Meet Duke Fuqua’s MBA Class Of 2022

It’s not a marketing ploy. It’s not a sales pitch. It’s just who we are.

That’s “Team Fuqua” in essence – the “we is greater than me” mindset that defines Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Alas, every business school touts “community” – the sense that your MBA peers will watch your back as you grow stronger together. Team Fuqua elevates this inclination. The students have created a vision, handed down, where the individual is part of something larger and more profound. Even more, they’ve developed a framework to rally behind – a set of values that set clear expectations and hold classmates accountable for meeting them.

Will Armour, a 2020 MBA who earned a spot with Nike after graduation, heard the cynics who said Team Fuqua was too good to be true. After two years in Durham, Armour asserts the Team Fuqua is all very real.  “The selflessness and support I’ve seen here are really unlike any academic or professional environment I’ve been a part of,” he writes. “People here truly believe that a rising tide lifts all boats.”

FOLLOWING THE SIX PAIRED PRINCIPLES

Kaveri Gyanendra, a second-year MBA who spent six years at Bloomberg, equates Team Fuqua to “the feeling of never being alone.” In a 2021 essay with P&Q, she spells out the spirit that drives the Fuqua community.

“We embrace a culture and mindset of inclusivity, trust, and respectfully challenging one another to push our own boundaries. In a “together we go far” mindset, we unite to battle the many phases of business school: interviews and job searches, long-distance relationships, new and confusing curricula, and being away from the places we each call home. With a strong mentality of care and commitment, we bond to create a new home — one that embraces and celebrates our differences, expands our perspectives, broadens our reach, and develops a new understanding of unity and community.”

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. File photo

The backbone of Team Fuqua is called the Paired Principles, which are designed to guide students in how to bring out the best in each other. These six principles encompass the following:

• Authentic Engagement
• Collective Diversity
• Impactful Stewardship
• Loyal Community
• Supportive Ambition
• Uncompromising Integrity

A COMMITMENT TO MAKING AN IMPACT – AND HELPING PEERS DO THE SAME

For the Class of 2022, each of these core principles resonated differently. Not surprisingly, Supportive Ambition generated the strongest reaction from class members. The school describes the principle as the “success of each individual member of Team Fuqua makes the whole team better.” Mike Pukala, an engineer from Illinois, appreciates how Supportive Ambition spurs collaboration over competition. Even more, he adds, this principle has motivated him to shift his personal goals so they better align with team goals.

“Any sense of accomplishment I’ve experienced in my career has been because I was surrounded by excellent people,” he explains. “With Supportive Ambition, my Fuqua teammates and I get to celebrate with each other in our successes but also encourage each other when things are hard. It demands that I help classmates with interview prep, homework or challenges in their personal lives, even if that means I have to put aside my own priorities for a time.”

Impactful Stewardship also resonated with first-year Fuquans. Students have defined this to mean being leaders who focus on long-term solutions to improving community. For Vineetha Athrey, an engineer-turned-journalist-turned-entrepreneur, that means pushing for impact, always looking to “harness our collective talents to move the needle.” Gabi Fernandez translates Impactful Stewardship to never being satisfied with the status quo.

“I need to be willing to create and implement solutions that will improve the community,” writes the U.S. Navy veteran and Georgetown alum. “This principle reminds me that I need to make a positive impact during my MBA and beyond.”

A COMMUNITY FOR LIFE

When Jim Fiene was applying to Fuqua, he would talk up principles like Authentic Engagement and Supportive Ambition. After joining the Class of 2022, he found Loyal Community took on greater importance. Reflecting on his relationships, he considers loyalty to be a virtue that helps him stand out. He even jokes that a friend told him that, if he was ever in jail, “I’d use my one phone call for Fiene.” This penchant for supporting others – no matter when, how, or why – aligns closely with the Team Fuqua mindset.

“Team Fuqua is far beyond a saying,” Fiene explains. “It’s a lifestyle. Loyal Community means I will have everyone’s back when they need it and they will have mine. We listen to each other when we need someone to talk to, and if necessary, we can be that one phone call.”

