Still, the thought of duplicating this and finding meaningful friendships at Fuqua scared me. I often thought about how I would make friends at Fuqua. Will I just lean on my undergrad friends, or will I hang out with my friends who graduated in the same class and are still in the Research Triangle area?

Making Fuqua Feel Like Home

It didn’t take long for me to realize that the very thing that has made me unique would be my greatest asset at Fuqua: my ability to connect. A few days after arriving at Fuqua, our program announced that it was hosting a trivia night for MMS students. I remember classmates comfortably defaulting to teams with people of similar backgrounds, though I had a desire to explore a team with people from different backgrounds. A classmate from Pakistan recognized me from orientation and invited me to join her team, and we won first place. Our winning team, made up of classmates from India, China, Pakistan, and the U.S.A., captured the essence of Fuqua: embracing our differences.

Given that I started this program directly after undergrad at Duke, I leaned on my four years of experiences and lessons learned from both Duke and Durham to build a new network of friends. I noticed many of my classmates are international students looking for a sense of familiarity in what often feels like a foreign place. So, I naturally felt called to make Fuqua feel like home. Not because it was home for me, but because I’ve been able to create and build community for myself through resources that have sustained me as a Jersey girl living in North Carolina.

Making Fuqua feel like home for my international classmates has looked like…

• Inviting my classmate from India to join my church family and me for Thanksgiving dinner
• Inviting my classmate from Ghana to watch a Duke vs. Wake Forest men’s basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium
• Inviting my classmate from China to Focused Faith Fridays (prayer and devotional time) with the Christian Business Fellowship
• Attending Iftar during Ramadan with my classmate from Pakistan
• Having a study session in Panera Bread with my classmate from Taiwan
• Offering encouragement to my classmate from Denmark over lunch

In addition to the everyday activities of providing transportation to the grocery store, airport, church, and the mall. There are countless memories I can recall of making Fuqua feel like home, and one word that transcends language barriers and captures a universal feeling: gratitude.

What “Worth It” Means to Me

People often ask me: Is Fuqua worth it? Is the MMS program worth doing? What value will it provide as you start your career? They’re usually referring to the cost of tuition, the return on investment in securing a full-time job, and the courses themselves.

I believe they’re asking the right questions, but from the wrong angle. For me, the experience has been worth more than money and the classroom. The people I’ve met have been worth it. But those connections don’t come without costs themselves. If you aren’t willing to be uncomfortable, connect outside the classroom with classmates, or think beyond your own personal interest, Fuqua may not be worth it. I believe you get out of Team Fuqua what you put into it.

And if I’m honest, I don’t have my life figured out. I don’t know my next career steps. But I know the people who will be there for me along the way. And to me, that’s worth it.

The post Is Fuqua Worth It? It Depends on How You Show Up. appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

Resilience and Selectivity in Job Search

This year’s graduates spent more time exploring opportunities before making their final decisions, as seen in the latest employment report. While hiring cycles extended for many employers, 93% of students seeking employment secured full-time positions within six months of graduation, and they all accepted full-time roles within nine months post-graduation.

Among those who reported receiving offers, more than half received three or more, including one student who received 10. Many students chose to stay in the market longer, compare options, evaluate role scope, and long-term growth before making a decision.

Diversified Career Pathways

Career choices this year were notably more diverse in a few key ways.

1. Industry and Location: Graduates entered a wider range of industries and geographic locations than in prior cohorts. This indicates a more flexible, opportunity-driven approach to career decision-making.
   
2. Type of Employer: Beyond industries and geographic locations, students joined state-owned enterprises, multinational firms, private companies, and educational institutions. This broader distribution reflects a shift from more concentrated placement patterns toward a more diversified and opportunity-responsive employment landscape.
   
3. Jon Function: Functionally, outcomes were also more dispersed. Students secured roles in general management, marketing, operations, consulting, and finance, reflecting the breadth of the MMS curriculum. The program’s cross-functional foundation enabled graduates to compete across multiple tracks rather than clustering narrowly in one function.
   
4. Looking Beyond Traditional Roles: Beyond traditional full-time employment, two students elected to continue their academic pursuits: one pursuing a Juris Doctor degree and the other returning to Fuqua to begin the Accelerated MBA program. In addition, five students chose to embark on entrepreneurial paths by starting their own businesses.

Strategic Use of Career Resources

Job-search support facilitated by Fuqua and/or DKU was used by 81% of graduates who accepted a job. This includes students who engaged directly with Fuqua’s Career Management Center. Others reported working with external career coaches or participating in alumni mock interviews. Students combined institutional resources with self-directed preparation to strengthen their competitiveness.

I also observed the impact of peer influence. Students came from diverse academic and internship backgrounds, and throughout the year, the program team organized two focus group meetings, inviting students to share their internship experiences and career interests. Alumni were also invited to support students in preparing their interviews, including alumni working in finance, consulting, technology, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). These exchanges provided students with first-hand insights into different industries and helped broaden their career exploration and adaptability.

