s never lived in California. My wife is from Orange County, so we would visit her family frequently while living in Utah, which always included multiple trips to Disneyland to get the most out of our season passes.

Just before launching out onto the Zambezi River, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

5. I played basketball and volleyball in multiple European countries. Since I attended a private international school in the U.K., our school teams would play other similar internationals schools in cities like Frankfurt, Brussels, Vienna, Athens, and Paris.

6. I don’t drink alcohol, and never have.

7. I’m a huge fan of BYU sports. When Jabari Parker picked Duke over BYU during last year’s basketball season, I was devastated. However, my feelings completely reversed once I chose Duke, too.

8. I went whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River in Africa.

Nervously petting a cheetah in Namibia, Africa.

9. I love the Beatles and enjoy talking about music for hours on end.

10. I kissed the Blarney Stone twice. Given that I’m fairly introverted, it seems the two kisses canceled each other out and left me without “the gift of gab” the stone promises.

11. I was married in San Diego, CA, on December 19, 2009.

12. I petted a “domesticated” cheetah in Namibia, Africa.

13. My favorite movie is “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

A wedding-day picture in San Diego, California.

14. I put Tabasco sauce or crushed chili peppers on almost everything I eat.

15. I learned and became fluent in Spanish while living in Canada for two years during an ecclesiastical mission for my church.

16. One of the most relaxing and serene activities I’ve participated in was skydiving. Really.

17. When I lived in Boston, the room I rented had previously been occupied by the actor Chris O’Donnell. In addition, Andy Kaufman, Mark Walberg, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, and Matt Damon had all previously lived in the house at one point, since the owner was Matt Damon’s godfather. Unfortunately, I have yet to personally meet any of them.

18. I am a terrible artist but have a real talent for Facebook Graffiti, oddly enough.

19. I went scuba diving with dolphins in the Red Sea. It was incredible.

20. I was the organist in my church congregation for 3 years, although I never took organ lessons.

Meet the Drabble Family – the main characters in my father-in-law’s comic strip.

21. Being a dad is the best thing ever. Currently, we just have the one daughter, Surrey, but hope to have more children in the future.

22. I love reading trivia and memorizing random facts, which comes in handy when my wife and I watch Jeopardy.

23. In the summer, I go through roughly one box of Otter Pops (popsicles) each week, leaving the blue ones.

24. When I was 18, I saw one of my musical heroes, Van Morrison, in concert. I’m pretty sure I was the youngest person in attendance by about 25 years.

25. My father-in-law is a nationally syndicated cartoonist and the creator of Drabble. I’m not sure if I should be proud or embarrassed that I have been the inspiration for several of the strip’s punch lines.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you to prepare for your MBA experience is to get used to acronyms. Apparently, MBA students are so busy that we don’t have time to speak in complete sentences and rely on acronyms and abbreviations to save us precious seconds in conversation. One such acronym is WIC. When I first heard that there would be WIC trips during fall break, I was confused. A Google search for clarification only added to the confusion. So what is WIC?

Week-in-Cities: Consulting in Dallas

WIC stands for Week-in-Cities, which are mini trips organized by various student clubs to cities across the country during school breaks. Each Week-in-Cities trip has an industry focus, and students visit a handful of companies and firms that could potentially offer internship and/or full-time employment opportunities.

Fuqua MBA and MMS students at the McKinsey-hosted dinner in Dallas during Week-in-Cities.

Since I’m interested in consulting, I participated in the Dallas Consulting WIC trip during Fall Break (October 20-27). Like most excursions, mine was organized by 2 first-year students, who helped to arrange lodging, transportation, and most importantly, made sure that we had great companies to visit. Our group was on the smaller side, comprised of 19 full-time MBA first-year students, one MMS student, and one Cross Continent MBA student.

Like most students in our group, I flew into Dallas on Wednesday night. I spent the first few days of break relaxing with my family in Durham and catching up on some sleep. Most students flew in from other cities, after visiting family and friends in their hometowns, and others had attended other WIC trips earlier in the week. About half of the group was staying at the same hotel (with the rest staying with friends or family in the area), so those who arrived in time went out for dinner, explored the city, and got a good night’s sleep.

Day 1: PwC, Sightseeing & McKinsey

On Thursday morning, we all met outside of PricewaterhouseCoopers. We were given breakfast and then a presentation about the company, their Advisory (consulting) practice, and why Dallas is a great place to live and work. Following the presentation, there was time to network, ask questions of the employees who had volunteered to join us that morning, and then tour the office.

After visiting PwC, we had a few hours to explore the city. Some classmates spent the afternoon strolling around the Arts District, grabbing food, working on pre-term work for Fall Term 2 classes, or just relaxing. I had rented a car with another first-year student, so we made a little trip to a local BBQ place that was recommended by some Dallas locals, spent some time exploring uptown, and visited SMU’s campus, including the George W. Presidential Library and Museum. The museum had a life-size, fully furnished replica of the Oval Office circa President George W. Bush’s tenure, so it’s almost like we got to visit Washington, D.C., too.

That evening, we had dinner with consultants from McKinsey. The evening was fairly informal, giving us the chance to connect with consultants and partners from the Dallas office, most of whom had flown back to the city after being with their clients during the week. We learned more about the culture and expectations of the firm, and following dinner, we joined them for drinks at a nearby establishment, where we met more consultants and analysts.

