2017 MBAs To Watch: Monique Alves, Dartmouth (Tuck)

Monique Alves

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

“Loyal, passionate, and a risk-taker; I enjoy driving strategy discussions and action within startups or enterprises.” 

Age: 31

Hometown: Queens, NY

Fun fact about yourself: I was a DJ on my college radio station WKCR-FM.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Columbia University, BA Economics

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Barclays Capital, Interest Rate Derivatives Project Manager

Where did you intern during the summer of 2016? IBM Global Business Services, Strategy Consultant

Where will you be working after graduation? Microsoft, Retail Category Marketing Manager

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Tuck Center for Digital Strategies fellow; Entrepreneurship Club, co-chair, 2016-17; 2016 Tuck Admitted Students Weekend, sponsorship committee lead;

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? It was being the “2016 Tuck Admitted Students Weekend, Sponsorship Committee Lead.” The position allowed me to introduce new companies to Tuck and our talented class. I was also able to expose incoming students to Tuck alumni at these companies to explore careers, industries and past Tuck experiences.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am proud of my Barclays Altitude Award, Q1 2013, for executing my project management leadership with the Barclays values top of mind and utilizing Barclays operational and risk management best practices.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Professor Ron Adner, who teaches a course which brings together innovation, strategy and entrepreneurship for an enterprise setting. He brings his research and practitioner experience into the classroom to challenge us to think broader across different industries and ecosystems. Professor Adner is accessible and can frequently be seen having in-depth discussions with students in the hallways or over lunch.

What was your favorite MBA Course and what was the biggest insight you gained about business from it? In the “Entrepreneurial Thinking” course a key takeaway (after learning how to be an idea generator and startup builder) was around selecting a top leadership role. When joining the C-level at an organization with a board, ensure there are members who understand shareholder value, as well as, members who have the personal experience and longer patience with challenges a Founder/CEO faces. Because growth and turnarounds can take longer than 3-4 quarters.

Why did you choose this business school? Students who self-select into Tuck are excited to build an intimate student community. Our location makes for a more dynamic social experience together. Tuck also has a strong quantitative and general management core helpful in all phases of a business career. Tuck’s responsive alumni network and high employment rates also helped.

What did you enjoy most about business school in general? Learning about my classmates outside of the classroom: watching student hockey games together, or chatting over small group dinners, or while on TuckGo international trips.

What was the most surprising thing about business school for you? I was surprised by how much flying there is for career exploration or job searches. In my case, (and this is unique per each student’s career interests), career flight opportunities seemed to match the number of student “fun trek” vacation flights.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be authentic in your application. Tuck is a small student-led community. Share what you will bring to strengthen your class’s Tuck experience and community.

What is the biggest myth about your school? You don’t have to be a hockey player to attend Tuck and you don’t have to play while here. Many students try it out and then move on to become amazing fans in the stands.

What was your biggest regret in business school? I should have gone on more student-led fun treks.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Ken Martin, T’17, Barclays Investment Banker prior to Tuck. Ken came in as a co-founder/co-manager for two growth businesses (cold press and coffee) which he continues to work on while a full-time student. He also founded “Emerging Venture Labs” right before Tuck and continues to build it out today by supporting startups.

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…an internal Morgan Stanley speaker series with senior women leaders helped me realize the speakers I admired had earned an MBA.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…boot-strapping a start-up evenings after work.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would work with peer institutions to facilitate more pan-MBA experiences (i.e. one-week international travel and learning trip with a 30-30-30 split of enrollment between three schools). Because many of us end up working at the same companies full-time, we can share best practices and debates beforehand. [It’s a bit more relaxed than business case competitions.]

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? Long-term, I aim to support the growth and spread of startups and technology through investments or strategy advice.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? When I think of my success, I am grateful for the influence of my mother, as well as that of my high school teacher and mentor, Ms. J.B. Dixon. Both women taught me there are no ceilings and to dream big, because with hard work and focus success is always within reach. Also make sure your definition of success is authored by you.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? Monique is supportive and works to connect relevant parties; she has a quick wit and creative insights.

Favorite book: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Favorite movie or television show: Leon: The Professional

Favorite musical performer: Madonna

Favorite vacation spot: St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Hobbies? Kettlebell Kickboxing, Surfing CrunchBase and AngelList

What made Monique such an invaluable addition to the class of 2017?

“Monique has been an invaluable addition to Tuck since she was an applicant. So let’s start at the beginning: when Monique was applying to Tuck, she connected thoughtfully, authentically, and professionally with nearly our entire admissions team. Monique showcased leadership as an applicant when she helped to organize her MLT (Management Leadership for Tomorrow) cohort to visit Tuck. Again, there was thoughtful and sincere follow up, not only from Monique, but others in her peer group as she set the example on the campus visit.

When our admissions team arrived at our final evaluation for her chosen application round, numerous members of our team not only knew exactly who she was, but also had very positive things to say. Upon admission to Tuck, Monique stood out as an ambassador for Tuck. She was a resource for Forte, MLT, and E-ship focused prospective applicants. She became a mentor to the first year students when she returned to Tuck in her second year. As an active club member at Tuck she took on leadership roles as the sponsorship chair for our Admitted Student Weekend, resource for the 2015 Tech Conference, represented Tuck at the Harvard Africa Business Conference, and organizer for the NYC E-ship/VC Trek 2016. She has also been a proactive Consortium liaison and active Black Students at Tuck (BSAT) member throughout her two years. She also kicked off a Health and Wellness Week in coordination with our MBA Program Office and fellow student leaders this past fall. Personal leadership makes things happen. Monique lives and acts in this spirit, has inspired others to do the same, and it will not be the same without her upon graduation this spring.”

Amy Mitson

Senior Associate Director, Recruitment and Communications, Admissions

 

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: THE STORIES OF 100 EXTRAORDINARY GRADUATES FROM THE CLASS OF 2017