Continued Growth in Technology-Driven Sectors

The upward trend in technology-related roles continued this year. The proportion of graduates entering technology-oriented companies increased from 17% in the Class of 2024 to 26% in the Class of 2025, with half of these students joining internet companies.

This increase may reflect broader industry developments. As Chinese internet companies continue to expand globally, they are increasingly seeking talent with international exposure. I also observed that many students are drawn to the dynamic and flexible nature of technology roles and are more willing to embrace the challenges these positions offer.

The 2025 MMS: DKU employment report represents more than a set of statistics. The Class of 2025’s job outcomes reflect resilience, informed decision-making, and the ability to navigate uncertainty with intention. As the nature of work continues to evolve, I am confident that the adaptability and cross-functional foundation graduates developed during their time in the MMS program will support not only their first roles but their long-term professional growth.

The post The Diverse Career Pathways and Timelines for the MMS: DKU Class of 2025 appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

The employment market our graduates entered continues to be competitive and dynamic. Hiring timelines stretched, employer behavior shifted, and uncertainty lingered across industries. Against that backdrop, and as the largest class in program history, the Class of 2025 delivered outcomes that speak not just to performance, but to resilience, adaptability, and persistence.

Topline Outcomes: Steady by Any Measure

The 2024-2025 MMS employment report offers a clear lens into today’s market and how early-career talent is navigating it. Within six months of graduation, 149 graduates had accepted full-time offers, representing 78% of job-seeking students.

Compensation outcomes also point to stability, with modest but meaningful upward movement. The median base salary increased to $80,000, reflecting continued employer confidence in MMS talent. While we encourage students not to over-index on compensation alone, several trends stand out:

• The strongest salaries were accepted in consulting, financial services, and real estate.
• More than 35% of students who reported salaries accepted offers of more than $90,000.
• Overall salary distribution held firm despite broader market pressure.

It’s also important to note that these numbers reflect real people making real decisions in a tough environment. Trade-offs weighed heavily as students made difficult decisions when they had an offer in hand from one firm while still in process with other employers. To me, these outcomes are not abstract percentages; they represent individual graduates who stayed engaged, adjusted strategies, and secured roles aligned with their interests and long-term goals.

What Looked Different This Year

The clearest signals of current market conditions are shifts in employer behavior, such as changes in hiring timelines and reductions in cohort hiring sizes. Access to employers tightened across the board, and students increasingly relied on networking, initiative, and persistence to surface opportunities.

In response, Fuqua adapted alongside students. One new initiative this year was the launch of alumni-led mock interviews, designed to provide meaningful, practical feedback while creating one-to-one connections between students and alumni.

The response from alumni was overwhelmingly positive. One MMS alum who now works at Google shared: “Students were great — well prepared, experienced, and great candidates overall. Their eagerness to grow and succeed was definitely felt, and their presence were awesome.” Efforts like these highlight that preparation and community matter even more when the market tightens.

Creativity in Career Pathways and Employer Choice

Another defining feature of this year’s outcomes was flexibility. Students demonstrated a willingness to explore nontraditional and nonlinear paths, many of which led to strong results.

In a few cases, graduates accepted short-term or internship-based roles that later converted into full-time positions. Others made thoughtful pivots as opportunities emerged. For example, one student planning to pursue another degree received a compelling job offer in their desired location and chose to enter the workforce instead. Another student, initially focused on biotech startups, found an opportunity with a fast-growing real estate firm that valued their bias for action and financial skill set. These stories reinforce an important lesson I try to impart on MMS students every year: Strong outcomes don’t always follow a straight line.

That same mindset is reflected in where students chose to work. While large organizations remain important employers, 45% of graduates accepted roles with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) this year. These organizations may not be household names, but often offer earlier responsibility, steeper learning curves, and clearer visibility into impact — attributes that matter deeply early in a career. We were also encouraged to see new and first-time employers hire MMS graduates this year, an especially meaningful signal in a cautious hiring environment.

Moving Forward

The Class of 2025 met this moment with realism, grit, and creativity. Their outcomes reflect not only individual effort but a community of support, from alumni, faculty, employers, and the Career Management Center team, working together and always leaning in. We are incredibly proud of this class and excited to see what they build next.

The post Stability in an Evolving Market: Employment Outcomes for the Class of 2025 appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

The Fuqua Brand Challenge

When we were first assigned P&G’s Charmin Flushable Wipes and told to come up with three target consumer segments and a strategy to improve product trials, we were lost. We so badly wished for the products the other teams got — Hershey’s chocolate, Life Savers gummies, and Cheetos. Each team was assigned a brand and a specific marketing task, and ours required us to think creatively about how to make an unglamorous product engaging. The challenge entailed setting up a booth during Fuqua Friday and making it fun and interactive so that people would want to try the product. We wondered, who’d want to learn about a replacement for toilet paper over getting free candy or chips, right?

However, thanks to my amazing teammates, we ended up with an awesome booth. We had games like peanut butter pong and balloons, where people could drop ping pong balls (beer pong-style) into cups with peanut butter, and put peanut butter on balloons, and then compare the cleaning efficacy of toilet paper versus our flushable wipes. We came up with fun captions like “Our cheeks deserve pampering too,” decorated a photo booth, and forced a teammate to dress up in a bear onesie representing the Charmin mascot (she secretly loved it).