Day 2: Bain, BCG & Accenture

The next morning, we visited Bain’s office, which was decked out in festive Halloween decorations for a family party, which was to be held later that evening. Since the life of a consultant typically includes traveling Monday through Thursday and being in the office on Friday, there were plenty of employees who we had the chance to meet following their formal presentation. We also received personalized office tours.

After Bain, we had a few hours to explore the city a little more. I joined a small group that visited Klyde Warren Park, where there were a plethora of trendy food trucks, a kids’ playground, and lots of magazines, newspapers, and board games that could be used for free.

We then went to BCG’s office, which was also decorated for a family Halloween party. Again, we were treated to a presentation about the company, office, and city over lunch, and then given the chance to tour the office and network with employees, many of whom were Fuqua alumni.

Our final visit of the day was to Accenture, which was located about 15 minutes from downtown Dallas, in nearby Irving. They invited many of their senior management to join us in a Happy Hour in their building, following a presentation about their company and an office tour. Accenture was the final corporate visit of the trip.

A few in our group had flights out that evening, while most stuck around until Saturday or Sunday. My roommate and I grabbed some more BBQ and then headed back to our hotel to watch BYU crush Boise State in football. Since I knew that things would pick up and become very busy again with the new term starting on the following Monday, I took the earliest flight I could on Saturday (6:30 am – ouch!), so I could enjoy most of the weekend with my wife and daughter.

Why WIC?

So now that I’ve gone beyond simply understanding what WIC stands for and actually went on a WIC trip, was it worth it? Definitely. For one, it gave me the chance to visit the offices of various firms that I’m recruiting for and get a better sense for what makes each one unique. Actually being in their buildings and talking with their employees helped me better understand their values and culture, and identify the firms that best align with my personal and career objectives.

In addition, we were able to network with and talk to far more people than we can during on-campus presentations. Since our group was small, we were able to get a lot more face-time with the people that we will (hopefully) be working closely with this summer and beyond.

Furthermore, excluding a previous flight overlay in Dallas-Fort Worth, I had never visited Dallas before. During the WIC trip, I was able to explore the city, the surrounding areas, meet local people, ask about places to live, and taste the local cuisine. Since many consulting firms recruit for specific offices, rather than at a national/corporate level, it’s important to know which city you want to recruit for and live and work in.

Lastly, I got to meet a lot of other first-year students who I hadn’t had the chance to get to know previously. Although we’re all hoping to land internships with these companies, being together and becoming better friends has helped us band together and help each other during the recruiting process. Since the trip, we’ve already discussed our thoughts on the companies, shared ideas to prepare for interviews, and were doing all we can to collectively succeed.

Week-in-Cities, in my opinion, was a great opportunity and definitely worth it. Although I am not attending a WIC trip during this winter break while many of my classmates are, I am glad I was able to participate in October. Now, when you join Team Fuqua, you’ll be able to avoid the embarrassment I had, and know exactly what’s going on when WIC is first announced.

Guest Blogger: Richard Bethune, second-year Daytime MBA student.

As Co-President of the Duke MBA Energy Club and a second-year MBA student with a passion for energy finance, I was thrilled to see two exciting developments occur this past summer. First, energy banker Ralph Eads donated $5.5 million to Duke, most of which will fund Duke Energy Initiative programs and an energy finance professorship. Second, Fuqua announced the creation of the Energy Finance Concentration partly because of the energy club’s lobbying efforts including our well-attended energy finance speaker series last spring. I jumped at the opportunity to enroll in the new Energy Finance Concentration courses because I came to Fuqua to take advantage of the school’s already fantastic combination of finance and energy offerings.

Energy finance involves general finance topics such as mergers and acquisitions along with specialized topics such as Master Limited Partnerships, solar leasing, and project finance. It involves some basic science and engineering knowledge. It is a hot topic now because the United States and other countries are undergoing seismic changes in how they generate power and produce oil and gas. These changes are leading to hundreds of billions of dollars in merger and acquisition activity and value creation opportunities. Energy firms and their advisors are desperate for MBAs with the financial and scientific knowledge to understand and capture these opportunities.

New MBA Courses Provide Detailed Insight & Path to Opportunity

Key faculty support for last year’s energy finance speaker series came from former J.P. Morgan banker John Buley, who is Director of Fuqua’s Center for Financial Excellence. He is also supporting the concentration by co-teaching the new Project Finance course with Professor Vish Viswanathan, which I plan to take in the Spring Term 2. We will study large-scale infrastructure projects that rely mainly on the cash flows generated by the projects to repay loans and earn a return on investment for equity investors. I just completed a couple of energy finance case studies for Vish’s Advanced Corporate Finance course, and I look forward to covering these topics in greater detail during the spring course.

Other new courses for the Energy Finance Concentration include a seminar series led by Dan Vermeer, Executive Director of Fuqua’s Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment (EDGE). I took his two-term course in the fall, which included a fascinating variety of speakers, from a Siemens smart grid executive to the former CEO of mining giant Rio Tinto. It was great to understand the energy finance challenges faced by some of the largest corporations in the world.

