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%)
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Sunil Unni
“The team experience exceeded my expectations. My team met more frequently than was required for assignments. We shared learnings from work and our personal and professional challenges. This allowed us to keep the spirit of Fuqua alive even when we were in a virtual environment, and it strengthened our bond as a team.”
Senior Director of Technology
Lowe’s Home Improvement
Weekend Executive MBA
Class of 2022
Industry:
Retail—Home Improvement
Prior Education:
Visvesvaraya Technological University (India) Engineering, 2003
Hometown:
Charlotte, North Carolina
Nationality:
India
Reflections
I decided to pursue an MBA at Fuqua during a challenging work environment and with two toddlers - ages two and one - at home. It wasn’t easy at first, but my wife was just as committed as I was in this journey as we juggled priorities. She leaned in heavily and took on several responsibilities at home until I was able to get settled in the program. We learned to plan out our weeks in advance and became strict followers of our calendars, carving out enough time for school and family.
Before Fuqua
I was a senior director of engineering at Lowe’s in the eCommerce space, and I led a team of approximately 250 engineers and product managers. My primary responsibility was to provide leadership to the rapid technological transformation of our online business.
After Fuqua
Fuqua has significantly solidified my path to executive leadership. I have been able to apply frameworks from my classes in my current role and have reaped the benefits. I have learned to be more analytical in my approach to problem-solving and have expanded my lines of reasoning when it comes to decision-making.
5 Tips for Balancing School, Work, and Your Personal Life
- Set expectations with your spouse and family about your time commitment to the program. Plan to devote between 10 to 20 hours a week towards readings, team meetings, and assignments
- Have fun when you’re on campus! There are plenty of spots around Durham and Raleigh that are fun to visit with your teammates.
- Plan out your social calendar. The program calendar and assignment due dates are published far in advance, giving you plenty of time to plan around important dates and make time for your friends.
- Regularly remind your manager and coworkers about your MBA program. Share learnings and interesting topics from your classes with them, and try not to work during residency weekends since they tend to be busy.
- Be consistent about devoting time to schoolwork. There may be weeks when there are no assignments due. Use that time to review lectures and notes; you'll be glad you did when you have other upcoming assignments and exams.
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%