While it was great that people loved our booth enough to make us win the Popular Vote and Second Prize, the actual victory was getting two of our friends in MMS to permanently switch from toilet paper to flushable wipes — go Charmin!

The Fuqua Specialty Masters Case Competition

At the end of a long day of classes and assignments at Fuqua, my team felt like we didn’t have the energy to participate in the 24-hour case competition that we’d signed up for. While we made our way to Geneen Auditorium, all we were excited about was the free dinner. So you can imagine our joy when we saw that it was Chipotle!

Little did we know that it was probably “field research” of some sort — because for the next 24 hours, we were going to be working on a business strategy case focused on Chipotle’s declining store traffic and customer loyalty. After six hours of heated discussions and turning the whiteboard in Team Room 31 black, we decided to call it a day. The next morning, it was time to lock in right after class and create a slide deck for our solution: a Chipotle breakfast menu. It was a lot of fun pitching breakfast burritos in front of the judges and everyone who took part, and this time we won the Popular Vote and Third Prize.

While both competitions helped me learn more about marketing and strategy, and gave me hands-on, real-world experience in a short amount of time, two takeaways stood out as far more important to me.

1. The Team Fuqua Spirit

It was Fuqua Friday — the day of the booth presentation, and we had nothing ready! We knew what we wanted our booth to look like but had not started executing yet. After class, all six of us spent the whole day running around to get things in order — marketing pamphlets, game supplies, posters, and a slideshow.

The best part? Our friends who were not even a part of the team offered to help us out. They simply showed up to our messy and chaotic planning table in the Fox Center and asked, “How can we help?” They helped with everything from cutting chart paper and grabbing last-minute printouts to distributing pamphlets around the cafe to promote our booth. Without them, there’s no way we would’ve made it.

Honestly, I think I enjoyed being part of that “organized yet chaotic orchestra” for five hours, even more than the two hours of Fuqua Friday itself. We were truly a team looking out for one another, jumping in wherever needed, and having a whole lot of fun along the way.

2. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

The case competition pushed us out of our comfort zones in a completely different way. None of us had done a case competition before, and suddenly we were faced with a messy business problem, limited data, and no “right” answer. There were a thousand ways we could solve the problem, and just as many reasons to doubt whether any of them were correct.

Coming from a more technical background, I’ve always been used to problems where 2 + 2 = 4. This wasn’t that. We’d form a hypothesis, dig into the data, realize it didn’t quite hold up, and then go back to the drawing board. More than once. And honestly, that uncertainty was uncomfortable. But that’s also exactly how the real world works.

Embracing the discomfort, rather than fighting it, helped us think more creatively, ask better questions, and come out of the experience more confident and informed. More importantly, it reinforced why I wanted to participate in these competitions in the first place: to explore skills and insights beyond the classroom, while genuinely enjoying the process alongside a supportive team. And having a group that had each other’s backs through the uncertainty made all the difference.

The post Building Confidence Through Fuqua Competitions, One Pitch at a Time appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

This list brings together our perspectives from Admissions, the MMS: Foundations of Business (MMS: FOB) program, the MMS: Duke Kunshan University (MMS: DKU) program, and the Career Management (CMC) Center to highlight the moments we believe best capture the MMS experience. Together, they form a powerful foundation that stays with students long after graduation.

Grady Arnao, Admissions

1. Connecting With Admissions Personally

From the first email inquiry to the moment an offer letter is received, our admissions team is dedicated to making each applicant feel seen and supported. Behind the scenes, it’s a team effort, responding to each and every question, celebrating admits, and helping every student feel like they belong at Fuqua.

2. Attending a Campus Visit, Information Session or Regional Event

Whether it’s a campus visit in Durham, a virtual info session across time zones, or a regional event abroad, every interaction with a future Blue Devil is a reminder of what makes MMS special: genuine connections, shared ambition, and a sense of global community that starts even before classes begin.

3. Meeting MMS Students Who Lead the Way

One of our favorite parts of the year is seeing MMS students step into leadership roles as admissions ambassadors. They host tours, connect with prospective students, and share honest insights about their time at Fuqua. Their energy and generosity truly define the welcoming culture of the program.

4. Experiencing Life as a Student at Blue Devil Experience

Each spring, admitted students are invited to Blue Devil Experience, days filled with excitement, discovery, and anticipation. Watching them meet their future classmates, professors, and program staff for the first time is one of the most rewarding moments of the year. It’s the true start of their Fuqua journey.

5. Understanding the Global Diversity

Each incoming MMS class brings together bright, curious minds from around the world. Watching students from 20+ nationalities connect, collaborate, and learn from one another is one of the most defining moments of the MMS journey.

Christopher Coles, MMS: FOB Program Team

6. Orientation

Orientation marks the academic start of the MMS program, when students’ business school dreams truly become a reality. Students are introduced to MMS staff, faculty, and their learning teams, and new faces start to become valued mentors, collaborators, and friends.

