As a financial analyst working on renewable energy projects across Sub-Saharan Africa, driving insights from large sales datasets was a core part of my role. Every day, I would work with a large dataset analyzing trends in the data, but as the data increased, it became apparent that I needed an advanced tool to handle the complexity and size of the data.

My curiosity led me to the world of data analytics and the many tools that could empower me to analyze and visualize large datasets. I soon realized that analytics had a key role to play in transforming the future of finance. It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to strengthen my technical skillsets and develop my business acumen.

Setting My Goal: Strategic Finance

I joined the MQM program with the goal of finding a role on a strategic finance team at a tech or energy company. Fuqua was the ideal choice because I developed both business knowledge and analytics expertise in the program. After graduating, I joined ServiceNow’s financial planning and analysis rotational program, a highly- competitive, two-year leadership program within the company’s strategic finance team.

During my first year, I partnered with ServiceNow’s cloud infrastructure team to manage the company’s investments in private and public cloud infrastructure. In my second rotation, I partnered closely with the Office of the Chief Digital Information Officer and his engineering leadership team to drive transformation within the engineering organization.

In both roles, I managed hundreds of millions of dollars in capital and operational spending — critical responsibilities given the importance of cloud infrastructure and digital technology to ServiceNow. The MQM program equipped me with the confidence and skillsets needed to lead several strategic initiatives in these areas. MQM prepared me for these opportunities in five ways.

1. Emphasis on Teamwork

Fuqua emphasizes teamwork and collaboration, and during the program, I worked on many different teams. The most effective teams foster leadership qualities in each member, encouraging everyone to take full ownership of their responsibilities. This was my experience at Fuqua, and it helped build my leadership abilities.

Presenting team projects to the class was also crucial in enhancing my confidence and communication skills. In my current role, I regularly present key financial insights to both finance and engineering leadership.

2. Relevant Technical Courses

Coming from a business background, I had limited technical experience, but the MQM program helped me understand essential technical concepts. This knowledge was especially valuable when I chose to work with engineering teams during my rotations. I could communicate effectively with technical teams and better understand how products were built.

Courses like Data Infrastructure, Data Science, and Data Visualization provided me with deep technical expertise and a strong foundation in data analytics.

3. Opportunities To Develop Business Acumen

The MQM program offers a perfect balance of business acumen and analytical skills. One of its strengths is the flexibility to determine how technical you want to be. As a strategic finance associate, having a solid understanding of the business is crucial for effective partnerships.

Courses such as Business Fundamentals, Strategic Management, Navigating Organizations, and Operations Analytics gave me a deeper insight into how businesses operate, enhancing my ability to support them.

4. Experiential Learning with the Capstone Project

A key component of the MQM program is the capstone project, where students work with an organization to solve real-world problems using data analytics. This experience is vital because it requires applying all the knowledge and skills gained during the program.

For my capstone, my team and I used SQL and Power Business Intelligence (BI) to analyze and visualize our client’s data. This project experience proved invaluable at ServiceNow, where I later led a Power BI initiative, collaborating with our analytics team to develop self-service dashboards that made financial data easily accessible to engineering leaders.

5. Giving Back to the Community

Fuqua places a strong emphasis on giving back, with numerous volunteer opportunities on campus. This focus on community service resonated with my values and being part of Fuqua amplified my commitment to giving back. At ServiceNow, I participated in several volunteering events, including partnering with Second Harvest to pack meals and help combat food insecurity.

The MQM Program at Fuqua was instrumental in shaping my career in strategic finance and analytics. Fuqua equipped me not only with the tools to succeed in my role but also with a mindset of growth and service. I learned business and technical skills that are essential to thrive in a dynamic technical environment, where I played a key role in driving cloud strategic initiatives and positioned myself to make meaningful contributions to cross-functional teams as a finance business partner. Most importantly, Fuqua’s emphasis on community continues to inspire me to seek opportunities for impact both professionally and personally.