Basketball: 36 hours of camping for tickets is worth it for the excitement of cheering for Duke Men’s Basketball from the graduate student section at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Indeed, Team Fuqua is a way of acting as much as a way of thinking. Before business school, Ross Feng held a VP role in market risk at Bank of America. After receiving the offer from Fuqua, he was struck by how much the community rallied around him. That made joining “Team Fuqua” last fall a “no brainer” for him.

“I could feel the amount of attention they put on me as an individual and the support from the alumni and the 2nd year students was far greater than what other programs provided.  It was always clear to me that my goal as an MBA candidate is not to get a good job, but to build a career. The programs with higher rankings may get you an extra $5,000 at your first job, but an engaging and loyal community can get you a successful career.”

RISKING HER LIFE TO BREAK STORIES FOR CNBC

And success tends to rub off too. After all, the Class of 2022 was wildly successful long before they decided to camp out in the Fox Center. Take Abby Larus. Growing up a Harry Potter fan, she attended her first fan convention at 17. Fast forward a decade and she was running fan events for franchises ranging Game of Thrones to (of course) Harry Potter.

“When I was hired to my full-time role [at Mischief Management], I was the fourth paid employee,” Larus explains. “During my time at the company, I worked to scale our operations and we grew to a team of 20+ employees that ran nine annual fan conventions and served more than 190,000 attendees. I’m incredibly proud to have been a driving force of this growth and innovation.”

Vineetha Athrey spent seven years with CNBC as a financial journalist. Her claim to fame, she writes, is exposing a $3 billion dollar illegal mining scam in India. “It was considered a dangerous sector to track, especially for a woman journalist, as it meant taking on some very powerful people. It was a test of my courage, perseverance, and my personal spirit of justice! Initially, I was scared. But I pushed on despite death threats, building a solid network of sources across the industry and bureaucracy. I managed to break a majority of the stories of this scam over 18 months, cementing CNBC’s leadership position in the coverage of the scam and also winning prestigious awards.”

At Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Russ Feng helped spearhead the design and rollout of the company’s risk management platform – one that now handles 80% of the firm’s processes and capital analysis in the area. Kelli Valdez, who headed up regional institute strategy for Teach For America, launched seven teacher training sites. Over four years at Education Resource Strategies, Rony Cepeda – an economist by trade – helped school districts re-allocate nearly $375 million dollars to better support high-need students. As a consultant, William Ramos shepherded diversity and inclusion initiatives. These included “deploying the largest LGBTQI+ business resource group in Brazil, pioneering in transgender inclusion in the workplace, and mentoring the launch and revamp of Black, women and people with disabilities inclusion initiatives in Latin America.”

Graduation day. Duke photo

AN IMMIGRANT’S PERSPECTIVE

The class also included several students engaged in service. Ezban Morrissette, for one, assisted the U.S. Navy in the construction and support of ships and combat systems as a production engineer with the Naval Sea Systems Command. This role likely supported Gabi Fernandez, who once led a 20-member team in firing the first missile from her destroyer. That exercise pales in comparison to when Fernandez was place in charge of her ship’s entire navigation and operation.

“At that moment, I became responsible for the safety of the 300-person crew and the execution of the naval operations of a warship. I had received extensive training on navigation and experienced various types of operations. Despite all this training and experience, there is a moment of doubt when you are placed in charge of the entire bridge team for the first time. However, I realized that I could not let my own uncertainty prevent me from ensuring the safety of the ship and achieving the mission.”

The Class of 2022 also experienced defining moments that shaped the purposes they would pursue. For Rony Cepeda, that moment came as a seven-year old. As an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, he can still remember flying over the United States and thinking, “This place definitely has a lot more street lights and electricity.” However, Cepeda soon witnessed some of the darkness behind the glitter – which gave him a unique perspective on leadership.

“While growing up as an immigrant, I saw how systems and institutions in high-need communities always seemed under-resourced and under-performing – creating vicious cycles of poverty and trauma. That moment of coming to the United States, coupled with my first-hand experience of seeing inequity through the lens of an immigrant, has led me to always think about the bigger picture as a leader. How do our decisions impact our communities? How can organizations also focus on social impact? These are questions and viewpoints that I bring to business school and beyond.”

Page 2: An interview with Russ Morgan, Senior Associate Dean For Full-Time Programs

Page 3: In-depth profiles of 13 members of the Class of 2022

Mexico City: A quick trip to Mexico City in 2019 was filled with exploring, history lessons, and an abundance of tequila and tacos.

