Hello readers! While I’ve spent years as an avid blog reader, this is the first time I’m writing for a blog. As part of my transformational experience here at Fuqua, I decided to take on the challenge of blogging. While I’m new to blogging, I am not new to Fuqua. I’ve spent the last 3 years thinking/seeing/doing nearly everything there is to do in Durham and Fuqua. And if my name sounds familiar, it’s because my husband, Joe Mancini, was also a blogger.

My Fuqua journey began in July 2009 when Joe and I married, and as soon as we were legally bound, Joe said he wanted to move from the bustling metropolis of Washington, D.C., to a town near Chapel Hill, NC, called “Durham.” I said I would “consider it” but after Joe went to Fuqua for an interview, I knew he’d found his second love.

We moved to Durham the following July on our 1st anniversary. We came in a rented moving truck that not only got a flat tire but also wouldn’t go faster than 35 MPH on 95 South all 270 miles from DC to Durham. Since I’m a hard girl to please, my one wish for our anniversary was to have a BBQ dinner from the infamous Q-Shack. When we finally arrived that night at 9:05 pm to pick up my our long-desired takeout, we learned that the Q-Shack closes at 9:00 pm. Welcome to “Durham.”

Despite the early closing times, Joe and I quickly fell in love with the school and the area, and I even stopped including the quotation marks when I referred to Durham. In fact, I couldn’t believe we only had two years here, so I did what any respectable partner would do — I took the GMAT and started orientation the next August. Beyond the excuse to stay here, I was so impressed with the students, faculty, and staff that I had been exposed to as a Fuqua Partner that I couldn’t imagine how much more I’d get as a Fuqua student.

I enrolled at Fuqua to learn more about healthcare, transition (maybe) out of consulting, and spend two years learning about who I am and what I want to be when I grow up. I interned this summer at CVS Caremark in Chicago and while we love the windy city, we’re excited to return to Durham so Joe, now a Fuqua alumnus, can campaign for Fuqua Partners President. I am also excited to have the opportunity to serve as an Admissions Fellow and COLE Fellow this upcoming year, and I look forward to sharing these experiences and others, as long as it’s still socially and legally acceptable for me and Joe to hang around Fuqua Fridays. 🙂