In addition, an academic travel program was added that’s focused on energy. The in-class portion of the program was led by the former U.S. Ambassador to oil-rich Venezuela, Patrick Duddy. Students heard from some great guest speakers in Durham before traveling to speak with energy policy experts in Washington, D.C., and drilling experts in shale gas-rich Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was glad the class was able to visit EQT Corporation, the natural gas company where I completed my energy finance internship this past summer. Previous energy banking experience and my involvement in the Energy Club demonstrated to EQT that I had the experience and interest in energy to succeed as an MBA intern. My Fuqua finance, accounting, and energy courses prepared me to raise equity capital, analyze the pension, and model natural gas well production for EQT.

I am excited about the Energy Finance Concentration because it gives me the opportunity to develop hard finance skills in courses like Corporate Finance and Derivatives while better understanding the science and business of energy in courses such as the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP). In the FCCP course, I joined a team of students to consult on a commercial energy efficiency program for the Alliance to Save Energy. Tremendous innovations in renewable energy and oil and gas are creating many jobs for MBAs at investment banks, consultancies, utilities, clean tech VCs, energy conglomerates, renewable energy firms, and oil and gas corporations. I believe the Energy Finance Concentration gives me an edge in the job search.

Note: The following article was originally published in the Fuqua in East Asia blog. The original article can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Guest Blogger: Shu Hong, second-year student and China Admissions Ambassador.

I am Shu Hong, a second-year Duke Daytime MBA student at Fuqua and a China Admissions Ambassador for this year. Working closely with Admissions and coordinating interviews in China brings back memories of my own business school admissions process. Prior to deciding to apply to Fuqua, you’ve likely learned a lot about the school, community, and culture through various channels including: following the official Fuqua Weibo account, reading Daytime student blogs, attending information sessions, and  talking to admission officers, alumni, or current students at admissions events.

Here are some more tips as you work on your application:

1. If you have talked to any admission officers, alumni, or current students, be sure to mention their names, together with what you’ve learned from your conversation with them, in your essays.
2. Leave enough time to prepare for the essays. After the first draft, let them “cool” for a while, and then begin revising. If you happen to know any alumni or current students, you may find it helpful to ask their suggestions.
3. If you are waitlisted, keep us updated on your job status, exam scores, or other big changes. Do not hesitate to share with us any significant news, promotions, or improvements.

In the spirit of essay writing, I would like to share 25 random things about me with you:

1. When I was 12 years old, my father changed my first name from “姝” (beauty) to “書” (academic). Although the Chinese pronunciation remained the same, this change aptly characterized his high hopes and motivated me to live up to them.
2. My hometown is in the northernmost province of China. It is adjacent to Russia and famous for the heavy snow during winters.
3. From first grade to fourth grade, I assisted a classmate in a wheelchair with a variety of tasks from washing her hands to retrieving her textbooks, through which we developed a beautiful friendship. This experience taught me the joy of giving at an early age, and prompted me to continue helping others in need. Currently, through the Net Impact Club, I enjoy contributing back to the community.
4. I love all kinds of food — Chinese, Mexican, Italian, French, etc. Whenever I come to a new city, the first places I go are restaurants and grocery stores.
5. I have practiced Chinese Calligraphy since I was 7. I can still remember some of the movements and show off to my friends from time to time.

Read Shu Hong’s full list on the Fuqua in East Asia blog.

When evaluating business schools to apply to, I was actually first drawn to the Fuqua application because of the 25 Random Things essay. I thought this essay question really differentiated Fuqua from the other schools — here was a school that wanted to get to know the real me, and not the perfectly scripted essay version of me. It was through this essay prompt that I got my first glimpse of how much Fuqua cares about its students. I love how unique and ambiguous the prompt is, as it really gave me the opportunity to show Fuqua what makes me uniquely me and describe how I would fit into the Team Fuqua culture. This essay was one of my favorite things to ever write, and I hope you enjoy writing your version of the essay, too.

Here are 6 of my favorite random things about me:

1. I wrote my undergraduate college admissions essay about Hello Kitty, and was accepted into every school I applied to. My personal statement was about my imaginary best friend Hello Kitty who shaped me into the person I grew up to be. Now, the billion-dollar kitty phenomenon is my role model — the Sanrio business model is gloriously brilliant.
2. My life motto is “you can only reach as high as you dream, so dream bigger!”
3. I’m allergic to coffee. But I’m very addicted to sugar …
4. I have eaten dessert (usually multiple times) every single day for as long as I can remember. Dessert is my obsession and passion — it’s literally a part of me. After all, you are what you eat!
5. I told everyone in high school and college that I would be on the Food Network one day. And I was! Fifteen months after college graduation I won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars.
6. My favorite restaurant is in Beijing, my favorite dessert is in Seoul, my favorite hotel is in Bangkok, and my favorite city is Taipei. But home is where the heart is, and that’s Los Angeles.

Guest Blogger: Kelsey McKinnon, Fuqua Families Co-President

The MBA experience is a wild ride. For two short years, students are engulfed in a whirlwind of learning, recruiting, and networking, all in pursuit of their dreams. To ensure success in the end, it is imperative that students begin by choosing the right program for them. This decision would be difficult enough if a student only had him or herself to consider, but add spouses/partners and children to the mix and you’ve got something even more complex. Because the choice of which school to attend impacts the entire family, the prospective student’s partner becomes a large factor in the decision-making process.

