At an early age, I knew that I was different. I often found joy in going to a playground, not knowing anyone, and leaving with a new friend. My time in undergrad at Duke brought out that uniqueness even more as I trailblazed my own path, creating a self-designed major. I often traveled to new places alone and entered rooms not knowing anyone, but somehow left with new connections along the way. To me, a meaningful experience starts with making it truly my own and sharing it with others.

Still, the thought of duplicating this and finding meaningful friendships at Fuqua scared me. I often thought about how I would make friends at Fuqua. Will I just lean on my undergrad friends, or will I hang out with my friends who graduated in the same class and are still in the Research Triangle area?

Making Fuqua Feel Like Home

It didn’t take long for me to realize that the very thing that has made me unique would be my greatest asset at Fuqua: my ability to connect. A few days after arriving at Fuqua, our program announced that it was hosting a trivia night for MMS students. I remember classmates comfortably defaulting to teams with people of similar backgrounds, though I had a desire to explore a team with people from different backgrounds. A classmate from Pakistan recognized me from orientation and invited me to join her team, and we won first place. Our winning team, made up of classmates from India, China, Pakistan, and the U.S.A., captured the essence of Fuqua: embracing our differences.

Given that I started this program directly after undergrad at Duke, I leaned on my four years of experiences and lessons learned from both Duke and Durham to build a new network of friends. I noticed many of my classmates are international students looking for a sense of familiarity in what often feels like a foreign place. So, I naturally felt called to make Fuqua feel like home. Not because it was home for me, but because I’ve been able to create and build community for myself through resources that have sustained me as a Jersey girl living in North Carolina.

Making Fuqua feel like home for my international classmates has looked like…

• Inviting my classmate from India to join my church family and me for Thanksgiving dinner
• Inviting my classmate from Ghana to watch a Duke vs. Wake Forest men’s basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium
• Inviting my classmate from China to Focused Faith Fridays (prayer and devotional time) with the Christian Business Fellowship
• Attending Iftar during Ramadan with my classmate from Pakistan
• Having a study session in Panera Bread with my classmate from Taiwan
• Offering encouragement to my classmate from Denmark over lunch

In addition to the everyday activities of providing transportation to the grocery store, airport, church, and the mall. There are countless memories I can recall of making Fuqua feel like home, and one word that transcends language barriers and captures a universal feeling: gratitude.

What “Worth It” Means to Me

People often ask me: Is Fuqua worth it? Is the MMS program worth doing? What value will it provide as you start your career? They’re usually referring to the cost of tuition, the return on investment in securing a full-time job, and the courses themselves.

I believe they’re asking the right questions, but from the wrong angle. For me, the experience has been worth more than money and the classroom. The people I’ve met have been worth it. But those connections don’t come without costs themselves. If you aren’t willing to be uncomfortable, connect outside the classroom with classmates, or think beyond your own personal interest, Fuqua may not be worth it. I believe you get out of Team Fuqua what you put into it.

And if I’m honest, I don’t have my life figured out. I don’t know my next career steps. But I know the people who will be there for me along the way. And to me, that’s worth it.