My Life After Fuqua

I’ve worked with Wasserman, a sports marketing and talent management company, for just over two years now. I primarily work on the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company account team helping manage their NFL, NASCAR, and golf sports sponsorships. My focus is on client hosting and hospitality, but I touch on all aspects of their sponsorship portfolios—from strategy and negotiation to partner and talent management, to event execution. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to different cities throughout the United States for my job.

Confidence Gained Through the MMS Program

Because of the MMS program, I can confidently walk into a meeting outside my area of expertise and actively contribute to the conversation. With an undergraduate degree in communication studies with a concentration in documentary films, I quickly realized that if I wanted to elevate my personal brand and get my foot in the door with a great company, I needed a solid business background—and that’s exactly what I got from the MMS program.

My greatest challenge at Wasserman? It’s the best part of my job—helping our brands be forward-thinking in sports marketing. Our clients come to us with a business objective in mind and give us carte blanche to bring their idea to fruition. With my Fuqua degree, I feel confident being creative, thinking outside the box, and dreaming up ways to stay ahead of the curve.

Drawing on the Fuqua Network

I think it’s safe to say that the Fuqua network is the reason I landed my dream job. It was a Duke MBA alumnus and the phenomenal MMS program staff who were instrumental in facilitating meetings with Wasserman. But during the whole recruiting process, I took full advantage of meeting with Fuqua and Duke alumni across a variety of industries. Whether it was a quick phone call or an in-person meeting over coffee, both Fuqua and Duke alumni always made time for me.

Top Takeaways from My Time at Fuqua

My top takeaway at Fuqua was understanding the power of networking authentically and creating a relationship, not just a LinkedIn connection. It sounds cliché, but I see it as I help with intern recruiting at Wasserman—that those who can build relationships organically have the greatest networking success.