I know this from personal experience. I’m the wife of Trevor McKinnon, a first-year MBA student and blogger at Fuqua. We moved to Durham in July from across the country with our (then) 16-month old daughter. We left family and friends behind in pursuit of a stellar education for my husband and endless opportunities for our family. But I can’t say that the decision to attend Duke was simple. My husband was accepted to several MBA programs, and while we were grateful for that, it definitely made things complicated for us. After lots of research, pro/con lists, and deep thinking, we eventually made the decision to attend Fuqua—a decision that I haven’t regretted for even a moment. And now that I’m here, I’d be delighted to break down the main reasons I cast my vote for Duke:

• Trick-or-Treating with other
  Fuqua families

  There is absolutely no denying that Fuqua is elite. Frankly, I figured that if I was going to make the sacrifices involved with supporting my husband through the rigor of an MBA program, I should be sure we would get as much out of the experience as possible. Fuqua boasts top-rate faculty, connections, and an unparalleled education that prepares students to succeed in the business-world, whatever their goals. It’s wonderful not having to worry if we’ll regret this move 10 years from now. Fuqua is a top-10 program, for goodness sake. And, I mean, it’s Duke. You just can’t go wrong.

• Fuqua values families. I can’t imagine anything worse than having Trevor attend a program this intense that didn’t take good care of his loved ones. In doing our research, we couldn’t find a school that we felt matched Fuqua in terms of inclusiveness of partners and families. For one thing, Fuqua holds an event each week called “Fuqua Friday.” Basically, every Friday night all students and their families gather together in the Fox Center for a big catered meal. They even have a special room dedicated for the families with small children that includes child-friendly food and fun toys. So even during a particularly busy week, I always know I’ll have a fun Friday night with my husband, daughter, and our friends (and I don’t have to cook! Score!).
• In addition, Fuqua has two separate groups dedicated to students’ families: The Fuqua Partners Association and Fuqua Families. The Partners do tons of things together including weekly lunches and other activities. They make sure everyone is included with regular emails about upcoming events. And the Fuqua Families host monthly events and semi-annual parties for partners and their children to enjoy. And if that’s not enough, partners are also welcome to participate in many of the student clubs here at Fuqua! Basically I have realized that if I want to be active in this community, there are always things to do.

  Visiting Ganyard Hill Farms, October’s
  Fuqua Family outing

  I’ve loved the social aspect of Fuqua so much that I’ve even decided to take on a co-chair position for the Fuqua Families club for 2014. It’s something that was originally way out of my comfort zone, but I have felt so blessed by the Fuqua Partners and Fuqua Families clubs the past few months, as they have offered me the friendship and support that I so needed during this transition. Therefore, it has become so important to me that I “pay it forward” and make sure that the incoming families are equally taken care of so they can enjoy their experience here as much as I have.

• As much fun as a big city would be, let’s face it, my toddler has a lot of energy, and I have a lot of clothes. I wasn’t anxious to live in a shoebox. That’s why the cost of living in Durham was oh-so appealing to me. Our apartment doesn’t exactly rival Neuschwanstein castle, but we have plenty of space for our family at an affordable price. And when it comes down to it, the lower we can keep those delightful student loans, the better.
• To continue my ode-to-Durham, let’s chat about all the fun things there are to do here. Since I’m from California, this moving-all-the-way-to-Durham business was quite daunting. But guess what? It’s great. Truly! I’ve been shocked at the long list of fun activities to keep us busy here. As a mother, I appreciate the beautiful (and numerous) parks, the children’s museums, libraries, kids’ classes, etc. My husband and I have also appreciated all the unique and delicious eateries in the area. Don’t feel overwhelmed though, because the Fuqua Partner’s Association will send you a list of suggestions for everything from restaurants to dry cleaners before you arrive. But in the meantime, here’s a wonderful blog with long lists of things to do (bonus—they’re categorized! Double bonus—many of them have reviews!). In fact, some of my friends here have even started creating their own “Durham Bucket Lists,” of things they want to do before their time here is up. Who knew Durham was so cool? You know you want in on the action!
• There’s a J. Crew Warehouse about 3 hours from Durham. Girls trip, anyone?

• Attending a Duke basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium

  Team Fuqua. I know I’m not the student, but Team Fuqua became a big selling point for me when choosing a school. I believe there is so much value in this idea. Fuqua doesn’t want their students to be sharks. The environment isn’t meant to be as cut-throat or dog-eat-dog as other programs may be. The students here work hard as a team to succeed together. How refreshing! Call me naïve, but I like to think that Trevor will be able to succeed in the world and still exert kindness and be a team player. I love that he is being prepared to be that kind of a leader—one of consequence and integrity, as opposed to one that only cares about his own success.

• Fit. I can’t stress this enough. It’s gotta feel right. You can do all your research, make all your lists, and talk it through a million times, but nothing will convince you to come to Fuqua more than the gut feeling that it’s right. That’s why I highly recommend that prospective students (and their partners, if possible) try to visit campus at some point. My husband and I took a trip to Durham while we were in the process of making a decision, and that’s ultimately what decided things for us. From the moment I stepped onto this gorgeous campus I felt like this was our place. Talking with people that day and exploring further only confirmed this feeling, and by the end of our trip we knew where we would be spending the next two years of our lives. We haven’t looked back. If you can’t visit, try chatting with some current students or alumni to get a better feel for the environment here!

