These opportunities enable you to see, hear, and feel how companies do things. You’ll tour workplaces, meet employees and managers, and attend panel discussions to learn about industries, job functions, company culture, business challenges, and employment opportunities. These kinds of visits—in both the U.S. and China—help you clarify your own career goals and get a better working knowledge.

With site visits ranging to companies like ABB, Burt's Bees, Cisco, LuLu, Ogilvy, Self-Help, Square1 Bank, and Oppenheimer, you’ll explore many different aspects of business including strategy, operations, marketing, venture capital, startup management, and social impact.

Previous students have visited:

• Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, in Shanghai
• Key companies that recruit MMS students on campus in New York City
• Ant Finance, Alibaba’s financial arm, in Hangzhou

Our Career Management Center is always on the lookout for companies that may be interested in hosting a student group. If you’re interested in visiting a specific corporation, get in touch with the CMC, and they’ll reach out to see what’s possible.

Our Distinguished Speakers Series, held on Fuqua’s campus in the U.S., has been running for more than 30 years. High-profile corporate executives share their personal and professional stories of how they’re actively changing the business world—and giving you an insider look at the industry or career issues they navigate.

Previous speakers include:

• Tim Cook, CEO, Apple — View YouTube videos
• Lisa Borders, Former President, WNBA — View YouTube video
• David Taylor, CEO, Procter and Gamble — View YouTube videos
• Jud Linville, CEO, Citi Cards and Ajay Banga, CEO, Mastercard — View YouTube video
• Mary Barra, CEO, General Motors — View YouTube video
• Doug McMillon, CEO, Walmart — View YouTube video
• Martin Dempsey, Retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff  — View YouTube video
• Bill McDermott, CEO, SAP — View YouTube video
• David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, The Carlyle Group  — View YouTube video
• Roger Ferguson, CEO, TIAA — View YouTube video

A wide range of student clubs organize conferences designed to help students in all programs dive deeper into industries like marketing, sustainability, finance, and healthcare. Each conference typically includes keynotes and panel discussions with managers and executives from different companies, discussing issues in the field or emerging trends. These events provide many informal opportunities to engage with alumni and recruiters in the industry, along with formal networking receptions. You don’t need to be a member of the club to participate. Whether you’re exploring all options or pursuing a specific company interest, conferences help build your professional knowledge.

Here are a few examples:

• The Duke Conference on Sustainable Business and Social Impact, led by the MBA Net Impact Club.
• FoodCon, led by Duke MBA Food and Agriculture Club
• The Duke University Energy Conference, led by the Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment