Clara Rigou        

Duke University, Fuqua School of Business

“I was born in Argentina but actually grew up all over Latin America: Paraguay, Colombia, and Mexico.”

Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve fostered 183 dogs and 22 cats at home over the course of 7 years, and only adopted 1 dog and 1 cat (I promise I’m not a crazy cat/dog lady, I founded an NGO, and fostered because of it).

Undergraduate School and Major: Universidad de San Andrés – International Relations. Universidad Austral- MD in Education. Both in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Kigal S.A. (family company)- CEO and GM.

The MBA program is renowned for its “Team Fuqua” culture, which is predicated on six paired principles: Authentic Engagement, Supportive Ambition, Collective Diversity, Impactful Stewardship, Loyal Community, and Uncompromising Integrity. Which of these resonates most with you – and what does that principle demand of you as a Fuqua MBA?  Supportive Ambition. I think we are all ambitious: we are in business school because we want a better future professionally and personally. But I am impressed by how kind, supportive, and welcoming people are. And I think that you naturally pay it forward, so it’s a great virtuous circle. Alumni are really also considered into this; whether you’ve graduated within the last 5 years or 20, I’ve noticed a large network of alumni ready to get to know you and help you out with whatever you choose to do. I think that all the paired principles converge perfectly into Team Fuqua.

What has been your first impression of the Fuqua MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Fuqua story so far.  My first impression of the Fuqua MBA students was how amazing and collaborative they all were. Since I first contacted them when I was applying, throughout the application process, and after I was admitted, they kept in touch, cheered for me, and followed up. I personally fell in love with Fuqua with the “25 random facts” essay.

Aside from your classmates and school culture, what was the key part of Duke Fuqua’s MBA curriculum programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? It was the core classes that provide the fundamentals; the amazing opportunities for experiential learning; Fuqua on Board, which allows students to serve on the board of local nonprofits; and Fuqua 2 Duke, a program where Fuqua students mentor Duke undergrad students interested in business.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Duke Fuqua? Like a true Latinx, I would have to say: LASA! There is a true sense of belonging and they are very open and welcoming. But it’s really hard to choose, as there are literally hundreds of activities to choose from. Very excited and looking forward to it!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: It was transitioning from working in a multinational company to managing and professionalizing my family company, while pursuing my passion of running my NGO with the objective of rescuing stray dogs and cats.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation?

Having studied International Relations and getting an MD in Education – and always working in the business world – I always felt like I lacked the business school academics. I am still searching for my path after graduation, but probably will go to Consulting or Tech (or who knows! I might surprise myself).

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? Both the road to an MBA (GMAT, applications) and the actual MBA are tough, we all know it. I actually heard something yesterday at orientation that I thought was great: “Failure” is a lesson in disguise. We have to learn to take “failure” as an opportunity of growing, challenging ourselves, pushing forward, and pivoting. But we can all say that it’s 1000% worth it.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Duke Fuqua’s MBA program? Fuqua is extremely selective in the application process, taking into consideration not only IQ, but EQ and DQ (decency quotient). Your career path and involvement in your community, through service and leadership, are extremely important as well as a great standardized test score.

DON’T MISS: MEET DUKE FUQUA’S MBA CLASS OF 2024