Before starting at Fuqua, I spent five years working in Washington, D.C. Along the way, D.C. taught me how global systems are interconnected, why initiative matters more than perfect credentials, and how good management and shared missions can move faster together than they ever could apart. Looking back, each role I held gave me a lesson that didn’t just prepare me for an MBA — it clarified why an MBA was the right next step.
Here are the five lessons I carried from D.C. into my first year at Fuqua — and how they continue to shape my approach to impact-driven work at Duke.
After I graduated from Washington and Lee University, I knew I wanted to move to a place where I could work at the intersection of impactful issues. D.C. was at the top of my list. Graduating at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was (to put it extremely lightly) not glamorous, but I landed a fellowship at the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Interacting with charged issues such as human rights violations, economic cooperation, and election protection helped me understand the global nature of politics and how it impacts every aspect of our lives. This showed me early on the benefit of pursuing a global business education.
When my fellowship was over, I was in a tailspin about what to do next, but I saw a YouTube series that piqued my interest — power lunch interviews at D.C.’s hottest restaurants featuring energy and tech experts. I realized that the host and I had been taking virtual workout classes together for the past few months.
I learned there was a job open on her team at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). It unfortunately required TEN years of experience, but I applied anyway. They were gracious enough to interview me for the job, and even though I didn’t get it, I was able to land an entry-level role that opened a few weeks later!
This experience is a good reminder that your next job lead could pop up anywhere — even on the treadmill next to you!
Working at a trade association in advocacy communications and executive visibility, and later as a consultant at a boutique firm, Invariant, I realized just how markets, incentives, and corporate actors are crucial in moving policy faster and farther.
Whether it was baseball, philanthropy, or politics, I learned that to be an effective global leader in the long term, I needed fluency in finance, strategy, and operations. The goal was not to pivot away from impact; it was to become a force multiplier.
At Invariant, I had the immense privilege of working with truly impressive colleagues on different internal and client teams. The role was a master class in management and helped me realize how essential it is to find people who bring out the best in you — and to be intentional about finding ways to bring out the best in your team.
I learned that high-pressure, high-stakes moments (crisis communications, policy deadlines, etc.) shine brightest when grounded in reliability, humility, intellectual curiosity, and a shared mission. That realization is a big part of what drew me to Team Fuqua. After a semester here, what has stood out to me the most is how consistently those same qualities show up in my classmates — in how people collaborate, support one another, and approach learning together.
I had been working on energy projects at Invariant that I was excited about, but the idea of chronicling in an essay exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life was daunting. For my Fuqua application, I went with my gut and leaned into the pursuit of climate and energy work (instead of the classic consulting/banking paths), and I am glad I did.
Fuqua founded the ClimateCAP initiative, which hosts an annual summit for first-year students. In this bootcamp, a speaker told us that he feels compelled to work in the climate space because we are the first generation that understands it deeply enough to make an impact — as well as the last generation able to materially influence our planet’s trajectory. This resonated with me and confirmed I was in the right industry in the right place.
Looking back, my path to Fuqua wasn’t a departure from impact-driven work in Washington, but a continuation of it — shaped by lessons in global thinking, initiative, teamwork, and purpose. I’m excited to keep building on these foundations alongside a community that believes meaningful change happens when mission and management move forward together.
The post 5 Ways D.C. Impact Work Shaped My MBA Experience appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.
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Here are the five lessons I carried from D.C. into my first year at Fuqua — and how they continue to shape my approach to impact-driven work at Duke.
1. All human relations are global in nature.
After I graduated from Washington and Lee University, I knew I wanted to move to a place where I could work at the intersection of impactful issues. D.C. was at the top of my list. Graduating at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was (to put it extremely lightly) not glamorous, but I landed a fellowship at the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Interacting with charged issues such as human rights violations, economic cooperation, and election protection helped me understand the global nature of politics and how it impacts every aspect of our lives. This showed me early on the benefit of pursuing a global business education.
2. Apply for the job, even if the outcome is uncertain.
When my fellowship was over, I was in a tailspin about what to do next, but I saw a YouTube series that piqued my interest — power lunch interviews at D.C.’s hottest restaurants featuring energy and tech experts. I realized that the host and I had been taking virtual workout classes together for the past few months.
I learned there was a job open on her team at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). It unfortunately required TEN years of experience, but I applied anyway. They were gracious enough to interview me for the job, and even though I didn’t get it, I was able to land an entry-level role that opened a few weeks later!
This experience is a good reminder that your next job lead could pop up anywhere — even on the treadmill next to you!
3. Business and advocacy go hand-in-hand.
Working at a trade association in advocacy communications and executive visibility, and later as a consultant at a boutique firm, Invariant, I realized just how markets, incentives, and corporate actors are crucial in moving policy faster and farther.
Whether it was baseball, philanthropy, or politics, I learned that to be an effective global leader in the long term, I needed fluency in finance, strategy, and operations. The goal was not to pivot away from impact; it was to become a force multiplier.
4. Build a team that you’d feel ok getting stuck in an elevator with.
At Invariant, I had the immense privilege of working with truly impressive colleagues on different internal and client teams. The role was a master class in management and helped me realize how essential it is to find people who bring out the best in you — and to be intentional about finding ways to bring out the best in your team.
I learned that high-pressure, high-stakes moments (crisis communications, policy deadlines, etc.) shine brightest when grounded in reliability, humility, intellectual curiosity, and a shared mission. That realization is a big part of what drew me to Team Fuqua. After a semester here, what has stood out to me the most is how consistently those same qualities show up in my classmates — in how people collaborate, support one another, and approach learning together.
5. Find your way and let it guide you.
I had been working on energy projects at Invariant that I was excited about, but the idea of chronicling in an essay exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life was daunting. For my Fuqua application, I went with my gut and leaned into the pursuit of climate and energy work (instead of the classic consulting/banking paths), and I am glad I did.
Fuqua founded the ClimateCAP initiative, which hosts an annual summit for first-year students. In this bootcamp, a speaker told us that he feels compelled to work in the climate space because we are the first generation that understands it deeply enough to make an impact — as well as the last generation able to materially influence our planet’s trajectory. This resonated with me and confirmed I was in the right industry in the right place.
Looking back, my path to Fuqua wasn’t a departure from impact-driven work in Washington, but a continuation of it — shaped by lessons in global thinking, initiative, teamwork, and purpose. I’m excited to keep building on these foundations alongside a community that believes meaningful change happens when mission and management move forward together.
The post 5 Ways D.C. Impact Work Shaped My MBA Experience appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.
More...
How does this impact your International MBA decision?
I'd be glad to learn your thoughts on this story : 5 Ways D.C. Impact Work Shaped My MBA Experience