Meet Duke Fuqua’s MBA Class Of 2023

P&Q: What have you learned during the pandemic and the shift to hybrid or remote learning and how will they impact the MBA experience going forward?

RM: “For students who have been in our program during the pandemic—I have no doubt they have learned a great deal about how to effectively participate in and lead virtual teams. That is a skill that will most certainly serve them well in the future as virtual collaboration will stick around post-pandemic in business. I believe we also learned about how well our community copes with adversity. The resilience of our students, staff and faculty continues to amaze me, as they find ways to innovate to remain connected and deliver the best experience possible in the most challenging of circumstances. Long term, I think we will see some changes stick around. For example, recruiters may do some interviews virtually before they fly to campus or invite a student to an in-person interview at a company. We are likely to also see more admissions events offered virtually as well so that a wider range of people can participate without having to travel. In terms of the curriculum, we are still assessing what worked well online that we might want to incorporate in future courses. For example, we were able to recruit a wider range of speakers who were able to join us virtually but wouldn’t have been able to physically travel to campus.”

P&Q: Duke Fuqua places a heavy emphasis on Decency Quotient (DQ) in admissions. How do you define DQ? Why is it so important to learning at the school?

RM: “DQ is decency quotient or actively caring for people and trying to do right by them. Our dean started talking about this concept several years ago – and DQ has now become part of the Fuqua ethos. As Dean Bill Boulding explains, leaders must have a combination of IQ (intelligence) +EQ (emotional intelligence) +DQ. People who possess only IQ+EQ can read a room and manipulate others—but people with DQ will genuinely want to elevate others. However, as Dean Boulding explained recently, DQ doesn’t mean just being nice and not holding people accountable. Instead, DQ means being honest with people and helping them grow. We believe that ultimately leaders with DQ win the hearts and minds of those they lead because people know they have their best interest at heart. For that reason, we not only recruit students who share this value –but we intentionally work to develop DQ when a student is at Fuqua—DQ is fundamental to a person’s ability to meaningfully draw out strengths from others in leading a team.”

P&Q: One of your cherished traditions is Fuqua Fridays. What does this entail? How does this foster community among MBAs?

RM: “Fuqua Friday is personally one of my favorite traditions at Fuqua. I find inspiration in seeing our community come together on Friday evenings for a meal and drinks. Typically, Fuqua Fridays are hosted by a student club and have a theme. Often that theme involves learning about a new culture or region. Our students often bring their families and it is a great way to get to know people in a more personal way. In addition, our faculty often attends so students can connect with them outside the classroom.  Fuqua Friday is about developing relationships on an even deeper level for our community and celebrating the values and differences that make Fuqua such a special place.”

10 REASONS TO CONSIDER TEAM FUQUA

1) Sustainability: “I’m excited to be part of the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) and work with classmates and faculty to think creatively about social impact. With my background working in NGOs and in the social sector, I believe this will also be a part of Fuqua where I can contribute more towards my classmates’ learning experience and help them break into the social impact sector.”
Eliza Johnson (’23)

“Fuqua stood out to me due to its academic strengths and its focus on leadership. When applying to MBA programs, I was looking for a school that has a strong sustainability program and a strong social impact program. Fuqua blew that requirement out of the water with both the Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment (EDGE) and the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE).  In addition, there was faculty specializing specifically on sustainability in ocean industries, a particular interest of mine. However, what turned the tide for me was my sense that Fuqua was teaching its students how to be compassionate, impactful leaders who could not only deliver on the bottom line but could also deliver for the people within their companies.”
Kiera Givens (’23)

2) Curriculum: “It has to be the unique curriculum. Fuqua has fewer core classes, allowing me to tailor my two-year experience here the way I want to with more than 100 electives to cherry-pick from. Also, since Fuqua has short and intensive four 6-week terms, it allows me to dabble in a range of courses and amplify the breadth of my education.”
Aswasan “AJ” Joshi (’23)

3) Career Management Center: “Fuqua convinced me not only for its strong curriculum, but also because of its strong alumni community and its CMC, who are always willing to support you in finding the career path you choose. I have felt this spirit from my multiple conversations and now I am experiencing this support in real life. The CMC is supporting me to prepare for the recruiting process. No details are left out and you really feel confident that you are going to outperform in your internship and full-time jobs interviews, no matter the sector you are targeting.”
Tatiana Dasso (’23)

4) Great Faculty: “I am really excited to have the possibility to attend a class of Professor Dan Ariely. After many years reading his books, I have learned that psychology and behavior play a very important role in business.  Just by reading one of his famous books, Predictably Irrational, I felt I learned a lot. I just can’t imagine attending a class with him.”
Tatiana Dasso (’23)

“When I saw that the Health Sector Management program’s Faculty Director, David Ridley, had proposed the priority review voucher program to encourage development of drugs and vaccines for neglected diseases, I knew that Fuqua was the right environment for me to make my career shift into the private sector while working to make a meaningful social impact.”
Eliza Johnson (’23)

