Fuqua First-Year Spotlight – Meet Kait

Prior to Fuqua, Kait spent seven years working in the education and non–profit sectors. Most recently, she managed a Fabrication Laboratory in the Bay Area with the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and the San Francisco 49ers.

1) What has your first fall been like? I thought I knew what the word "busy" meant... Fall at Fuqua has fully and unapologetically disproven that belief. And I couldn't be happier (I could definitely be more well–rested though). My days are filled with collaborative team meetings, informative coffee chats with second–years and alumni about their work experiences, enjoyable professors and challenging classes, recruitment events and presentations, club check–ins, and Blue Devil Basketball. Our terms are only six weeks long, and our opportunities are endless. This intentional inundation of choice and content forces us to build endurance, prioritize, and grow (quickly) together as a class. I chose to attend Duke for a transformational business school experience, and Fall at Fuqua won't let me forget it!

2) How have you gotten engaged in the Fuqua community and how easy has that been? It is easy to get engaged in the community, yet difficult to decide to which of the many options you will commit. Knowing that I would be making the time–intensive transition from education to consulting, I have had to be thoughtful about my approach. I attend social events and Fuqua Fridays for easy opportunities to see many of my friends and professors in a more casual environment, am deeply involved with Fuqua leadership and my beloved Section Six as their elected Section Representative, and make sure to prioritize time spent supporting my classmates (Diwali Festival, FuquaPride Drag Show, etc.). For example, in this past week I engaged with a Section Six Friendsgiving, a traditional South Korean dinner planned by my teammate from Seoul, a successful all–Fuqua food drive, and signed on with 40 classmates and professors to build leadership outside of the classroom with the Duke Armed Forces Association's Operation Blue Devil (two–day team–building and endurance course run by Army Special Ops). I've had the opportunity to practice Authentic Engagement at Fuqua, and I assure you, you will too.

3) What are your biggest tips for preparing between being accepted and starting orientation? GO TO BLUE DEVIL WEEKEND (BDW). It was my first time in Durham, and I was taken aback by the impact of the experience. I met my future roommate, did improv with current students who are now my mentors, debated marketing strategy with a renowned professor, and found myself falling for Fuqua. Prior to attending BDW, I had been certain that I would choose another program – you can probably guess which way that decision went.

4) Any other tidbits of advice or Fuqua community info that you think admitted students should know? Besides going to BDW, make sure to RELAX. You made it; the GMAT and applications are behind you, and your hobbies, friends, and family have missed you. Make time for them, and for yourself. To make the most of the upcoming Fuqua experience, show up refreshed, not preemptively burnt out. There will be plenty of time to challenge yourself (refer to Question 1), so for now, plan time pre–Orientation to move and do whatever it is you enjoy doing. Can't wait to meet you in the coming months!

Daytime MBA Student Blog

Second–year student blogger, Daniel McCullough '18, discusses how mentored study has enhanced his MBA experience.

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Diversity in our Programs

The entire Duke community, not just Fuqua, shares a long–standing commitment to diversity. Some of our recruitment activities are specifically aimed at those who may be an underrepresented voice in the global workplace, like our Diverse Perspectives series, held in cities around the country. You may have had the opportunity to attend one of our fall diversity events, like Veteran's Symposium, Weekend for Women, LGBTQ Weekend, or the MBA Workshop, our oldest on–campus diversity event, making an impact for the past 35 years. "Going to the Workshop greatly impacted my decision; it basically sealed my decision that this was the place to attend," said Leshawnda Larkin, Fuqua Daytime '93.

The students of Fuqua celebrate diversity with a variety of student–led activities like Global Week, a weeklong festivity highlighting cultures from the around the world, and various conferences put on by our diversity clubs, like the Women's Leadership Summit and the Minority Business Conference. Even some of our Fuqua Fridays have diversity themes, with food and entertainment to match! For some of our prospects, our diversity offerings are key to Fuqua being their top choice.