Adrian Heneveld            

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

“Easy-going yet ambitious leader, family man, and future Tripod Hockey Champion.”

Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Fun Fact About Yourself: I come from a large family with 42 first cousins on one side.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Michigan, Sport Management; Marian University, Master’s in Teaching

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Harlem Lacrosse—Boston, Executive Director

What has been your first impression of the Tuck MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Tuck story so far. The Tuck community has been very generous and genuinely nice. My first interaction with a Tuck alum was during my time with Harlem Lacrosse, as one of our biggest supporters was a Tuck alum and embodied the mission of bettering the world through business. He was a CEO of a tech company and went above-and-beyond to provide opportunities for our students and used his position to open doors for them. As I started reaching out to current students and other alumni, I realized that he was not the exception, but the rule.

Upon arriving in Hanover, I participated in a three-day backpacking trip with fellow Tuckies. The Appalachian Trail goes right through Dartmouth, so we met at Tuck Hall and walked right onto the trail. The Dartmouth Outing Club is responsible for maintaining over fifty miles of the Appalachian Trail and owns numerous cabins along the way. Our group, which was given the trail name “Fresh Laundry” by a thru-hiker who started in Georgia, became very close during the experience. The long days of hiking provided a valuable opportunity to get to know each other and was the perfect way to start my business school experience.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose Tuck because the small class size and abundant resources gives Tuck an unmatched ratio of resources-to-students. The full-time MBA program is the only MBA program offered by Tuck, which means the faculty and staff are more accessible and focused on creating a positive experience for a smaller cohort. The location in small-town New Hampshire also helps create a tight-knit class with relationships that last long after our two years at Tuck.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Dartmouth Tuck? I’m most excited for the Center for Entrepreneurship and the Tuck Startup Incubator. A friend and I founded a movement analysis startup called Yogger, and we recently launched our mobile app on the App Store. Tuck has many resources for startups, and I look forward to applying my learnings in class to continue building Yogger. The startup incubator also provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with other founders by learning together, sharing resources, and giving and receiving feedback.

What excites you the most about coming to live in Hanover? What is the one activity you can’t wait to do? I am excited to live in Sachem Village, which is Dartmouth housing for students with partners and families. I have a wife and two daughters and finding an MBA program where they can thrive was a top priority for me. Sachem Village provides an amazing opportunity to build community with other families who are going through the same experience. In addition, I look forward to taking full advantage of all the outdoor activities in the beautiful Upper Valley including hiking, cycling, Tripod Hockey, and skiing.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: After teaching for two years with Teach for America, I joined a startup nonprofit—Harlem Lacrosse—to start the first boys program in Boston. One year later, I became the regional director and was later promoted to Executive Director. During my six years with Harlem Lacrosse—Boston, I oversaw growth from two programs to twelve, helped multiply our revenue by 10 times, and increased the number of students served from 45 to 400.

While the organizational growth statistics make me proud, the accomplishments of our students make me the proudest. Many of our students face significant challenges that are beyond their control, and they show incredible hard work and resilience to accomplish their goals. The students and families that I had the privilege of working with will continue to inspire me throughout my time in business school.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I recently read the book Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. The book applies the principles of design thinking to help the reader design a meaningful and fulfilling life. During this time, when there are numerous options for MBA programs, careers, locations, and companies, the book helps provide structure to the decision-making process. My favorite part of the book was the idea of creating prototypes and pursuing small experiences or conversations to test those prototypes. In the context of MBA programs, that could mean visiting campus, talking to students and alumni, and exploring post-MBA career paths.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? My career in education and nonprofit has been very fulfilling and full of personal and professional growth. I believe both the private and public sectors have roles in creating a world where everyone can thrive. I chose to pursue an MBA to continue learning and developing my skillset and to explore ways improve the world through business. I look forward to the general management curriculum at Tuck and believe it will help me pivot into a role in consulting or general management.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Harvard, Kellogg, Fuqua, Darden

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA program? Start by exploring how your values, experiences, and goals align with Tuck’s mission of “building wise, decisive leaders who better the world through business.” Everyone brings something different to the Tuck community, so be your authentic self and don’t try to guess what the admissions committee is looking for. In my experience, talking to current students and alumni who had similar backgrounds in education and nonprofit was most helpful.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MBA CLASS OF 2024: INFLUENCERS & INNOVATORS