Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog

Before Fuqua

Born and raised in South Florida, I graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2011 with degrees in Marketing and Interdisciplinary Studies. I come to Fuqua from the world of advertising after spending the last five years leading campaigns for national retailers like Party City, Boston Market, and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Why Fuqua

I came to business school to gain a well-versed understanding of business beyond marketing and strategy. I chose Fuqua for my MBA because it offers me the opportunity to continue my development as a leader who can make a meaningful difference through competence, character, and purpose.

At Fuqua

At Fuqua, I am pursuing concentrations in Marketing Product Management and Leadership & Ethics. Outside the classroom, I have been elected a section representative. In this role I serve as the leader of Section 4 (about 70 of my classmates), while working with the MBA Association—the Daytime MBA student governing body. I am also a first-year cabinet member for the Marketing Club and a member of the Association of Women in Business (AWIB).

After Fuqua

I plan to continue my passion for marketing by pursuing a brand management role post-MBA.

Posts by Melissa:

• Student Leadership at Fuqua: Opportunities to Grow - August 3, 2018

  Before coming to Fuqua, I didn’t expect that students would run the school as much as they do. The student-led culture here is very supportive and collaborative, and I think that sets Fuqua…

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• A Week in My Life as an MBA Student Leader - June 13, 2018

  When speaking with prospective students, I’ve been asked to describe the ‘usual’ day in the life of a Fuqua student. Every time I searched for an answer, I realized how challenging it would…

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• The Ultimate Global Academic Travel Experience - November 2, 2017

  Prior to business school, I had never traveled outside the United States. I came to Fuqua wanting to challenge myself to try new things, and I knew that going on a Global Academic…

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• Dining in Durham - July 5, 2017

  From 9th Street to downtown, you will never have trouble finding a place to add to your dining in Durham bucket list. The restaurant scene has a little something for everyone. While eating…

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• What You Can Learn from Case Competitions - January 17, 2017

  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…

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• The Fuqua Experience: Our Stories - December 6, 2016

  Melissa Blette Like many, I came to orientation feeling excited but nervous. Would the “Team Fuqua” spirit I felt during my campus visits be true of my experience? How would I handle the…

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