Duke Weekend Executive MBA Student Blog

A busy day during an elective residency starts with an early run with my Weekend Executive MBA classmates.

Not only do we experience the power of teams as we progress through our classes, but we work in teams to accomplish our extracurricular goals as well.

The ability to work and study together on campus was an experience that was invaluable to my time in the program.

Life is challenging, but when you have a cheerleader on your team or someone who believes in you despite your flaws or fears, you can do what seems impossible.

As I looked ahead to a full term of new classes, a demanding schedule at work and a long list of summer activities for my toddlers, I wondered how I’d manage it all.

Seeing the courage of my classmates who took on new opportunities with the skills they acquired in the program inspired me to do the same.

My hope isn’t that you see this as a story about overcoming obstacles through creativity and dogged perseverance. Instead, I hope to destigmatize the importance of being authentic to who you are.

I remember a few years ago when I began considering this process, I had no women colleagues who had even considered pursuing an MBA.

The truth is that every student, regardless of their military background, may have feelings of uncertainty going into an MBA program.

I am sharing two stories with the hopes that one of them will resonate with you and help you reflect on your own journey.