When I started the MQM: Business Analytics program at Fuqua, I knew the program would challenge me in the classroom. I was coming from a background in journalism and advertising and suddenly found myself surrounded by data, analytics, and people who seemed to know more than I did. What I did not expect was how much I would grow outside the classroom, too.

Finding My Place at Fuqua

My days quickly became a mix of classes, group projects, presentations, and asking questions I secretly hoped other people were wondering about too. I participated in the Fuqua Quantitative Management Programs Data Competition, learned from professors who pushed me to think differently, and worked with classmates who approached problems in completely different ways.

I also realized Team Fuqua often shows up in small ways. It is a classmate helping you understand something, a friend celebrating your wins, or somehow finding yourself competing in the MQM table tennis tournament and winning the women’s doubles competition with my friend Kat. (I definitely did not have that last one on my business school bingo card!)

Challenging Myself in a New Way

While all of this was happening, I decided I wanted to become a runner. When I started at Fuqua, I could barely run two miles. And by “barely,” I mean I was painfully aware of every minute of those two miles.

But I kept running.

My new friends knew I was training for my first half marathon. They listened to me talk endlessly about my runs, encouraged me, and some even ran with me. People I had met only months earlier showed up to support a goal that had absolutely nothing to do with analytics, recruiting, or our next assignment.

A few months later, I crossed the finish line of my first half marathon.

The feeling was unmatched. Not just because I had run 13.1 miles, but because the person who could barely run two miles at the beginning of the program suddenly felt very far away.

A Supportive Community

When I think about my time at Fuqua, I think about the technical skills, projects, competitions, and professors. But mostly, I think about the people. My time at Fuqua showed me how much easier it is to push yourself when the people around you genuinely want to see you succeed.

Apparently, I took the “keep going” lesson quite literally. I am now training for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, running 26.2 miles in support of The Axis Project. You can read more about my connection to The Axis Project and how it connects to my personal commitment to my growth on my fundraising page.

I came to Fuqua hoping to become a better analyst. I left realizing I could push myself a lot further than I thought — one class, one challenge, and one mile at a time.