More than just sharing information about schedules, logistics, standards, and the Honor Code, MMS orientation creates a forum for mutual discovery and instills a sense of belonging from the jump. It is where students begin to see the full possibilities of the program, their Fuqua community, and themselves, setting the tone for the year ahead.

7. Team Building at Triangle Training

Early in the summer, MMS students hop on a bus and travel to the woods of rural North Carolina to participate in a Fuqua rite of passage: Triangle Training! The cornerstone of the MMS Team Dynamics series, Triangle Training is a day-long high-ropes course led by leadership professionals, with programming focused on team-building exercises and leadership development. Students are challenged not only to overcome physical obstacles but to deepen their connections with teammates, leveling up their skills in communication and collaboration, and building camaraderie with their cohort.  

8. The First Round of Finals

MMS is an academically rigorous program — all the more intense in the Summer Term. As students adjust to the fast-paced, graduate-level learning environment, they are still acclimating to life in Durham, new schedules and routines, and taking the time to engage with the Fuqua and Duke communities. 

A summer’s worth of effort and growth, all the late nights studying and hours spent collaborating with their teams, come into stark focus at students’ first final exams and presentations at the end of the term. Surviving summer finals and the Business Communication presentation are defining moments in the MMS experience, as students make their first big academic mark and prove to themselves that they belong in the MMS program.

9. The First Fuqua Friday

One highlight of the Fuqua experience is Fuqua Friday, a time-honored tradition starting in the Fall I term, wherein students, faculty, and staff from across the school’s programs gather in the Fox Center on Friday evenings to unwind over (free) food and drinks. These festive weekly gatherings, often organized around different cultural and club themes, are memorable occasions where MMS students can socialize with students beyond the MMS cohort and find new and fun ways to engage with Fuqua’s numerous communities.

10. Volunteering with Rise Against Hunger

Perhaps the most famous recurring event in the Fuqua Friday calendar is the annual Rise Against Hunger volunteer event, typically held in late September. This is where hundreds of Fuqua students, faculty, and staff come together to pack tens of thousands of meals in a few short hours, which are then shipped all over the world to help nourish communities in need. It’s the largest single-day volunteer event of the year, and this experience of coming together as Team Fuqua to give back leaves a lasting impression on the MMS students who participate.

11. Attending a Duke Football Game

Outside of Fuqua’s campus, MMS students engage in a number of special Duke-wide traditions and experiences. Boasting one of the top athletic programs in the U.S., Duke’s sports scene is a key way students deepen ties to the university and cultivate a lifelong identity as a Blue Devil.

The focal point of Saturdays in the fall is Duke football, when Duke fans from near and far descend on Durham, and the campus turns into a festival ground. Catching a football game at Wallace Wade Stadium with tens of thousands of your closest Blue Devil friends is a thrilling experience, but for many the most fun and memorable times are spent at a Duke football tailgate before the game — eating, drinking, playing lawn games, and reveling with the Duke fans young and old at one of the many pop-up parties in parking lots and green spaces across campus.

In a given year, there are several dozen Duke student-athletes enrolled in the MMS program across a wide variety of different sports. In attending Duke athletic events, MMS students have the unique privilege of not only cheering on their school, but their classmates and friends as well. 

12. Camping Out for Basketball Tickets

Deeper into the fall, anticipation grows for the start of Duke’s flagship athletic program: the iconic Duke men’s basketball team.  Students wanting the best tickets — including those to the famous Duke-UNC game — partake in the annual Campout, usually held in early October. As part of the decades-old tradition, students organize tenting groups with their friends and camp outside of Cameron Indoor Stadium over the weekend for an opportunity to secure basketball season tickets. During Campout, the lawn outside of Cameron transforms into “K-Ville” (named after the legendary Coach Krzyzewski), with food and drinks, fun and games, in this singularly Duke experience.

13. Joining the Cameron Crazies for the First Time

Whether attending a basketball game or one of the other events held at the Stadium, MMS students’ first time in Cameron Indoor is often cited as a defining experience in their time as a Duke student. One of the country’s most iconic sports venues, Cameron’s compact design, historical architectural features, and electric atmosphere turn even casual sports fans into Cameron Crazies. Rich in history, stepping into Cameron, students are reminded of all the sports triumphs and legendary Duke figures through the years, and take pride in the fact that they, too, can now call themselves Blue Devils. 

14. Climbing the Duke Chapel

Visiting the Duke Chapel — the 210-foot-tall, neo-Gothic church that dominates the campus skyline — is likewise a Duke “bucket-list” item for students while in the MMS program. A landmark symbol of the university, featuring beautiful archways, intricate stained-glass windows, and intricate stone carvings, the chapel serves as a premier location for speakers, concerts, community events, as well as interdenominational faith services for students to take part in year-round. In the spring, the program facilitates a tour (up 239 steps!) to the top, where students soak in the grand vista of Duke’s campus and contemplate all they have accomplished in their time at Duke.