Being an MBA partner certainly has its challenges. Aside from all the things going on in our own lives, we’re also supporting our student through an incredibly demanding educational experience. That’s why I believe it is essential to make the right choice about which school to attend. After all our research, Trevor and I found that Fuqua was, without a doubt, the best place for each member of our family to thrive. I have absolutely loved my experience in Durham so far, and I can’t wait to see what doors Fuqua will open for us, and what the future holds. Join me in this crazy adventure!

As a second year with only two months left in Durham (after returning from studying abroad in Singapore), I realize that there are quite a few things about this city that I’m going to miss when I move to Pennsylvania after graduation. Now, if someone would have asked me 2 years ago when I was a prospective student “Why do you want to go to Fuqua?”, living in Durham wouldn’t have been one of my reasons. While it definitely isn’t NYC or Chicago, it’s not trying to be, and that’s what I love about it. Durham (and North Carolina in general) has a culture and a pace all its own, and here are 10 examples of why I’m so glad I chose to live in this part of the country for grad school:

Entertainment                    Good Food and Drink                  Action                         Sports

Housing Options                Museums                                   Friends                       Relaxing

Shopping                           Travel

Entertainment:

Whether you’re interested in Broadway shows, concerts, or comedy, Durham has something for you. Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) has the best shows Broadway has to offer, and there’s even a student discount! The Carolina Theater is also home to comedy shows and musical acts and is located in the heart of downtown. My classmates and I have had a ton of fun seeing Bon Jovi and Macklemore at PNC Arena in Raleigh, which is where all of the major touring acts go when they’re in town. It is also home to the Carolina Hurricanes, our local NHL team, and an annual rodeo. During the spring, summer, and fall, one of my favorite venues is the Booth Amphitheater in Cary. Coordinating a bus to take you there for a concert should be on every Fuqua student’s bucket list.

Good Food and Drink:

Durham is abuzz with the “farm-to-table” and small plates craze, so you won’t miss out on the culinary trends that are sweeping across the country while studying at Fuqua. Local restaurants like Mateo’s, Piedmont, and Bull City Burger bring excitement to Durham’s culinary scene and offer a great place to unwind after completing a week of projects and midterms. If you’re looking for more classic dishes and a casual atmosphere, my favorite places are Dain’s Place and Elmo’s Diner on 9^th Street, along with Alivia’s Bistro right on Main Street.

A great microbrewery scene in Durham is something I didn’t anticipate before starting at Fuqua. Triangle Brewery, Fullsteam (started by a Fuqua alumnus!), Red Oak, and Foothills are all beers brewed within an hour of Durham and are offered at most restaurants around town.

Action:

If you’re a fan of outdoor activities, whether running, golfing, hiking, biking, or team sports like soccer, there are plenty of opportunities around Durham. The American Tobacco Trail, Duke Forest, and Washington Duke Trail give runners and walkers alike green space to decompress after a long night of studying, and with plenty of road races around the area like the Tar Heel 10-miler, Bull City Classic, and Raleigh Rock n’ Roll Marathon, there’s always a reason to get in shape.

Business school is the perfect time to perfect (or start working on) your golf swing, and Durham offers courses ranging from beginner to expert, all within minutes from campus, which is something you wouldn’t be able to find near a big city school. Our golf club hosts several events each year at the Washington Duke and Hillandale courses, and my friends and I have played at The Crossings and even UNC’s Finley course.

As for hiking, there are several state parks around the area, and the Smoky Mountain foothills in Asheville are only a 3-hour drive. Eno River is a quick day trip on a fall afternoon and high atop my bucket list is William B. Umstead Park, next to the airport.

For students and partners that are more into team or individual sports like soccer (or fútbol), softball, football, basketball, and badminton, the Duke Rec Center always has intermural leagues taking place. I was on a softball team last year and it was a great way to meet more of my classmates, spend some time outside, and use the glove I’ve had since 1^st grade! Fuqua teams always do well in these leagues, and our basketball team just traveled to Harvard and took 2^nd place in their business school tournament.

Sports:

From college, to amateur, to professional, the Durham area has opportunities for sports fans to take in their fair share of sports games. All Duke sporting events are free with your Duke ID, so if the past two years have been any indication, coming to Fuqua means that you’ll have a front-row seat to one of the ACC’s finest football, lacrosse, soccer, and basketball teams. If those sports don’t keep you busy, you can always catch the beginning or end of the Durham Bulls’ season in their newly renovated stadium. There are student discounts, but buy your tickets early unless you enjoy sitting on the steep grassy hill in the outfield (I’m speaking from experience here).

For those of you interested in watching highly paid individuals play sports, you can do that in Raleigh and Charlotte, which is only a 2-hour drive. Raleigh is home to the Carolina Hurricanes, our NHL team, and Charlotte boasts the Carolina Panthers of the NFL and Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA. Charlotte is also home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and has a race or two each season, which is definitely an experience you don’t want to miss while living in the south.

Housing Options:

Some business schools have students live in dorms on campus and some allow prospective students to find their own housing with minimal assistance. Fuqua is great because there are five main apartment complexes all within a 10-minute drive to school that house the majority of our class. While some students with families opt for living in houses off-campus, one of the four complexes (Station Nine, Trinity Commons, West Village, Lofts at Lakeview, and Alden Place) usually has the right mix of features for most students. I have enjoyed knowing where most of my friends live and I like the fact that since most people are near each other, it is easy to arrange team meetings, group dinners, or parties. Not to mention, the convenience of being able to drive from place to place beats waiting around for public transportation, especially in the winter!

