I truly loved being a part of Fuqua during my year in the MMS program. Aside from the academic and career-oriented aspects of it, you really feel like you’re in a close-knit family. So when we graduated, you can imagine how sad I was to say goodbye to all my good friends. Fortunately, the Fuqua network is really strong, and we stayed in touch. Here are some ways that me and other MMS and MBA students keep in contact and help each other out!

Support Group

After I graduated, I moved to my friend’s house in Jersey City, New Jersey. Quite a few classmates also moved to the NYC area; I think approximately 11 of us were there. Most of us were looking for jobs in the big city, and we developed a great support group. Since I was an international student, there was nothing like talking about the woes of looking for a job in the US to someone in the same shoes! I remember when I had no leads and was feeling really down about my job situation, I talked to my friends around NYC. Thankfully, we all found our dream jobs here and now when we meet, we love to share our workplace stories.

Business Partners

A fellow MMS ’12 student, Ashita Patel, and I recently started our own online boutique. We talked about doing this while in school, but after graduation, we decided to go for our dream. Another group of MMS ’12 students just started their own liquor brand, Scorpion Coconspirators, and I’m excited to try a bottle when their first product comes out!

Advisers

I get great advice from some of the MBA friends that I made while at Fuqua. I’m planning to apply for an MBA after a few years of work, so I ask my MBA friends about work experience, schools to target, what their MBA experience was like, etc. These questions may be annoying to answer, but they always give me genuine answers.

Party Gang

We loved partying during the program, and that didn’t stop after graduation. Us MMS ’12 grads meet up wherever we are — Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, NYC, you name it. NYC especially seems to be a favorite destination, as there are a lot of us here and there are so many places to go! There’s also a Facebook group for electronic music lovers at Fuqua — it keeps the party going online!

Travel Buddies

During the MMS program, I went to London, Paris, Spain, Cancun, and Washington, DC. Right after we graduated, I went to EDC Vegas thanks to an MBA friend’s invite. Now I have Tomorrowland plans in 2013 (another electronic music festival held in Belgium) and plans for the Brazil World Cup in 2014 with MMS students.

Great Friends!

Overall, even after graduation, the Fuqua network stays strong. Not only do we have Whatsapp chat groups where we casually talk to each other on a daily basis, but we also give each other advice and help each other during hard times. We still throw surprise parties for each other (one friend flew in from LA for the surprise party we threw for an MMS friend in NYC!), chat on the phone, and meet up for brunch as if we were still in Durham.

My one year at Fuqua was great, and I think that being part of the Fuqua family will continue to be a rewarding experience.