NO SEX, PLEASE…WE’RE PUBLISHERS

Vineetha Athrey’s moment of truth came when her father suffered a heart attack over five years ago. Without health insurance, his care sopped up the family finances. In response, Athrey dived into healthcare policies and laws to eventually create a framework that enabled her father to be covered – and others like him.

“This was a defining moment for me, as it made me recognize my own ability to solve big, overarching problems,” she explains. “Solving this problem successfully for my father, and subsequently for others like him, made a light bulb go off in my head! I realized that in order to serve others effectively and make the most of my potential, I must go back to school and bolster my experiences with core business and managerial skills.”

During this process, Athrey’s pitch was rejected by 30 insurance providers. It was good practice for her book, which had been rejected by 13 publishers. “They found the title, Sexy Successful Spiritual, too bold and shocking for the conservative Indian mindset! Most of them warned me that if I aspire to ever marry an Indian man, I should not publish a book with the word ‘sex’ in its title!”

That’s not the only memorable story from the Class of 2022. Gabi Fernandez sailed through the Bermuda Triangle “on the cattails of Hurricane Dorian” – but couldn’t report any “supernatural sightings.” Jim Fiene practices mediation…on a motorcycle. In addition, Claire Li’s column on Medium has become a hit, generating over 200,000 page views (so far).

“LEARNERS WHO KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN”

Yes, the Class of 2022 has now been exposed to the Team Fuqua ethos on a day-to-day basis. How would they describe their classmates? Kelli Valdez labels them as “learners who know how to have fun.” For Abby Larus, the class is filled with people who “care deeply about something.” More than that, she adds, they share these passions with classmates. In the end, observes Mike Pukala, they are focused heavily on the needs of their peers.

“My classmates, especially my learning team, are incredibly competent and high-achieving individuals. But they also care about people beyond the classroom. My learning team started off by asking each other what each member wants to accomplish in their MBA and how the rest of the team can help. Whether it is second years or my classmates, everyone has prioritized me by giving their time and advice, even amid their busy schedules.”

The bust of J.B. Fuqua in the school hallway at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. Justin Cook photo

This commitment brings even greater value during difficult times like COVID-19 adds William Ramos.

“Because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, I started my MBA online, from Brazil. My classmates were generous in many ways, including picking up and keeping materials for me, making sure my time zone would not be a problem for our group assignments, and even helping me find a place to lease – as most places were already taken by the time I booked my flight to Durham. I am excited to continue this journey of mutual support at Duke!”

APPLICATIONS AND CLASS SIZE UP

While COVID-19 was heavily disruptive, it didn’t upend the class profile at the Fuqua School. For one, applications rose from 3,036 to 3,356 – a 10.5% rebound from the previous year. By the same token, the school increased its class size from 395 to 408 students – though down from the 440 full-time MBAs who made up the Class of 2020. In the process, Fuqua’s acceptance rate inched up by 2.5 points to 24.97%.

These results were the product of heavy outreach and sweat, explains Shari Hubert, Duke Fuqua’s associate dean for admissions, in a 2020 interview with P&Q. “We did invest a lot in hosting over 200 events that prior year, and that would have driven those applications,” she says. “We activated a much more high-touch campaign geared toward those applicants who were in the process of completing their applications, but had not submitted yet, to ensure that they were able to get all the information they needed in order to complete the submission. So going through the process, it was much more high-touch tactically.”

The class’ average GMAT slipped from 705 to 702, though its median held steady at 710. That said, GRE scores make up 38% of student submissions, a major jump from last year’s 23% total. Undergraduate GPAs again reported out at 3.50. This year, women also make up 46% of the class. This is up three points from the 2021 Class. Even more, this percentage ranks Fuqua alongside Dartmouth Tuck (49%) and Harvard Business School (45%) for the highest concentration of women in Top 20 MBA programs. Like last year, the Class of 2022 consists of students from 44 countries. Despite COVID curtailing travel, Fuqua’s percentage of international students actually rose a point to 38%.

