Fuqua’s Weekend Executive MBA program has been one of the most challenging but also one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I’ve worked in finance, specifically in asset management, in both public and private markets for over a decade. I decided to pursue an MBA to learn the technical skills that are so fundamental to the industry. As I look ahead to my fourth term, I can confidently say that Fuqua has provided me the opportunity to deepen and expand my knowledge, both in and outside of the classroom.

Planning a Major Conference

Given my professional experience and having attended the Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference in the spring of 2023, I was asked to help with the following year’s conference, which is hosted by Fuqua’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Club. Having barely even organized my own wedding, never in a million years did I think I would be at the helm of the planning and execution of a premier conference at the Fuqua School of Business. Unbeknownst at the time of commitment, this conference provided me the opportunity to see how much I’ve grown personally and professionally.

It was a yearlong planning process to host over 150 attendees and some of the most prestigious names in private equity and venture capital and proved to be a testament to perseverance and collaboration. Even with having worked in the private equity industry for years, I learned so much from the conference speakers’ perspective, particularly with the macro-economic forces in play post-COVID.

The entire planning process and conference was an excellent opportunity to experiment with change management strategies, operational theories, and forecasting techniques as the team collaborated to ensure a smooth experience. These are just a few examples of the many lessons drawn directly from the classroom that were part of the success of the event.

Measuring My Growth

Reflecting on my growth, having just passed our one-year mark as we embark on Term 4, I realized that not all my knowledge and growth have come from the classroom. The skills (and lessons) my peers and I have developed and learned together, amidst the demands of a full-time career, the additional Fuqua responsibilities we take on (like planning a conference for the first time ever!), and managing our personal lives, have left me with three lessons that will be forever engrained in my character.

Give yourself some grace.

• Self-compassion is important, but so is resilience. While self-compassion offers solace during moments of struggle or failure, resilience empowers individuals to bounce back stronger, armed with valuable lessons learned along the way. Navigating life’s labyrinth of challenges becomes more manageable when approached with a blend of kindness, understanding, and perhaps even a sprinkle of humor, serving as a potent antidote to the inevitable setbacks that pepper our journey.

You can only go so far alone.

• Team Fuqua isn’t just a hashtag; it is a community. Fostering meaningful connections and leveraging collective strengths is a critical part of the program. Fostering meaningful connections transcends mere networking — it embodies a collective ethos of support, collaboration, and mutual growth, tapping into the diverse expertise and experiences of the peers I’m fortunate to learn alongside.

Feedback is a gift that keeps on giving.

• You get a lot of feedback throughout your MBA and each bit is a data point in the process of continual improvement. Keep these data points centralized, accessible and organized. Don’t just review it at the time of delivery; go back and process it again in a month, a quarter, a year. Pattern recognition is powerful.

With another year ahead before graduation in May 2025, I am eager to embrace the myriad lessons yet to unfold, both within and beyond the classroom walls.