Jessi Aguilar

Duke University, Fuqua School of Business

“Latino soccer fan who cares about representation through storytelling.”

Hometown: Waukegan, Illinois

Fun Fact About Yourself: For the past 5 years, I have been a standardized test coach for ACT, SAT, GRE, and GMAT students. Helping my students comprehend a topic they did not understand or felt uncomfortable with is one of my favorite things about coaching.

Undergraduate School and Major: Mathematics and Psychology at Bucknell University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Ad Sales Coordinator at Univision Communication

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? Collective diversity resonates most with me. I believe that having individuals with different backgrounds and experiences is an asset to any team. I consider myself a nontraditional applicant to MBA programs and I see that as a strength in the classroom and team settings. Collective diversity means that I will provide my point of view when tackling problems in and outside the classroom and be willing to listen and learn from perspectives that differ from mine.

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. I learned that the Fuqua community is made up of genuinely good people who want to see you succeed. The best example of this came during my Fuqua interview with a second-year student. At Fuqua, you have the opportunity to interview early, which I took advantage of. This interview was the first in my overall MBA application journey and I was nervous. While there were portions of the interview where I think I did well, there were also portions where I know I did not do my best. I did not feel great about my performance, but once I finished my interviewer began to give me constructive feedback. He told me what I did well and specifics on what I could improve on to help me feel prepared for any interview I got moving forward. I believe my interviewer genuinely wanted to help me and I was not even part of the Fuqua community yet. This experience stood out to me and gave me a glimpse of what Team Fuqua means.

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? I applied to business school knowing that I wanted to pursue a brand management role upon graduation. I knew Fuqua had strong marketing professors and courses and that made the program appealing. Additionally, Fuqua’s core curriculum and 6-week course length allow for experiential experiences such as GATE (Global Academic Travel Experience) which is something I was looking for in an MBA program.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Duke Fuqua (and why)

I am looking forward to joining a newly-formed club called LIFE (Low-Income, First-Generation Experience). As someone who comes from a first-gen low-income background, I recognize the challenges this community faces in an MBA program. I hope to build a stronger sense of community among this group at Fuqua and show prospective students who come from this background that they have a space where they can feel supported.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and Univision was one of the only media outlets that served my family and community by providing news and content in our language. Most recently, I worked at Univision in their ad sales team and had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s largest brands to help them execute their Spanish-language campaigns. It was great to work with brands that saw the value of the Hispanic community, but it was especially rewarding to use data and storytelling to influence brands to connect with their Hispanic consumers through advertisements. Growing up, I recognized the disparity in the number of brands that decided to advertise in the general market but not in Spanish. My work at Univision was valuable to me because I felt like I was able to advocate for my community which I believe was often forgotten about by brands.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? After working in advertising for a media and entertainment company, I knew I wanted to pivot into marketing, but on the client side and work on a globally recognized brand. To do this successfully, I knew I had to build a more well-rounded business acumen for myself. Although I want a marketing role, I understand how supply chain, operations, finance, and accounting can play a role and shape marketing decisions. I am pursuing brand management roles within CPG and an MBA is a great way to get me to my goal.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I recently watched Fuqua’s MBA Class of 2022 commencement speeches. The MBA application process is stressful and can make you question your decision in applying. While applying, I had moments of imposter syndrome and did not think I could make it through the process. I believe that one way of combating this is to hear and listen to others who went through the same process.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Duke Fuqua’s MBA program? My advice is to not go through this process alone. Fuqua emphasizes authentic engagement and that means presenting your true self. Your friends, family, and loved ones can provide you with perspective to help you bring your entire self into your application. My family helped me with my 25 random facts essay and reminded me of experiences and accomplishments I would have otherwise forgotten about.

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