Tina Zhang, MMS: DKU Program Team

15. Stepping Into a Dual-Campus, Global Experience

The MMS: DKU program offers students an immersive experience across two of the world’s leading economies. The 10-month format gives students a firm foundation fast. Students spend mid-July to December in Durham and January to May at Duke Kunshan University (DKU) near Shanghai. Through this dual campus structure, students experience diverse academic environments and cultural perspectives.

16. Bridging Classroom Learning and Industry

At MMS: DKU, classes of about 60 to 65 students work in small teams of four to five. When they return to DKU in January, the Business Communication II course turns theory into practice. Through projects with partners such as McDonald’s China, Swarovski, Nike, and BrainCo, students tackle real business challenges while sharpening their consulting and communication skills.

17. Launching Careers in China and Beyond

MMS: DKU equips students with the tools and connections to succeed in China’s fast-growing job market and the global economy. Through the combined support of Fuqua and DKU’s career teams, external coaching, and alumni mentoring, students gain practical guidance, professional insights, and access to leading employers across China and the world.

18. Living and Learning in Kunshan

The MMS: DKU experience connects the best of Fuqua and DKU, offering students a truly global learning journey. Life at DKU is as vibrant and engaging as at Fuqua. Students can join a wide variety of clubs, participate in the university-wide Culture Festival, and meet peers from other graduate programs through sports and campus events. These experiences help students develop friendships and build a strong sense of belonging during their four months in Kunshan.

Beyond the classroom, Kunshan itself becomes an extension of the student experience. Perfectly positioned between Shanghai and Suzhou, the city blends modern life with the charm of Jiangnan’s historic water towns. The DKU campus is surrounded by quiet lakes, cozy cafés, and vibrant commercial areas, making it an ideal setting for both focus and exploration. For many students, living here is more than a convenience — it’s an opportunity to immerse themselves in a dynamic city that reflects the pace and possibilities of today’s China.

19. Diving Into Chinese Business and Culture

Beyond academics, MMS: DKU students gain firsthand exposure to Chinese culture and industry. Through field trips, students have the chance to explore Kun opera, experience traditional Chinese medicine, and visit companies such as Starbucks and Tesla, deepening their understanding of how global and local businesses operate in China’s fast-evolving market.

Katie Peterssen, Career Management Center

20. The First Careers Session Hosted by the Career Management Center

During the first week of classes, the Career Management Center (CMC) hosts a kick-off session for all MMS students to launch professional and career development. Students identify their values, strengths, and interests to hone in on their goals and design a personalized plan.

21. Attending the Career Fair

In mid-September, the CMC collaborates with the Duke Career Center to host a large-scale career fair on campus. MMS students polish their resumes, pitches, and suits to connect with employers from across the US. The Career Fair is always a great day to explore new companies and build confidence sharing your value proposition.

22. Meeting an MBA Mentor

In the spring, MMS students have the opportunity to connect with MBA students to gather additional insight and support as they navigate the job search process. Second-year MBA students bring lessons learned from years of work experience pre-Fuqua, along with insight from their own more recent recruiting path.

23. Building Alumni Connections

Networking is an essential part of the job search process in the US, and Fuqua alumni are always a great place to start. A signature moment is always that first alumni coffee chat, after getting excited about securing a response to an outreach message, it’s finally your time to shine and learn from working professionals doing the work you aspire to.

24. Celebrating a Job Offer

After working with a career coach throughout the year, there’s nothing we love more than celebrating your success! Through the ups and downs, coaches are by your side, cheering you on. We love celebrating your hard work, helping you negotiate, and preparing you to onboard to your new role.

25. Graduation in Durham and DKU

Finally, graduation day is something we all look forward to as it culminates in that triumphant moment when students hear their name called to walk across the stage to receive their diploma in front of cheering family and friends — the crowning achievement of their MMS experience. For MMS: FOB students, the Dean of Fuqua hosts commencement in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The MMS: DKU graduation ceremony takes place at DKU. The Dean of Fuqua travels to China to preside over the ceremony, joined by distinguished alumni speakers who share their insights and inspiration with the graduating class. Commencement is an occasion not only of pomp and circumstance – the swelling music, the fancy gowns, the inspiring speeches – but also of personal reflection, as students think back on all the ups and downs, the hard work, and the meaningful connections made over the last 10 months.

Across these 25 moments, students discover what makes the MMS experience transformative: deep community, academic challenge, global exposure, and personalized career support. Each milestone offers a chance to grow, connect, and envision the path ahead. By graduation, these defining experiences become the foundation of a lifetime as part of Team Fuqua.

The post 25 Moments that Define the MMS Experience appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

Two major forces, in particular, became increasingly hard to ignore: artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability. Both thundered into our lives and quickly became an integral part of our routines. The corporate world rapidly followed suit, adapting to these innovations out of necessity.

Pushing My Family’s Business Forward

I work in my family-owned textile conglomerate, and in this industry, if you’re not thinking sustainably, you’re already behind. From raw material to finished garment, every step of the value chain must prioritize well-being and minimize harm. Fortunately, Fuqua prepared me to navigate and embrace these trends in my professional life.