When it comes to international students, Shari Hubert credits the admissions team’s long slate of events around the world. However, she also attributes the school’s success to its personal touch in recruiting.  “I am just always in awe of the lengths to which our international students will go to invest in their education and to get here,” she explains in a 2020 interview with P&Q. “There is one student who lived in Brazil, but also had a Portuguese dual citizenship, and she traveled to Portugal to fly out to the U.S. to get here. And I think those types of very, very high-touch, very strong communications across the board — but very individualized communications as well — show that our admissions team understands where each international student was.”

RECORD-SETTING PAY

Overall, the Class of 2022 hails from over 200 undergraduate universities worldwide. The largest segment of the class – 31% – majored in Business and Accounting. Engineering and Natural Sciences majors trail closely behind at 28%, followed by the Liberal Arts (19%) and Economics (16%). In terms of professional experience, Financial Services enjoy the largest representation here (19%). Other large class blocs are comprised of students who last worked in Consulting (15%), Health Care (11%), Marketing and Public Relations (7%), Sales and Business Development (7%), Non-Profits and Education (6%), and Government (5%).

Fuqua has remained relatively immune from the worst of the pandemic. The Class of 2020, for example, enjoyed all-time pay packages of $171,000, with 91% accepting jobs within 90 days of graduation. The school also ranked 9th globally in January’s Financial Times Ranking, finishing with the 5th-highest score in the Alumni Recommendation survey and 9th in the Faculty Research metrics. As usual, Fuqua’s academic chops were recognized by faculty and administrators at rival MBA programs. Fuqua ranked among the ten-best programs in Management, Marketing, and Non-Profit programming in the latest U.S. News survey (and 11th in  both Finance and Analytics).

Fuqua student team working on the patio

Such rigor is one reason why Fuqua doesn’t fit the “party school” label slapped on some MBA programs.

”We can throw some pretty awesome parties,” admits 2020 grad Sahana Qaundinya, “but Fuqua is a lot more than that. Socializing at Fuqua can take various forms – trivia nights, dinner with strangers or just your regular C-Lead team dinner. The Triangle has a lot of places to explore and it has been great to do just that the last couple of years. I would say that Fuqua is a place for everyone and everyone finds their crew here!”

A Q&A WITH RUSS MORGAN

What can MBA students and applicants expect next from the Fuqua MBA. P&Q posed this question (and several more) to Russ Morgan, senior associate dean for full-time programs. From the impact of COVID to the value of the living in the Research Triangle Park, here are Morgan’s thoughts on the state of the Fuqua MBA program…

P&Q: What are the most exciting new developments at your program?

RM: “We are thrilled to be launching new curriculum in our Daytime MBA program this year focusing on three themes: leading technology transformation, entrepreneurial mindset, and action and creating common purpose in a world of differences. The themes compliment and reinforce each other throughout the program. We believe the new curriculum will make our graduates better prepared for the world of business today, and therefore, even more in demand by recruiters.

I will briefly describe each:

Russ Morgan, April 23, 2018. (Justin Cook for Rotarian Magazine)

1. Creating common purpose: We feel that common purpose in organizations is critical to having everyone come together as members of the same team. As the role of business in society is put into question, and as we observe continued polarization in society that bleeds into business, it is increasingly difficult to have everyone feel they are on the same team. This limits the effectiveness of organizations and we want to help demonstrate that business can be a role model for how we can bring people together with widely different backgrounds to act with common purpose.

2. Leading technology transformation and innovation: We believe there is a role for technology in driving business transformation. Business must use human difference and leadership judgment in harnessing technology to create value in society. The leaders of today and tomorrow will require an increased level of technical competence, not necessarily as technology doers, but as informed consumers of technology.

3. Entrepreneurial mindset for a lifetime: If we are going to live up to the potential the platform of business provides to transform society for the better, we need to instill a sense of responsibility to seize that opportunity. We need leaders with an entrepreneurial mindset who will own the challenges they face, not only in the domain of startups, but in traditional business settings as well.”

P&Q: What is the two most unique or differentiating features of your full-time program? How do they enrich the MBA experience?