Shopping:

I’ve never been the biggest fashionista on the planet, but I do know that Durham is a good place to be if you somehow have some spare funds leftover from your previous job or summer internship. Every store you could possibly need from Nordstrom to Crate & Barrel to the Cheesecake Factory is available at The Streets at Southpoint, a 15-minute drive from campus.

If you’re more creative and more hip than me, you’d definitely be interested in the boutique shops around Durham and Chapel Hill. It seems like there are more popping up each day, so I can’t keep track of them, but some of my personal favorites are Magpie Boutique, STeP, and vert & vogue, all of which are near East Campus or right downtown. It’s customary for our Luxury Brand and Retail Club to have an open house at one of these boutiques where Fuqua students can browse at our own pace and even have a glass of champagne, so make sure to watch out for that event on our internal website, Campus Groups!

Museums:

Whenever I get to be too stressed with school, extracurricular activities, or recruiting, Durham and Raleigh offer several escapes in the form of wonderful museums where I can get lost in beautiful works of art, whether it is contemporary, traditional, or a mix of both.

The closest option for all of us is the Nasher Museum of Art located on Duke’s campus. It is free for students and always has interesting special exhibitions (and its café is delicious!). If you have more time, the North Carolina Museum of Art is located in downtown Raleigh. General admission is free (with some exhibits requiring paid admission) and is host to renowned permanent collections. If you’re a science buff when you’re not being a business school student, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh and the Museum of Life and Science in Durham are also great options for a few hours away from finance and operations assignments. They also have adult-only events every month or so, which gives Fuqua students an even bigger excuse to visit. Not interested in art or science? Check out this website to see all of the great museums Fuqua students have at our fingertips.

Travel:

One of my favorite things about business school is the fact that we get quite a few breaks throughout the year. Fall break, winter break, spring break, you name it, we get a week or two or three, off – it’s great! And Durham is a perfect place to have all of those breaks because you there are so many trips you can take for a week or even just for a long weekend. Charleston, Savannah, Asheville, Washington DC, Virginia Beach, and the Outer Banks are only six options that are located less than five hours away. Not to mention, Raleigh-Durham International Airport has direct flights to just about everywhere, which makes traveling for interviews or for pleasure all the more enjoyable. I’ve been able to fly to Nashville, Los Angeles, Boston, Houston, New York, Chicago, and Cleveland nonstop – there’s even a direct flight to London!

Friends:

My friend group is my favorite thing about being in Durham. Because we’re not in a large city, everyone is centrally located within a 15-mile radius.We also didn’t come to Fuqua with plenty of local friends in the area, which means we get to build relationships with each other. I have met a vast array of friends during my time at Fuqua, including close friends from Boston, D.C., L.A., Chapel Hill, Tucson, Monterrey, South Korea, Shanghai, and Istanbul. This diversity is definitely not what I expected prior to b-school because I thought it would be like college where all of my friends had very similar backgrounds as me.

We host dinner parties together, go on group runs, try new restaurants and see movies – there’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful to have so many great friends, but also the ability to learn about other cultures and even have a place to stay when I’m traveling overseas. Of everything I’ll miss after graduation and even while I’m studying abroad, not seeing all of the friendly faces in the hall every day will be the hardest with which to come to terms.

Relaxing:

Durham is also a great place to be if you just want some “me” time or want to get away from the chaos that lends itself to the business school lifestyle. The Retreat at Brightleaf is a popular day spa in downtown Durham along with Bella Trio. For students that choose yoga as their primary form of relaxation, there is no shortage of studios, plus you can even take free classes at the Wilson Rec Center or Brodie Gym on campus! The Durham Yoga Company, Blue Point Yoga Center, and Bikram Yoga Durham all have a large class selection from which to choose that fits into any MBA student’s schedule.

What does the typical day of an MBA student look like? That’s one of the biggest questions I had as I was preparing to enroll at Fuqua. I had heard snippets from current and past students about what types of activities they were involved in, but I still wasn’t entirely sure how a full day would be. Would I be in a team room most of the day? How much time would be spent networking? What time commitment do classes require?

As I’m preparing to return for my second year at Fuqua, I have a much better understanding of what to expect each day. However, that doesn’t mean that every day is the same – in fact, far from it. The biggest differences I’ve noticed occur from term to term as changes in activities and priorities shift depending on the time of year. For example, in my experience, Fall Term I had a heavier academic focus, and Fall Term II was shifted more to recruiting. Spring Term I allowed me to devote more time to my family and social activities, and Spring Term II was focused on leadership as the mantle for club leadership and Fellow positions shifted from second-year to first-year students. For that reason, I think it’s most helpful to read a variety of “Day in the Life” articles from various students at different times of the year, to better get a sense of what to expect when you arrive.

Here’s what a Tuesday in Spring II looked like for me as a first-year student:

7:15 a.m. – Wake up and get ready for the day. My two-year-old daughter normally gets up around this time too, so I’m able to help get her ready. Like most days, I make breakfast for the family (today is a green smoothie), say goodbye to the wife and kid, and drive to Duke.

