Duke MMS Student Blog
Exclusive Learning Opportunities
Events Provide Valuable Company, Industry Insight
This past week, representatives from the southeastern banking firm BB&T visited Fuqua for an exclusive information session for MMS students. The presentation focused primarily on BB&T’s Leadership Development Program (LDP), a 10-month program that immerses candidates into BB&T’s way of banking. The presentation was held by two Fuqua MBA alumni Gregory Moreland and Gavin Clikeman who recently completed the LDP and are now at the BB&T corporate office in Winston Salem. This was a great opportunity to learn about a large banking firm and its culture, as well as available job opportunities.
One of the greatest things about being at Fuqua is the fact that you will regularly encounter valuable opportunities such as this one. Honestly, I feel a little spoiled. I come to school every day knowing that I will have the chance to meet interesting people from amazing companies. Providing access to high-caliber corporations such as BB&T, Microsoft, and Apple is just one of the ways that Fuqua exposes students to job opportunities. We also have access to hundreds of boutique firms that are highly successful, and offer internships and job opportunities.
There are also networking events where we can meet representatives from different companies and get to know individual contacts. These are largely helpful for students who would like to work for a particular company or in a specific industry, but don’t exactly know where to start to get their foot in the door. After personally meeting a representative, it is easier to make inroads into a company because you have a better idea of what they are all about and how you might fit in.
Finally, Fuqua’s Distinguished Speaker Series allows students to hear from the leaders of industry giants such as GE, Microsoft, and IBM. These events are indicative of the value that the Fuqua brand carries, and are great opportunities to learn from successful people. As the MMS program continues to grow, it is essential that students gain as much insight and information from these opportunities as possible. I can say without a doubt that through these types of events Fuqua has provided me with some of the most incredible opportunities that I have experienced during my college career.