5) Durham: “Not sure if this a myth but more around not being able to do much in Durham, especially coming from a larger city. I have been blown away by the number of activities available here. From restaurants and beaches to mountains and lakes, there is just something available for everyone here and my classmates are always open to exploring new activities.”
Nwaka Isamah (’21)

6) Fuqua Friday: “I know this may sound obvious, but definitely Fuqua Friday, which I have to confess was one of the reasons I choose this school. As I mentioned, for me it was not only coming to business school to learn about finance and marketing, but also to keep developing my people skills and making valuable and meaningful connections, while making Fuqua my home. Before COVID, Fuqua Fridays provided a space to change our mindset from an academic and professional perspective to a more social and relaxed one, allowing us to stay in the building and talk to our friends in a casual environment. I was even able to make some new friends, with Fuqua providing food and drinks in the process. I even registered for Friday afternoon classes so I could go straight from the classroom to Fuqua Friday.”
Giovanni Lu (’21)

7) FCCP: “As a career switcher, the key part of Fuqua’s MBA programming I am most interested in is the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum (FCCP). FCCP matches local and international businesses with Fuqua student teams to allow them to apply their experience and education to deliver useful solutions to business problems. This aspect of the program is important to me because it will give me the opportunity to gain firsthand international consulting experience.”
DeMontrez Johnson (’23)

8) Healthcare: “Seeking a career at the intersection of health and wellness and innovation, I knew that I wanted to find a school that was strong in both of those areas. Duke, a leading health care institution that also sits in The Research Triangle, is the perfect place for me to explore this intersection.”
Lizzie Ayoub (’23)

9) Fuqua On Board: “In India, I served as director of a nonprofit that supports women against violence. Having experienced how fulfilling it is to play a role in driving change, I am keen to continue my involvement in the non-profit space. During my MBA, I hope to expand the scale of my impact, while also gaining formal mentorship in the non-profit sector. I am therefore very excited to join Fuqua on Board. This program matches MBA students with Durham-area nonprofits to serve as non-voting board members. To me, it represents the ideal intersection of personal growth and driving social impact.”
Devika Mathur (’23)

10) Fuqua2Duke: “I am excited to join Fuqua2Duke as a mentor to undergraduates, especially first-generation students. As a first-gen student myself, I have had to learn most things the hard way. Having discovered the blessing of mentorship throughout the years, I hope to spare other students from facing avoidable hurdles.”
Thomas Louvaris (’23)

ADMISSIONS ADVICE TO POTENTIAL FUQUA APPLICANTS

“Figure out who you are. Then do it on purpose.” Be yourself! Fuqua’s Admission’s team emphasizes personal fit in the admissions process. One of Fuqua’s six principles is Authentic Engagement. This principle creates a culture at Fuqua for students to show up as their authentic self. This is also a general rule in life.”
DeMontrez Johnson (’23)

“Team Fuqua is real: collaboration and team-bonding run deep in the DNA of this school. It is therefore important to reflect on and demonstrate how you are a team player who can not only flourish in but also facilitate such an environment. Besides that, remember to have fun with the application! Don’t try and present a certain image that you think typical business school candidates may have, because this school hugely values authenticity and diversity. Just be yourself and give it your best!”
Devika Mathur (’23)

“Do not go through this application process by yourself. Ask for help. If you are like I was, and did not have anyone in your circle, you may be tempted to just go at it alone. Don’t do it. I cannot emphasize this enough. Reach out to the students and alumni of the schools you are looking into, and do so early. Seek out support so you can put your best foot forward and avoid entirely preventable missteps.”
Maureen Ojukwu (‘23)

How did COVID change how the Class of 2023 approached life? What do class members hope to do after graduation? What are their secrets for landing an acceptance letter from Team Fuqua? Click on the links below to get answers like these from incoming first-years. 

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
Lizzie Ayoub	Boston, MA	Vanderbilt University	Accenture
Travis Beach	Cold Harbor Spring, NY	Connecticut College	U.S. Army
Tatiana Dasso	Durham, NC	Universidad de Piura	Corporacion Gala
Kiera Givens	Takoma Park, MD	University of Virginia	Ocean Conservancy
DeMontrez Johnson	Augusta, GA	Savannah State University	Northrop Grumman
Eliza Johnson	Sedro-Woolley, WA	University of Washington	Self-Employed (Consulting)
Aswasan “AJ” Joshi	Kathmandu, Nepal	Washington and Lee University	Nepal Private Equity Association
Tracy (Chunhong) Liu	Chenzhou, China	Ocean University of China	Nike
Thomas Louvaris	Ios, Greece	University of Minnesota	Safety Rail Company
Joel Martinez	Wenham, MA	Middlebury College	World Justice Project
Devika Mathur	Gurgaon, India	Shri Ram College of Commerce	Google
Maureen Ojukwu	Vancouver, WA	Seattle University	Health Care Service Corporation