8:30 a.m. – I head to the library. I spend the morning responding to emails about group projects and club involvement. I also glance over the case for my Emerging Markets class, to remind myself of the main points of it before class starts. Although I have until Thursday before my other class assignments are due, I also spend this time working on a case for my Decision Models class in preparation for a team meeting later in the day.

10:15 a.m. – Before going to class, I swing by the Admissions lounge to pick up prospective students who are interested in observing a class. First-year students play an important role in the admissions process, by giving campus tours, hosting class visits, serving on Q&A panels, and volunteering at the two Blue Devil Weekends. For prospective students, being able to visit Fuqua and sit in on a live class is an invaluable opportunity to see what an MBA class is like, and determine if Fuqua is the right fit.

10:30 a.m. – Emerging Market Strategy. On Tuesdays and Fridays I only have this class, whereas on Monday and Thursday I have two (Marketing Strategy and Decision Models). In this class session we discuss a case about Vale, a Brazilian diversified metals and mining corporation, and the challenges they recently experienced due to their distance from the Asian market. We also get into a very interesting discussion about the socio-economic trends in China and Brazil, Brazilian politics, and corruption. The class is particularly insightful because it includes a number of students from Brazil. It’s like this for every class. Typically there are multiple students from the country where the case originates — or sometimes even students who know first-hand knowledge about the company — giving additional insights that we might not have considered based on the case materials alone. As an American citizen, I’m definitely in the minority in this class.

12:45 p.m. – I heat some lunch (left-overs from a delicious dinner the night before) and meet up with the other co-president and vice-president of the Latter-day Saint Student Association. All of the club leadership positions are in the process of switching from second-year to first-year students, so this is our kick-off meeting to discuss our goals, plans, budget, and calendar for the upcoming year. Tomorrow we will have a meeting with all of the other club presidents and MBAA cabinet to learn more about our roles in the upcoming year.

2:00 p.m. – Work on Decision Models case. We have our first major case for the class due on Thursday, using decision trees to make a recommendation to a hypothetical client company about whether or not they should sue a competitor or settle out of court. All three of my teammates have prepared beforehand, so we are able to dive right into the analysis stage by weighing the pros and cons of each option and determining where our information might be inaccurate and how that would impact our recommendation. We don’t finish creating the entire PowerPoint presentation, but we assign roles to finish the assignment by our deadline. From here on out, we’ll coordinate through email.

4:30 p.m. – Get home. I’ve made it a goal to be home for dinner, whenever possible. Although there have been some weeks and terms where it’s been much harder to get home for dinner every night, so far the spring has had fewer evening time commitments which means I’m usually home. It’s always nice to walk in the door and hear my daughter shout “Daddy!” as she runs to give me a hug. We spend some time playing together in her room and then the three of us eat the delicious dinner my wife Kelsey prepared. She does an amazing job of holding down the fort, staying active as a co-President of the Fuqua Families club, and supporting me while we’re on this adventure together. After dinner, Kelsey leaves for an event with other friends from Fuqua Partners. I get our daughter ready for bed, do dishes, and clean up.

8:15 p.m. – Call with my Fuqua Buddy. All admitted Fuqua students are assigned a current first-year student as their Fuqua Buddy, who serves as a resource to answer questions and help them make the transition to Duke. With the recent Round 2 admits, I received two buddies to contact, and had set up a phone call with one of them. On the call I answer questions about life as a first-year student and how I made the move across the country last summer.

8:45 p.m. – Homework and preparing for the next day. Even though there are no classes on Wednesdays, it’s often the busiest day of the week, so I try to get as much homework out of the way tonight as possible. I read a few cases and do some practice problems for my classes that are held later in the week. Applications for Admissions Fellows (who help with the admissions process as second-year students  — primarily by conducting interviews) are due in a few days, so I complete that application. I respond to a few emails and call it a night around 1 a.m.

As a student at Fuqua, I am privileged to have the opportunity to learn from amazing professors in the classroom and then apply that knowledge outside the classroom. I recently had the opportunity to further develop my marketing skills by representing Fuqua at the Elite Eight Brand Management Case Competition.

My journey started when the Marketing Club hosted an on-campus competition to allow teams to practice their casing skills. I formed a team (the “Marketing Mavens”) with four first-year sectionmates also interested in marketing so that we could all gain additional real-world experience together. We had a great time brainstorming and forming our marketing plan and presented the plan the following day. To all of our surprise, we won the internal Fuqua competition and were picked to move on to the Elite Eight competition in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The five of us (Nicole Barefoot, Megan Margel, Tammy Lee, Kristi Conklin, and I) were so honored to represent Fuqua alongside some of the best marketing programs in the country. When we arrived in Minneapolis, we were tasked with creating a full marketing strategy for a new healthcare product hitting the market next year. As none of us had healthcare marketing experience, this was a big challenge for us. We had to learn all about the disease the product would address before creating the plan to market it.

Two long days later, after many cups of coffee, we were ready to present our plan. During the presentation, each of us brought something different to the table and our unique combination of skills allowed us to deliver a presentation and plan we were proud of. In the spirit of Team Fuqua, we also had a lot of fun, taking this learning opportunity to get to know each other better.