Through Fuqua, I connected with industry professionals in textiles who shared their insights on sustainability. Those conversations reshaped my perspective and inspired me to guide our operations in a more environmentally conscious direction. We’re now exploring various compliance measures and working to make a positive impact.

Adopting AI in Real Time

AI wasn’t new to me, but tools like ChatGPT gained prominence during my time at Fuqua. Whether it was grasping complex concepts or refining resumes and cover letters, AI proved to be a powerful aid. The R programming class deepened my understanding of systems and coding, and student club discussions around AI were both fascinating and practical. I’m glad that I had that exposure when I did. 

Today, in our workspace, we apply AI to everyday tasks like writing for different audiences and formats, translating content, and consolidating data. These innovations have streamlined our processes significantly.

I’m grateful I had the chance to evolve ahead of the times. Fuqua and my mentors helped shape not only my knowledge but also my readiness to thrive in this ever-changing world of trends.

The post Keeping Pace With Business Trends as an Alum appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

Starting My MMS Journey

The first day of starting anything new can feel nerve-wracking. But walking into a room of 296 classmates? That’s a whole new level of overwhelming. Yet, in that sea of faces, I never once felt truly out of place. That’s when it hit me, I was now part of Team Fuqua.

Meeting my teammates quickly became the highlight of Term 1. With two rotating teams and six-week terms flying by, I realized just how much they are going to shape the entire MMS journey.

For me, my teammates quickly became my friends. Weekend dinners, potlucks, and card games (that somehow turned competitive!) became our traditions. Beyond the fun, they were my go-to people, sharing laughs, tackling assignments, doing mochi runs and making a hectic term feel lighter. In many ways, they became my family away from home.

Building Bonds Through Sports

Sports are central to Duke’s DNA. They bring alumni back to campus, unite students across schools, and fuel the Blue Devil spirit. But, at Fuqua, sports are also a bridge, bringing together people from every field, background, and class.

I had never touched a pickleball paddle in my life until a friend convinced me to give it a try, and that simple gesture turned me into someone who’s now always up for a game. We even played as a team in the MMS Pickleball Tournament. Sure, we lost in Round 1, but we walked away with plenty of laughs and some great memories.

That’s the spirit at Fuqua: even if you’ve never picked up a racket or dribbled a ball, the community has your back, teaching, encouraging and cheering you on. Whether it’s battling it out on the ping pong table in the Fox Center, rallying in a pickleball tournament, or grabbing a quick tennis match at Wilson Rec Center, there’s always a game to join and always someone new to meet.

A Snapshot of Fuqua’s Diversity

Fuqua has a place for everyone, if you put in the effort to find it. Every day brings a new experience, new moments built with new people, and stories shared that make this journey unforgettable. My friends, Aratrika Pal and Jiya Jain, and I teamed up with students from the MQM program to host a joint Independence Day celebration for India and Pakistan. We were skeptical about whether people would show up and whether they would enjoy it.

To our surprise, the entire Fuqua community came together to celebrate. From samosas and pakoras to henna tattoos and a vibrant dance performance, the night was full of energy. The highlight? Hearing people say, “This was hands down my favorite Fuqua event yet!”

I came to Fuqua hoping to find my place. What I found instead was a community that made me feel like I’ve belonged all along.

The post Life at Fuqua Beyond the Classroom appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

As a financial aid administrator, I aim to guide students through this process, simplifying the steps to receiving aid and helping to make attending Fuqua a reality.

What’s Changing With Federal Direct Student Loan Programs

Effective July 1, 2026, there will be significant changes to federal student aid funding options. One major shift that prospective students need to know about is the federal government’s decision to eliminate the Grad PLUS loan program. This change will impact many U.S. citizens and permanent residents who would have relied on this federal student loan option to help finance their education and the cost of attendance.

However, this decision is not an end to all federal student loans. Borrowers who qualify may receive a Direct Unsubsidized loan for up to $20,500 per year with a $100,000 overall borrowing cap. Please visit this page to learn more about the federal student aid updates and recent legislation regarding available resources.

Other Student Loan Programs

Duke’s leadership has proactively assembled a list of financial support options via private lenders for graduate programs, such as Fuqua, offering competitive rates and terms. These private student loan options are available to both domestic and international students and may be used to help cover educational costs without having to rely on personal resources.

We recognize that international students often face added complexity when it comes to financing, including cosigner requirements for most loans with lower interest rates. That’s why we’ve prioritized identifying private loan options that don’t require a U.S. cosigner, in addition to the institutional aid offered through Fuqua.

Understanding the Cost of Attendance (COA) and Loan Borrowing Eligibility

Understanding the educational costs and living expenses associated with pursuing a degree can be tricky. We encourage students to consider these costs and the potential impact on their lifestyle as graduate students. This will help students determine how much they may need to borrow in student loans.

The Cost of Attendance (COA) determines the total amount that students are eligible to borrow in any given academic year, minus other aid (i.e., scholarships, sponsorships, other student loans). It covers education-related expenses, such as tuition and fees, room and board, course materials, and student living expenses over the enrollment period of an academic year.

