In 2015, I found myself considering an MBA, and Fuqua was my first stop. I still remember visiting campus, walking into a mock class, and feeling completely out of my depth. The pace was intense, the questions were well thought out, and the conversation moved fast. Everyone seemed so sharp, so confident. I felt intimidated. But I also felt something else: inspired. I didn’t want to run from that feeling; I wanted to grow into it.

Preparing For Business School

So, I did what most prospective students do. I started vigorous GMAT prep, mapped out the application timeline, and began envisioning a future in Durham. But then, life happened. I found out I was expecting my first child. The timing suddenly felt all wrong. Adding more to my plate during such a major life transition didn’t feel like the right move, especially when the financial reality of stepping away from work for two years began to sink in. So, I made the difficult but necessary choice to put the MBA dream on hold.

And yet, Fuqua never completely left my orbit. Over the years, the admissions team stayed in touch. Every so often, I’d get a message checking in, never pushy, never transactional. Just a reminder that the door was still open.

As someone who’s spent her career in marketing and business development, I appreciated the subtle brilliance of that long-term outreach. There’s a saying in marketing: it takes seven touchpoints to convert a lead. And when the investment is equivalent to a small house in the South, thoughtful follow-up matters. Fuqua’s follow-up game? Strong. It made a lasting impression.

Navigating My MBA Detour

Fast forward to early 2023. I had built a strong career in tech, an industry that often downplays the need for an MBA. I had learned how to navigate ambiguity, how to drive results, and how to lead. But something was missing.

My background is in social sciences, and I had always avoided anything overly quant-heavy. I hadn’t taken a math class since high school, and frankly, I was fine with that. But as the tech industry shifted post-COVID, and my company experienced its first wave of layoffs, I began to question what was next. It was a moment of reckoning. I realized I had been skirting around some of the very skills that would make me a stronger, more well-rounded leader. I didn’t just want to grow; I wanted to be pushed. I wanted to fill in the gaps that made me hesitate in high-stakes conversations. I wanted to finally face the things I’d spent years telling myself “weren’t for me.” And when I thought about where I could do that, I knew exactly where to go.

Finding My Way to Fuqua

Fuqua was my first choice, not in spite of its academic rigor, but because of it. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t nervous. I was a working mom walking back into the classroom after more than a decade. I questioned whether I’d be able to keep up. Whether I even belonged. But I also knew, deep down, that this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Receiving the call that I had been admitted is a moment I’ll never forget. I sat in the driveway a little longer that day, letting it sink in that after years, I was finally doing this. When that Fuqua swag box showed up on my doorstep, my son helped me open it with the largest smile across his face. I didn’t realize how much I needed that moment. It was confirmation that this dream I’d quietly carried for so long was actually happening. What I didn’t know then was just how much this decision would stretch me, challenge me, and ultimately change me.

The next chapter? That’s where the real work began; balancing life, work, and the steep learning curve of being back in the classroom. But that’s a story for another day.