Weekend Executive MBA
Top Areas of Career Focus
IT (16%)
Financial Services (14%)
Health Care/Health Services (10%)
Manufacturing/Operations (9%)
Sales/Business Development (8%)
Consulting (8%)
Cate Gropper
“I have developed more confidence in my ability to pitch my ideas. Team-based assignments and live class participation gave me ample opportunities to practice speaking up in front of a large, highly educated group and open myself up to helpful and essential feedback.”
Production Manager
NBC News, TODAY Show
Weekend Executive MBA
Class of 2020
Industry:
Media
Prior Education:
Colgate University
Mathematical Economics/Spanish, 2014
Mathematical Economics/Spanish, 2014
Hometown:
New York, New York
Nationality:
USA
Reflections
I wanted to have as much of an immersive MBA experience as possible. I loved that all students stay at the same on-campus hotel during residency because classmates were not just available in class but also at meals and evening events. I knew this would allow me to get to know and connect on a deeper level. During the global pandemic, Duke and Fuqua worked diligently to create a safe two-week in-person elective term. I will treasure the on-campus experience I had with my masked, socially-distant classmates as a final learning opportunity.
Before Fuqua
I manage field operations and studio logistics for NBC’s TODAY Show, rotating between assignments in a live control room and out in the field. I also create project budgets and coordinate permissions, facilities, manpower, and travel for live shows in the field.
After Fuqua
I aim to continue to work in live production and gain more experience on larger projects. My long-term goal is to work on projects that combine my business and production experience.
5 Best Experiences in the Weekend Executive MBA Program
- Fuqua teams—I was fortunate enough to work with seven distinct teams. Each team had its own identity, but the opportunity to learn from and alongside so many classmates with diverse backgrounds and experiences was a highlight of the program.
- Serving as a class events chair—[Pre-pandemic] We planned class-wide residency events at local Durham breweries, ping pong tournaments between classes, and organized theme nights such as trivia night, casino night, and an Oktoberfest tailgate.
- Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum—My team worked with LifeNet, a U.S. non-profit that partners with Ugandan health care clinics. The pandemic forced us to cancel our trip to Uganda, but we still had the chance to speak with many local health providers to drive our research and data collection.
- Going to Duke games after class—My classmates and I once studied for a finance midterm while in the standby line for tickets to a basketball game. We also had a classmate who owns a brewery lead a beer tasting at a football tailgate.
- Fuqua program staff –This incredible team manages everything behind the scenes to make the on-campus experience logistics run smooth so that when you arrive on campus, you can focus on your studies and friendships.
Typical Class Demographics
Weekend Executive MBA
Age Range
28-45
Work Experience
5-20 years
Students with Advanced Degrees
32%
Countries Represented
19
Women
27%