Here are a few things to understand about COA:

• Updated COA figures are released approximately six months prior to the start of the new academic year. Current COA information can be found here, and it will be important for students to check back for updated figures.
  
• Federal regulations determine the types of expenses that can be factored into the COA and require the university to use reasonable figures to establish the student living expense budget. The average living expense amounts are calculated based on annual inflation and university-wide surveys. Every three years, Duke graduate and professional students are surveyed on their monthly spending on living expenses such as rent, utilities, food (excluding outside dining), etc.
  
• The COA serves as a guide to help students budget within the overall living expense allowance, but how students choose to live and what they decide to spend is ultimately up to them. As students come to Fuqua from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and resources, the student living expense budget allows for a relatively simple student lifestyle. Therefore, whether living in single or shared housing, students are expected to seek housing that does not exceed the allocated amounts for rent and utilities in the student expense budget, especially if students are applying for student loans to help cover living expenses.

Start Planning Early

We encourage all applicants, regardless of citizenship, to start planning early. Exploring scholarship opportunities even prior to submitting your admission application is advisable, as deadlines for non-Fuqua-related scholarships vary greatly.

A crucial step for domestic students and permanent residents is filing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as they are able. More information about FAFSA, scholarships, student loans, and other helpful resources is on our Financing Your Degree page.

Our goal is to help all students find ways to remove as many financial barriers as possible so they can focus on making the most of their experience.

The post Navigating the Financial Aid Process appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

At Duke, I’ve had the opportunity to expand this idea into a broader venture. As part of a course designed for students interested in entrepreneurship, my team and I scaled the concept into a customizable bourbon experience for other clients and released a second edition of 1854 Reserve. This effort also led to the launch of our parent company, Southern Specialty Spirits. What began as a personal passion project has grown into a full-fledged business, supported by the skills and community I found at Fuqua.

How are you leveraging what you’ve learned in the MMS program as the founder of 1854 Reserve?

As the founder of 1854 Reserve, I have to wear a variety of different hats, and the MMS program helped me tremendously. From accounting to marketing to supply chain, each MMS class provided knowledge that was very applicable to my venture. With what I learned in my accounting class, I was able to avoid the common mistakes made when starting a business including something as simple as when to classify a purchase as a business expense. My MMS experiences helped me understand the importance of not relying solely on one supplier and to create several options for each step of the process. 

Outside of the classroom, my teachers were enthusiastic about it and were willing to share whatever advice or connections they could to assist me.

You appeared at the Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Startup Showcase. Tell us about that experience.

During the spring semester, I had the opportunity to apply to the New Ventures: Develop course offered by Duke I&E and was selected to be one of the founders. I had a fantastic team comprised of three MBA students and one undergraduate student who assisted with growing the company, deciding which markets to target, and reaching out to potential clients.

The Startup Showcase was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our products to students, faculty, investors, and many others. The biggest takeaway for me was the importance of the team that represents your venture.  One weak link in a team can decrease the effectiveness of the team, and I am very fortunate to have had such a wonderful team. We even met a potential new client at the event and are in the process of determining the scope of their bourbon.

Looking ahead, what do you hope to accomplish next?

After graduating from Fuqua, my goal is to continue growing the brand with other clients while also applying to jobs. I am targeting roles in health care on the business side. In July, I was in Kentucky bottling two clients’ bourbon. From an idea to a finished bottle on a store shelf, the process of launching a bourbon company has provided me with valuable experiences that I look to leverage in future careers. I would like to work in the biotechnology sector helping smaller companies scale and go to market. It is exactly what I have done with my bourbon, just a different industry!

The post Expanding My Boutique Bourbon Venture in the Classroom appeared first on Duke MMS Student Blog.

In this Q&A, I reflect on that journey, how Fuqua shaped it, and the real-world challenges I now tackle in the evolving field of sustainable land use and resource management.

What first sparked your interest in working at the intersection of business and climate? How has that interest evolved since your time in the MMS program?

I came into the Fuqua MMS program with a bit of uncertainty about the direction I wanted to take my career. I was fortunate to land a strategy analyst role at Accenture at the start of the program, but I recognized that I could not remain a “generalist” forever and would eventually have to specialize in a particular field.

When COVID forced us to transition to online learning during the second half of the MMS program, I decided to use the time to explore different industries so that I would have a better knowledge base entering consulting.

It was at this time that Fuqua spun up the Fuqua Volunteer Corps to allow students to get real-world work experience supporting non-profits. I volunteered for TIST, a tree-planting program that worked with smallholder farmers in East Africa. It was here that my passion for and my understanding of the climate space really blossomed. I grappled with the real challenges that farming communities in East Africa face because of climate change and learned how these farmers were able to improve their lives, their community, and the world through nature-based solutions like tree-planting. I became obsessed with the concept of carbon markets and other climate mitigation solutions, and I was determined to immerse myself in this world upon entering consulting.

After a few early twists and turns navigating Accenture, I connected with a managing director who shared my passion for market mechanisms that can drive sustainable behavior change. I leveraged my carbon markets subject matter expertise to join the digital assets team within Accenture’s Tech Innovation practice.

