Jen Pines ’05 dreamed of working in the wine industry— but it’s a tough fi eld to tap into, with companies that don’t typically recruit at business schools. So she contacted a Duke alumnus in the fi eld who fi lled her in about his company and the skills she’d need to break into the business. Based on his advice, she worked with Fuqua faculty to design mentored internships that would hone those skills—including developing a strategic growth plan for an annual Harvest Wine Auction and helping a local textile company launch a premium brand of jeans. Meanwhile she and the alumnus stayed in touch, and after several interviews at his company she was hired as a marketing manager at Paterno Wines International, billed as the leading marketer of luxury wines in the United States. It’s a typical success story for Duke MBAs, says Fuqua Alumni Relations Director Elizabeth Hogan: “The value of a Duke MBA is not just an entree into high-level jobs—it’s access to a network of brilliant, highly motivated people who will be genuinely interested in helping you throughout your career.”