Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog
Michal Shtofman Aviram
In the past year while my husband has been pursuing his MBA, I've been a proud Fuqua partner, actively engaged in campus activities related to my interests, and connecting with the other partners, students and the Durham community.
My Background
I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, raised in Israel, and lived a few years in New York. I completed my undergradudate studies at The College of Management Academic Studies, Tel-Aviv, and did 1 year of professional studies at New York University.
I am a senior advertising and marketing professional who has worked for clients in the consumer goods, cosmetics, media, and tourism industries. I spent nearly 8 years building my career in advertising, working in a fast-paced environment in flourishing Tel Aviv and loving every minute of it!
When my partner and I were thinking of taking a few years to explore more opportunities in the U.S., I jumped on board the journey very quickly, excited for the unknown and endless opportunities one may have while pursuing an MBA. I realized that while I am not the one doing all the hard work at school, it could still be an amazing opportunity for me to reinvent myself and invest in our mutual global future.
Fun Facts
- I am a certified meteorologist, and served in the Israeli Defense Forces for 2 years as a commander of a meteorology course, teaching pilots and soldiers to analyze weather data.
- I enjoy traveling and learning about the world, and have had the opportunity to visit more than 20 countries and travel in South America coast to coast for 4 months. My next exploring goal is to visit my Fuqua friends in Chile, Brazil, Japan and Korea.
- One of my hobbies is watching TV shows and movies, and my favorite genre is crime series. When I got Netflix, Hulu, and all this free time for the first time in my life, I have binged watching 16 seasons of Law & Order and loved every minute of it.
While at Fuqua
I'm an active cabinet member on several Fuqua clubs, including the social chair of Fuqua Partners and the Culinary clubs and VP of Special Events in the JBA (Jewish Business Association). I'm also involved with the Association of Women in Business (AWIB), Business in Africa, Retail and Luxury Brands, the Wine club and the Cocktail & Spirit club.
Favorite Things About Durham
Being a partner and having the privilege to have all the Fuqua fun and none of the homework!
Articles
5 Things About Durham That’ll Surprise You
Daytime MBA Partner Class of 2016