When I first joined the Admissions Ambassador team at Fuqua, I expected to answer questions about the MMS program, explain the Team Fuqua spirit, and maybe help a few nervous applicants feel a little more at ease. What I didn’t expect was that, somewhere between “Tell me about yourself,” and “What does leadership mean to you?” I’d start growing myself. Every interview, each conversation, became a mirror, showing me who I was becoming. From athletes and entrepreneurs to engineers and content creators, I met people whose stories reshaped how I listened, how I asked questions, and how I lead.

Listening With Intent

One of the first things I learned as an interviewer was how to truly listen. Not just for textbook answers, but for the quiet subtext of an applicant’s dreams, insecurities, and aspirations between the lines. I met a competitive diver who spoke of coaching cues mid-air and how that shaped her leadership style. That moment made me realize listening isn’t passive — it’s active. It’s how we connect, build trust, and inspire confidence in class discussions, group projects, and everyday conversations.

Asking the Right Questions

Interviewing isn’t about checking off boxes, it’s about understanding people. Over time, I learned how to ask better questions, to probe beyond the resume bullet points and uncover what really drives someone. I once spoke with a student who led a diverse team during a film competition. She shared how mismatched expectations nearly derailed the project and how she grew through that challenge. That story would’ve stayed buried if I hadn’t asked, “What did that experience teach you about leadership?”

This skill, asking intentional, thoughtful questions, has transformed the way I navigate case interviews, team meetings, and even casual networking conversations.

Leadership in Small Moments

There’s a quiet kind of leadership that comes from sitting across a screen, representing Fuqua to someone who’s dreaming of being part of it. As Admissions Ambassadors, we’re evaluating applicants, but we’re also shaping someone’s impression of the school.

I felt that weight during every call. Whether I was speaking to a content strategist passionate about cross-cultural marketing or an engineer transitioning into business, I knew the way I listened and responded mattered. That sense of accountability pushed me to show up more fully.

Building Confidence in My Voice

Funny how you often don’t recognize your own growth until you’re asked to speak on behalf of something you care about. I was recently asked to describe Fuqua’s collaborative culture, its global perspective, and the ways it had transformed me. As I answered, I realized I sounded different from how I had months ago. I was more grounded, more assured.

The process of championing Fuqua to others made me more confident in my own voice and values. I wasn’t just talking about Fuqua, I was offering a reflection of what it meant to be here from my true perspective.

Between juggling time zones, decoding resumes, and listening to applicants pour their hearts out over Zoom (sometimes with their pets making guest appearances), I’ve learned more about empathy, presence, and what it means to represent a place you love. Of course, the experience wasn’t always polished or perfect. There were moments I stumbled through questions or gave the classic “that’s a great answer” nod a second too late, but it was always real. And that’s what made it special!

I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve as an Admissions Ambassador. To the prospective students I’ve met along the way: you’ve inspired, challenged, and reminded me that behind every application is a story worth listening to. I may have been the interviewer, but trust me, I walked away changed, too.