Reflecting on my time with TIST, I began to critically think about how innovative technologies can solve the real problems in carbon markets. I worked with enterprises and non-profits to devise strategies and concepts to resolve their challenges. Over time, I came to realize that all market participants struggle to obtain high-quality data, and I started to view the entire world of sustainability through this lens.

Naturally, Agerpoint’s innovative data collection and data fusion solution caught my attention and has been a perfect fit for me. As the Director of Strategy and Business Development, I get to work at the intersection of AI, spatial intelligence, and sustainable land resource management to enable better real-time decision-making for farmers and landowners to improve food security and natural restoration.

You joined Agerpoint as the Director of Nature and Carbon. What did that role involve?

When I initially joined Agerpoint, I was tasked with developing the strategy to expand the company’s business beyond data collection for agriculture into monitoring nature restoration. My understanding of carbon markets helped me identify the product market fit for our solution among ecosystem players.

I attended conferences and developed relationships to understand market developments and specific pain points that people face in the industry. I communicated this information back to our product development team to help them understand which features to prioritize.

My role also involved bringing in new business from folks working in nature restoration who needed to collect data to monitor their progress. This data is crucial for programs to track patterns, identify where there might be anomalies, and generate reports to receive funding for their efforts. I created project plans and worked closely with client teams to help implement our tools into their programs and evaluate if our tools were suitable long-term fits for their organization.

What kind of real-world challenges do you face in your job? What do you think the future of this field looks like?

Since joining Agerpoint, my role has evolved from Director of Nature and Carbon to Director of Strategy and Business Development. While I still oversee our nature and carbon portfolio, I think the expansion of my role and responsibilities is reflective of the evolving nature of the “sustainability” and “climate” space.

Now more than ever, companies are facing enormous pressures across their value chains due to climate change, particularly those that operate in land-use sectors. Sustainability is a practical business decision. To demonstrate the value of sustainable decision-making, corporations are demanding evidence to justify behavior changes and operational adjustments. Data is crucial to demonstrate the business case for sustainable policies and practices. Consequently, the ability to collect high-quality field data, rapidly analyze it, and provide insights that improve decision-making will determine which companies can withstand the increasing pressures we face from climate.

Agriculture, for instance, has been heavily affected by climate change. Crops are very sensitive to weather patterns, and the output of our land is inextricably interconnected with environmental factors. Rising food demand and shrinking margins have placed enormous pressure on this vital (but often overlooked) sector. It is crucial for agriculture value chains to monitor the growth and health of plants, quantify crop yields, and optimize resource use in ways that reduce environmental impacts. This requires not only advanced technologies but also the ability to implement data-driven solutions at scale.

The future of this field will likely see greater integration of affordable monitoring systems with artificial intelligence to ensure that data collection translates to tangible outcomes. As we face increasing climate-related challenges, the ability to make informed decisions that improve both the bottom line and environmental outcomes will be a competitive differentiator for companies. There will be an ongoing demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between technology, business, and sustainability – those who understand the complexities of our changing world but also apply this understanding in innovative ways to drive real-world impact.

What advice would you give to Duke students or recent grads who are passionate about sustainability or climate-focused careers but aren’t sure how to break into the field?

Make the most of your time at Duke to explore new topics or disciplines to see what interests you. Here are a few guiding principles I’ve found valuable throughout my journey:

• “Sustainability” and “climate” are relevant for all industries and businesses. While there are certainly some industries that on the surface might seem more aligned than others, we live in a resource-constrained world with increasing pressure to operate efficiently and create value at low costs. Understanding how to manage those finite resources and solve operational problems in a way that promotes long-term success is inherently sustainable.
  
  When thinking about a career in these fields, I encourage students to explore beyond surface problems related to climate and think about the interconnectedness of our systems. In this way, students can expand the range of options available and identify opportunities that might align more with their interests, skills, and experiences.
  
• Be patient and strategic with your career. Get any real-world experience that you can and develop skills that can be applied in any business context, even if they seem adjacent or unrelated to sustainability. Becoming skilled in something and demonstrating that you can bring value opens doors to explore opportunities in areas more aligned with your interests. Make sure you can sustain your personal needs along the way (e.g., financial). Once you have a solid foundation, you can take more risks and ask for the opportunities you want.
  
• Aspiring to solve climate problems and promote sustainability must be balanced with pragmatism. Change does not happen overnight and often requires working with (or at least with the help of) legacy systems and structures. Getting people to act differently is especially difficult when the incentives are not aligned with values.
  
  I encourage students to not subscribe to climate “cancel culture” and instead work to understand why things are the way they are to identify the right solutions or figure out the right way to convince people to change their behaviors.

• While hard work and individual effort are certainly valuable, building and maintaining authentic relationships is equally important. Take the time to connect with people who share your values and genuinely take an interest in them — not just for what they can offer you, but because meaningful connections are fulfilling in themselves.
  
  You’ll find that these relationships open doors to opportunities you might not have anticipated and often lead to unexpected collaborations or insights that help move you forward in your career.

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