RM: “I feel that Fuqua is truly unique among business schools because of the supportive culture we have. I discuss Team Fuqua separately and stipulate that, at our core, everything we do is predicated on the foundation set by Team Fuqua. We want to create an environment where students feel free to experiment and treat the MBA as a learning lab, knowing that they can do so with only upside. That environment is one where you can thrive by being yourself. We want each student engaged in what they are most passionate about. That has a feedback loop to the community where each student’s passion and expertise make every other student in the program better.

I find Fuqua to be unique through the partnership and mutual trust we have between students and the staff and faculty. This is enabled by Team Fuqua. Across the community, we believe we have a responsibility to co-produce the experience and have a true partnership. While we try to set the conditions for success for our students, we comfortably hand off leadership responsibility to the students and student organizations to create and execute co-curricular activity with a great deal of autonomy. It results in a win-win, where students have developmental opportunities and the school and students benefit from the scale and scope of offerings available through clubs and the student government.

Second, the academic and curricular positioning of the school offers unique breadth and optionality. If you come to Fuqua, you will have the opportunity to experience deep expertise in an academic discipline but also to experience the breadth of exposure to academic training across disciplines. In addition, that breadth intersects in important applications at Fuqua around Health Sector Management, Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship, Sustainability and Energy, and Leadership. We don’t attempt to be good at just one or two things. We seek excellence across all areas and look to combine that excellence in application.”

MBA students working together in the Winter Garden

P&Q: How has COVID-19 impacted your business school?

RM: “Like every other business school, COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our operations. However, I’m happy to report that Fuqua has been able to manage the crisis very well. We were able to pivot classes online quickly in the spring because we had such deep expertise in teaching online in other Fuqua programs. In fact, teaching surveys completed by our students from the spring did not show a drop in satisfaction once we went to a purely online model. I credit our faculty and IT departments for not just quickly adapting the technology, but actively seeking ways for students to remain engaged at a high level in their courses. I also credit our staff and our student leadership in finding ways to keep our students connected. Our MBAA leadership in particular has been tremendous in not just keeping their cohort connected, but in running virtual sessions over the summer to make sure our first-year students felt a part of this community before orientation. The way our community pulled together was in no way surprising, but made me proud once again to be part of Team Fuqua.

Our top priority is the safety of our students, staff, and faculty. We spent the summer rigorously planning to implement a hybrid model in which some students can join classes in person and others will be virtual. We again are lucky to have deep expertise in this format from other programs. We have been able to effectively implement a hybrid model with great engagement between the faculty member and students because we have technology in place that allows simple things like all participants being able to see each other, regardless of their physical location. It was also very important to get the building ready for this type of experience. For example, we’ve spent significant time reconfiguring larger spaces, such as our library and ballrooms, into classrooms to ensure physical distancing of six feet or more between students. The undertaking of logistics has been significant with signage, markers, and supplies. Again, we are so proud of how our team has pulled together.

We feel extremely confident in our plan to deliver classes in person for some students and are especially grateful to have had the guidance of a world class medical system at Duke guiding all of our decisions.

We are also proud of the way our community has so far responded to follow the safety protocol to keep each other safe by wearing masks, physical distancing and engaging in testing and daily symptom monitoring.”

Page 3: In-depth profiles of 13 members of the Class of 2022

Fox Center Stairwell. Duke photo

P&Q: Your MBA program is associated with the “Team Fuqua” label. What exactly does Team Fuqua mean? What does the school do to make it a way of life?

RM: “Team Fuqua is a way of working which means bringing out the best in other people. We believe in the concept that your success is my success. This is part of our DNA at Fuqua which is why you see it in our application for admission. We actively seek students who share this belief and leadership mindset.

As a student, Team Fuqua becomes part of everything you do. Our curriculum is designed so that you actively engage in teamwork throughout our experience. We intentionally create diverse teams so that you must work with people who are different from you and meaningfully come to understand how those different perspectives help you reach a stronger outcome when you are working toward the same goal.

After graduation, we hear a great deal about Team Fuqua in the working world. Our graduates are often the leaders who win hearts and minds at companies because they truly appreciate the power that lies in differences and they have the skills that allow for true and meaningful collaboration.”

P&Q: What makes Durham such a great place to earn an MBA?

RM: “First of all, Durham is cool. It’s got a great art and food scene. It’s as eclectic and fun as any major metro area, without the massive traffic jams of a big city. It’s also really close to a major airport with direct flights all over the world.

