During my MQM interview, I faced a question I wasn’t entirely prepared to answer: “How do you plan to contribute to the Fuqua community?”  At that time, I knew I wanted to help other people through the admissions process, but beyond that, I was still searching for how I could truly add value. I remembered hearing that Fuqua is a place that doesn’t just offer leadership roles, it actively encourages you to grow your leadership skills if you are willing to put in the effort. That question shaped how I would approach my time in Durham — I wanted to help build the kind of community where every student felt welcome.

Experiencing Team Fuqua

Becoming an Admissions Ambassador was my first step. Having navigated the application process myself, I knew how much having an ambassador’s support meant to me. I remember how one of the previous years’ ambassadors gave me the confidence to hit “submit” on my application by answering my questions about the pace of the curriculum and what day-to-day student life actually felt like. Their insights helped me picture myself in those classrooms and convinced me that I would belong here.

The Team Fuqua culture of support drew me in immediately, and I wanted to pass down that same encouragement to prospective students, helping them see themselves at Duke. Now, being on the other side of those conversations, representing Team Fuqua feels like a full-circle moment. There is a specific kind of fulfillment in seeing a prospective student’s nerves turn into excitement as I share my own journey. I want to ensure they feel like they belong here long before they set foot in the Fox Center, just as that one student did for me.

Proactively Building a Community

One of the most unique aspects of the MQM program is the “pitch” culture. If you have an idea for an event, the program office encourages you to gather interest, build a proposal, and make it happen. My first venture was a bowling night. Despite my love for event planning, I quickly realized the heavy lifting involved in organizing an event for the large MQM class. It was a lesson in project management: I had to gauge initial interest, secure the venue, coordinate catering, and manage the registration process, all while staying on top of my core MQM coursework. Ensuring the event ran smoothly from start to finish was a challenge, but seeing so many classmates connect outside of the classroom made every hour of planning worth it.

I followed this with a trip to a haunted house for Halloween, a tradition from my undergraduate years that I was eager to share with my international classmates. For many, it was their very first time visiting a haunted house, and bringing that vision to life was a highlight of my fall. Seeing everyone experience such a classic American holiday tradition for the first time was incredibly rewarding, especially when one of my classmates told me it was the most fun event they’d been to all year.

Finally, I had the chance to help organize “Fuqua’s Got Talent.” I was drawn to this because it was one of the few occasions where we could bridge the entire Fuqua community. I wanted to use the platform to showcase just how multifaceted the MQM program is. I worked to inspire my classmates to step onto that stage, from those who performed traditional dances to those who shared incredible vocal performances. Seeing my peers feel confident in their talents in the middle of a busy semester was one of my favorite moments, as it allowed us all to connect through something purely creative and fun.

My Personal and Professional Growth

My engagement wasn’t limited to social events; I also wanted to use the technical skills we were learning in class to give back. Being selected to join the Duke Advanced Consulting Club (DACC) allowed me to work pro bono for consulting clients. We volunteered our services to companies in Durham and across the U.S., allowing us to engage with the community in a professional capacity.

This experience allowed me to take the analytical tools and frameworks I was learning in the MQM program and apply them to a real-world business challenge. Through this project, I learned how to navigate the ambiguity of a client’s needs and translate messy data into actionable insights.

Looking back on that interview question, I realize that Fuqua provided the perfect ecosystem for me to grow. Students here are given the autonomy to lead and the resources to succeed. Through every event pitched and every prospective student call, I learned that leadership is about creating opportunities for others to connect and make memories. I’m grateful that Fuqua pushed me to find my own way to add value.