Q) Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and are vital to providing you with a range of experiential learning and individual development experiences. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, how do you see yourself engaging in and contributing to our community outside of the classroom?
Tip #1: Hint is in the Question
The first part of the question has clues on what to highlight in the essay: student-led clubs, events, and centers. You should always choose the experiential learning modules and leadership initiatives that would have an immediate impact on your post-MBA career.
Tip #2: Professional + Talent + Passion + Non-Profit + Global Experiential Learning
Not all your potential contribution has to be aligned with a post-MBA goal. Even though almost all engagements require some form of consulting, causes that you believe in can be found in Duke Fuqua’s student organizations.
Experiential Learning
Global Academic Travel Experience (GATE)
Duke Fuqua's travel learning experience is fulfilled through The Global Academic Travel Experience (GATE) - an elective program that captures the destinations' economy, culture, history, and politics, first through an in-class course that dedicates 3-hours every week with experts well versed with the region. The country visit is scheduled for 12 days, where the instructor/regional expert acts as a consultant and initiates meetings with government agencies, global enterprises, and local start-ups. After the visit, students present reports and other deliverables on the focus area for the region, and some instances discuss cases that are relevant to the region. More than the experience the problem on the field, the networking opportunity with alumni, exchange partners, classmates, and Business leaders have been cited as the most valuable part of GATE.
Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP)
With the majority of the latest class (32%) choosing Consulting, the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP) is the bridge that helps candidates transition to the new role. Every September, applications are sought from clients with a brief on the company problem and what the Fuqua MBA candidate is expected to solve. A team of 3-5 students constitutes a team and meets the Manager from the organization in January to discuss the problem in detail and sign-up on the scope. Before the end of the academic years, each team must present the findings/recommendations to the client.
The consulting engagement is divided into three markets: growth, large-cap, and non-profits. Last year's consulting engagements include clients from Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Kenya, and the USA in industries as diverse as energy, healthcare, technology, and retail.
Few applicants have the fortune of combining professional, talent, and passion to serve a non-profit, but your background and experience (professional and extra-curricular) would be an indication of how your skills would have an impact on non-profits or global organizations.
The Program for Entrepreneurs (P4E)
The reality is that - in most top MBA programs, the percentage of candidates pursuing Entrepreneurship in the short-term is small. Duke Fuqua team realized the trend and designed P4E for any student interested in Entrepreneurship or working with start-ups in the short-term or long-term. The program is divided into three interest groups: Project Management, Team Member, and Entrepreneurs. This way, everybody has a role to play, and work with mentors from Life Sciences, Technology, Medical Devices, Internet, Gaming, and Media & Marketing. The experience gives candidates a peek into the challenges of the start-ups in the growth industries. By solving problems faced by startups, candidates will be ready to work on similar challenges in established companies that tend to lag behind innovators.
Fuqua on Board (FOB)
For those who want to combine their consulting expertise with IMPACT, The Fuqua on Board (FOB) program is a platform that connects them to Durham’s non-profits. The one-year partnership helps students address the problem faced by non-profits and gain governance experience and business skills necessary to understand operations/strategic challenges. The services offered at FOB are mostly board related and not operational. With a written application and an interview, students are matched to non-profits where they can utilize their pre-MBA experience and apply concepts learned on leadership.