We’ve also found that because our students like Durham, they hang around on the weekends, instead of scattering, like students tend to do in big cities. Therefore, the community is closer than they might be in a major metro area. We’ve heard from our students through the years that they feel their cohort bonded more in Durham than peers at other schools.”

Class held in Kirby Reading Room

P&Q: Fuqua is 15-20 minutes from Research Triangle Park. What has Fuqua done to connect with the various employers to create opportunities for students?

RM: “Companies from Research Triangle Park definitely recruit at Fuqua. However, so do companies all over the world. Sometimes I think people have a perception that going to Fuqua means you want to work in the southeast. That’s far from the case. Our top destination for graduates is the West Coast, as cited in our latest careers report. By all means, if someone wants to stay in the Triangle, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. However, our graduates are lucky in being able to go anywhere they like.

We have a number of programs in which students can partner with companies, including local companies. The Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) allows students to engage in a real world consulting project for class credit. We also have the Fuqua Volunteer Corps, which we started during COVID-19 to allow our students and alumni to volunteer to help non-profits. Fuqua On Board matches students seeking board experience with non-profits to engage in a variety of ways. Finally, we also have a bustling entrepreneurship scene in Durham and our Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) fosters a variety of activity with local startups.”

12 REASONS TO CONSIDER FUQUA

What made Duke University’s Fuqua School stand out? Here ‘s what students say are the biggest benefits of a Fuqua education (in no particular order).

1) DQ: “At Fuqua we often discuss a leadership characteristic called Decency Quotient or DQ. DQ refers to being a decent human being and always doing the “right” thing regarding how we treat others.

Upon connecting with Fuqua during my initial business school visits, I immediately noticed that DQ was not a tagline for the school but a practice that all members of the Fuqua community embodied and considered when making decisions that would affect others. I identified with the idea of possessing DQ because, in my experiences as a leader, I have always made a conscious attempt and placed significant importance on considering the needs of others and empathizing with those who may be experiencing difficulties. I will also add that I appreciated the school’s boldness in speaking out against acts of violence and oppression.”
Ezban Morrissette (’22)

“The program is geared to amplify not only our IQ and EQ, but also DQ – Decency Quotient. Fuqua prioritizes developing leaders who are not only smart, but also have the inner will to do right by their teams, companies, and communities. This sealed the decision for me! It reflects in a novel and industry-leading curriculum, where, in the very first month, we dive deep into leadership, entrepreneurial thinking, and technological fluency – setting an important foundation for becoming leaders of consequence.”
Vineetha Athrey (’22)

Daytime MBA class held in Geneen Auditorium

2) Fuqua Friday: “I am most excited about partaking in Fuqua Friday, which is a social event that takes place almost every Friday and allows the Fuqua family to come together and learn about each other. I enjoy getting to learn about others and it is also nice to end the hectic school week in a relaxing environment with great food and conversation.”
Ezban Morrissette (’22)

“I love Friday nights at Fuqua because of how inclusive they are. Every Friday at 5:30, the whole school is at ‘Fuqua Friday’ on-campus eating, drinking, and having a great time. Then, later in the night, everyone goes to the same bar every single Friday. Every member of the class is invited and everyone will be there.”
Will Armour (’20)

3) Experiential Learning: “The experiential learning opportunities at Fuqua were one of the main strengths of the program. Specifically, I am very interested in doing the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP). I want to transition into consulting after my MBA, so I thought it was exciting to have the opportunity to apply what we have learned in the classroom and put it into practice by helping these organizations solve their most pressing challenges.”
Gabi Fernandez (’22)

4) Social Entrepreneurship: “Duke’s Fuqua School of Business has an award-winning resource for those who want to master social change. The Center for Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship’s (CASE) social impact program forges the leaders who will help solve the world’s most pressing challenges. It is based on three pillars: competencies, connections, and community, through which students build solid skills, develop relevant networking skills and cultivate a support system that will help them become to be successful as social impact professionals. By the way, I am always proud to tell everyone that Melinda Gates is #TeamFuqua.”
William Ramos (’22)

“Without a doubt, it was the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) and all of its programming. CASE has incredible resources that align with my long-term career goals. I will have an opportunity to learn from incredible guest speakers, network with alumni and learn from unique experiences outside of the classroom. I am excited to jump in.”
Mike Pukala (‘22)

