Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog

At Fuqua, we believe that all of our students and alumni have the potential to lead positive social change. This is exactly why the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship works to build our students' competencies, connections, and community so that, when they graduate, they have an impact—wherever they go.

As I was boarding my flight for a spring break ski trip in early March 2020, I thought our class had already been tested. And that had nothing on what was yet to come.

2020 is anything but boring. That’s what I always say to my friends and family. When we think we might finally have things figured out, there’s always something that takes us by surprise. And as an international student at Fuqua, I can say that has a special connotation.

This was not the spring and summer my classmates and I envisioned. As MBAA Vice President for Student Life, I was excited to get started with several projects on campus that appeared to be on hold.

In February, I started to consider taking on a leadership role at Fuqua during the second year of my MBA to be able to give back to a community that had given me so much up to that point.

The 2019–2020 application year was truly the most tumultuous in my nearly 15 years of working in MBA Admissions. Like you, we had to adjust to a lot of the challenges that COVID-19 presented.

Whether it be the professors, the Office of Student Life, or the students, the entire Fuqua family came together and forged ahead during what probably will be one of the most challenging, yet interesting terms at Fuqua. And here is the story of it.

In February, my MBA Association Co-President Mike Treiser and I were speaking to a classroom full of prospective students about leadership opportunities at Fuqua. Just before the session, I had found out one of my best friends was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

European applicants have a lot to consider when applying to business school. We’ve put together a few pieces of advice for prospective students, and we hope this information will be helpful as you consider this next step in your life and career.