“I am because we are.”

The Ubuntu ideal has never felt truer to me than here at Fuqua. I’ve always brought this concept to the teams I’ve led, but I’ve never been part of a community that has cultivated a feeling of unity in diversity from day one. At Fuqua, this feeling started at the reception of Business, Communication, and Culture (BCC), a program designed for incoming international students, and grew exponentially over the days.

4,620 Miles From Home

My decision to attend Fuqua meant living outside Brazil for the first time. While it’s incredibly exciting, being in a different culture can be quite uncomfortable. As soon as I landed in Durham, I wondered: Will I be able to feel at home? Will I be able to express who I am in a language that’s not my native one? Will people like me? In my first two weeks at school, all these questions were answered with a resounding yes — at Fuqua, I would feel at home and have great friends.

How professors, staff members, and second-year students prepared to provide the best onboarding experience for international students during the BCC was incredible. They respected our differences, appreciated our identities, and offered unconditional support for our needs. That was the first real manifestation of Team Fuqua for me.

Team Fuqua: A Loyal Community

The second was during the summer term, at the Team Challenge – it was insane! We spent a day at the Triangle Training Center for a team-building activity, an amazing opportunity to establish connections with our C-LEAD and section teams. I remember feeling so much fear while trying to reach the top of a rock-climbing wall that I stopped halfway up and said, “I can’t do it, I’m giving up.”

One of my peers looked at me and said, “Breathe and take your time. I’m sure you can do it.” And I did! This same scene happened throughout the day, but my team was always there, helping me push through, and I accomplished things I had thought were impossible. By the end of that day, I truly understood the meaning and power of the phrase “I’ve got your back” in one of the most impactful ways I’ve ever experienced. Team Fuqua would always have my back when I needed it most.

I believe business is about people — people connecting to create value for society. Companies may serve different purposes, but they all come down to human beings and their interactions with the world. Fuqua is about people, and this connection is built on trust, respect, and appreciation for differences. I know I’m valued here because my peers are as well. My identity is recognized because my peers’ identities are too. We are unique, but somehow, we are the same. Being part of Team Fuqua is like having a new superpower — one that empowers you to feel at home and be your best self wherever a fellow Fuquan is around.