5) Healthcare: “Fuqua’s Health Sector Management (HSM) program was a significant factor in my decision to enroll at Duke. HSM is a certificate program available to students interested in pursuing a health-related internship or full-time career. It attracts students both with prior experience in health care, as well as students without. I loved the idea of having a smaller network and group of friends within Fuqua who were interested in health care, to say nothing of the invaluable alumni network and interesting coursework.”
Seve Gaskin (’22)

6) Team Fuqua: “I wanted to go to a business school that was student-led, collaborative and had a great student culture. When I started exploring which business school to go to, I realized that Fuqua had all this and so much more. Fuqua was a place where everyone believed that together they were stronger and better than they were individually. Fuqua is filled with smart, talented, ambitious people who want to make the world a better place and I wanted to be a part of this community because of that.

In addition to a great education and a strong brand, Fuqua was where I found my community. Team Fuqua is a real thing and I am privileged to be part of it. Moving to a new country where I knew no one was a tough decision to make, but I have been blessed to be part of a new family here at Fuqua. However, in retrospect,+ coming to Fuqua was the best thing that could have ever happened to me as I have made friends who both support me when I need help and who challenge my ideas and opinions to help me think through initiatives.”
Sahana Quandinya (’20)

Scenes around The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in Durham, NC on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. (Justin Cook)

7) Fuqua Special Olympics: “My favorite MBA event is the annual Fuqua Special Olympics Auction because it showcases the generosity of Fuqua’s students, faculty, and administration. Each year, the Fuqua community rallies together to donate over 100 items and has helped our club donate over $3 million dollars to Special Olympics North Carolina since its inception. The live auction is also an absolute blast as students band together competing to outbid each other for the top auction items such as ‘Dean for a Day’, Coach K Autographs, Duke Basketball Tickets, and dinners with the students’ favorite faculty.”
Kevin Rahill, Duke University (Fuqua)

8) Entrepreneurship: “Leaving Fuqua’s people and culture out of the conversation is tough, but Fuqua’s entrepreneurship opportunities were a key characteristic that attracted me to the program. While at Fuqua, I plan to engage with the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to move through all phases of business creation. The experiential curriculum takes you through ideation to execution and scaling. I’m excited to get the opportunity to work on a new start-up idea with my classmates and see how far it goes.”
Jim Fiene (’22)

9) Friendsgiving: “My favorite tradition at Fuqua is the section Friendsgiving. During my first year at Fuqua, my entire section gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving and share a meal with one another. We all shared the things that we were thankful for and shared family recipes with each other. All the domestic students shared their Thanksgiving traditions with the sections and the kids of one of our section mates challenged each other over the wishbone. It was a great time to share our stories and enjoy an evening with each other. We repeated this with our First-Year Section in 2019 and there were over a 100 people who gathered to celebrate our first family within Fuqua.”
Sahana Qaundinya, Duke University (Fuqua)

10) Duke Basketball. “I know this is not a traditional business school trait we discuss, but it is so unique and impactful to our culture. It is something no other top program has. You might not expect it to permeate the MBA culture as much as it does, but people really bond over it.

Coming from Marquette, I know just how much college basketball can define a community. Marquette games and tournament runs framed my undergrad experience. It is rare to find any activity that can pull a whole school or community together, but basketball can. I hope to fully participate next year in home games, away games at UNC and Wake Forest, and camping out for three days for tickets in Krzyzewskiville! Go Blue Devils!”
Jim Fiene (’22)

11) Fuqua On Board: “I’m really excited about Fuqua on Board. I have worked in education and non-profit organizations for the entirety of my career. I’m looking forward to combining what I am learning at Fuqua with my prior experiences to support mission-driven organizations, so that they can more effectively manage their employees’ experience.”
Kelli Valdez (’22)

12) LEADS: “I am particularly looking forward to joining LEADS (Leadership Engagement and Discussion Series). LEADS organizes weekly meetings to discuss current events regarding leadership around the world. In addition, LEADS frequently invites business and academic leaders to share their leadership experiences. I expect the focused discussions will provide me a new perspective on leadership.”
Ross Feng (‘22)

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