While we ultimately did not win the competition, we came away feeling like we had done our very best and represented Fuqua well. Case competitions are very valuable, as they provide an opportunity for students to apply their newly acquired MBA knowledge to a real company and gain realistic feedback on their performance. I know our team is grateful to have had the chance to represent Fuqua.

The post What You Can Learn from Case Competitions appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.

When I walked into Duke’s innovation center, “The Bullpen,” to participate in the Fuqua Net Impact club’s inaugural Social Impact Startup Weekend, I had no idea what to expect. Many of the participants were students from graduate schools across Duke, some were from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and others were local working professionals. We made small talk while gorging on the pizza, and we all wondered how this disjointed group of young adults from various programs and experiences were going to somehow spin our social enterprise ideas in just 36 hours.

And to my amazement…we did. In fact, we had SIX great social enterprise ideas—THREE of which are still being worked on today.

So how did we get from small talk and pizza eating to social venture-launching?

1. A totally judgment-free, rapid-fire pitch session composed exclusively of sheets of paper, 60 seconds to explain an idea—followed by a genuine round of applause from the other participants. The environment this quick pitch session created was inclusive, exciting and inspirational—and resulted in the pitch of a number of ideas.
2. Once all concepts were pitched, participants voted on their favorite ideas and teams were formed around the top 6 ideas—ranging from a chemical-free cleaning product, to an experiential education program focused on raising awareness about food waste.
3. Our teams worked around the clock, using every space of whiteboard available in the building to map out how these social venture ideas could fulfill both a social and financial mission.
4. Just 36 hours after the teams were formed, we presented our pitches to a panel of judges. It was incredible to see how far each team had come from blurting our their ideas in the rapid-fire pitch session to talking us through the financial projections and impact measurement metrics associated with their future social ventures.

Though the judges did have to pick just a few winners, I think everyone in attendance would agree the experience was worth much more than the value of the prizes. Individuals who had been ruminating on a certain idea for months or even years got the chance to work with a team to build out that idea and see where it might go. The positive energy and excitement for everyone’s ideas was contagious and even though we were all on different teams, I know we’re all rooting for the success of any one of these ventures to take off and make a change in our community.

Read more about the event here. 

The post Launching Ideas: The Inaugural Social Impact Startup Weekend appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.

From April 7 through 9, 2017, the MBA Chile conference—the most important meeting of Chilean students abroad—was held at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business for the very first time.

The conference brought together more than 150 people including renowned speakers, students and their families from 18 top universities in the United States, including Duke, Harvard, Stanford, UC-Berkeley, Columbia and MIT, among many others.

The process of choosing the host university for this conference year after year is competitive. Each business school presents its project which is voted by the student body. One of the main reasons why Duke won was for our proposal for unity and integration. Committed to the values ​​that inspire our formation, we proposed an inclusive, diverse and high-quality meeting where families felt fully welcomed and incorporated; where students from all universities could contribute their talents to the organization; and where the topics of discussion looked beyond the business world towards the integral development of Chile itself. So it was. A team of more than 40 people from 10 universities led by Duke worked hard to set up the best possible experience for everyone.

Our goal during the three days was to discuss, analyze and look for potential solutions to the main challenges Chile is facing today: how to grow inclusively and reduce inequality; how to foster entrepreneurship and innovation to the next level; how to diversify our productive matrix; how to improve the quality of politics and institutional design; and how to progressively include women in national leadership positions.

To discuss these issues, we had the opportunity to share with 16 exceptional speakers. Among them:

• Fernando Fischman, the founder of the largest unicorn in Chile—Crystal Lagoons—with whom we talked about the challenges of internationalizing Chilean innovations
• Harald Beyer, former minister of education, with whom we discussed how to improve the quality of primary education
• Bernardo Larraín Matte, president of Colbun and business leader, who spoke on the challenges of leadership faced by the company in the face of institutional transformations and new citizen demands
• Cecilia Pérez, former Minister of Government, who talked about how to stimulate the participation of young people in politics and public service

But we also tried to identify our role as future MBA alumni in facing these political, economic and social challenges Chile faces. In this sense, the MBA Chile conference was an opportunity to consolidate lessons from what we have learned here at Duke and Fuqua: the genuine conviction that together we are much more than each person separately; the importance of doing the right thing, as inspired by the idea of leaders of consequence; and the strong commitment to generate a real impact in our context and society.

MBA Chile was also a unique opportunity to strengthen the ties of over 100 students who will lead the country’s destinies in the near future. This network of influencers, consolidated at Duke, will be fundamental to disseminate the appropriate values ​​that will facilitate the building of bridges between the public and private sectors. We are convinced as an organization of the need that exists in Chile to break this false dichotomy between the world of business and public life. Today, more than ever, citizens demand stronger ethical standards and a greater social commitment from firms. We must be prepared to meet that challenge.

Bottom line, the conference was a success, thanks to the hard, dedicated and committed work of several students from multiple universities led by Duke. In the words of students, speakers and sponsors: this was the most comprehensive, integral and deep MBA Chile conference ever.

I firmly believe that our spirit of teamwork and the pursuit of a transcendent impact on our society has been a strong contribution to consolidate the MBA Chile brand and strengthen our ties as privileged students, which will allow us in the near future to genuinely contribute to building a better country with more opportunities for all.

The post Duke’s Impact as Host of the MBA Chile 2017 Conference appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.