I chose Fuqua because my goal is to work in the sports industry at a very high level.  Throughout my pursuit of this goal, I came to realize that many of the people who are in the places I hope to be all had a common thread: The Fuqua School of Business.  I recognized it as a incubator for high achievement in all aspects of business and I knew that in order to thrive as a businesswoman, I needed to be sharpened and refined by the best.  I needed a school where there would be no question as to who I am as a leader and Fuqua answers all questions based upon its reputation for providing academic rigor balanced with an uncanny level of swagger.  You know that when you matriculate at Fuqua, you are seeking to acquire a masterful level of business acumen—and that is exactly what I wanted. 

I knew I made the right decision to pursue my MBA at Fuqua when Dean Boulding issued a challenge to my class to not only work on our IQ and EQ throughout the program, but to also work on what he termed our “DQ,” the decency quotient. Professionalism and integrity are two precepts through which I filter my every decision.  To hear the Dean underscore the importance of decency in the business world spoke to what I hoped would be interwoven throughout my time in the program. 

My first residency that was preceded by orientation was particularly meaningful to me.  Fuqua has developed a thorough and demanding process by which you really get to the crux of who you are not only as an individual and as a leader, but also what motivates you and how you can lend yourself to help your teammates.  A lot of sacred bonds are built and moments are created.  Tears and cheers alike are shared.  It’s special.  You later realize that this serves as the foundation for all of your relationships throughout business school and throughout your interactions with the Fuqua network.  You know that everyone has been refined by the same process.