Members of the Tuck community reflect on their goals, accomplishments, inspirations, and passions in honor of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month.
Oh, this one is easy! 100% spending time outdoors and catching up with friends and family. If it involves lacing up my sneakers, I’m usually there—I love going on runs, bike rides, and hikes, and if I can go with friends, even better!
A couple of summers ago, I was talking with one of my mentors about what I was envisioning for the future. She stopped me mid-sentence and said: “When I hear you talk, you share everything from the standpoint of what you think you should do versus what you really want to do.”
Oooof… still shakes me to this day.
Ever since, this sentence has served as my daily reminder to be very intentional about my goals, interactions, and time. It really pushes me every day to focus on the things that will make me happy versus the things that just check the box.
I really enjoy listening to podcasts, but there’s one that is in my queue every morning—it’s called The Best One Yet (TBOY). Every episode is about 20 minutes long and you walk away with three quick business stories every time. The hosts do a really good job of curating relevant stories and infusing humor throughout. Highly, highly recommend!
I am originally from Caracas, Venezuela, but my family and I relocated to Racine, Wisconsin when I was 14 years old because of my mom’s job. In 2016, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering. Ever since, I have had the opportunity to work for two amazing organizations: first with Target in Minneapolis and most recently with DaVita in Denver. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outside going on runs, bike rides, or hikes. I also love dogs, everything T-Swift, and a good breakfast sandwich or ramen bowl.
My family is my constant source of inspiration and admiration. Since I was a kid my parents set the priorities for the family, postponing or even sacrificing comforts so that my siblings and I could grow as professionals.
Every time my parents set a goal, they achieved it, no matter how hard the road was. That was the inspiration that pushed me to pursue business school abroad.
A good leader is able to adapt any strategy while ensuring the well-being of the team and having a clear sense of direction. In my opinion, leadership not only involves getting things done but also nurturing and teaching all team members.
I was born and raised in Lima, Peru, and am currently a second-year student at Tuck. Prior to business school, I worked for more than six years in private equity back home, focusing on real estate investments. At Tuck, I’m involved with LAIBC, SafeRides, and TWC. I’m also a consulting mentor for first-year students and a LATAM ambassador. I pivoted to consulting during the summer, doing my internship at McKinsey.
Getting accepted to Tuck at Dartmouth is one of my proudest accomplishments. I always dreamed of one day going to school at a prestigious institution without the pressure of working multiple night jobs to support my family. At times the path seemed very murky, as I was coming from a community college, a California state university, and a career path often underrepresented at top MBA programs.
Every morning that I wake up in the Upper Valley, I pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming and take a minute to reflect on the journey to get here and on how thankful I am to all those who helped me get here.
Despite having only taken a few finance and accounting courses, I learned the importance of financial literacy early in my educational career. During my junior year of undergrad, I bought my family’s home after dishonest real estate agents defrauded my parents, making them victims of the subprime mortgage crisis.
Working multiple bartending jobs as an undergrad, I managed to save enough money and build a strong network that helped me navigate this crisis and buy our home back for my family. Armed with just a few business classes, I had the confidence to stand up to my parents’ debtors, changing the course of my and my family’s life forever.
From that day forward, I promised to push myself to be a lifelong learner.
There aren’t enough words to describe how critical I think DEI is for all organizations. To me, DEI means a seat at the table and an equal opportunity for all. It is critical to allow varying perspectives to be heard and to continue pushing DEI initiatives until it is the status quo.
Edwin Aguilar is a first-generation Guatemalan American from Los Angeles, California. Edwin moved to Hanover with his partner Shacia and their Huskies Floofee and Niño. Before joining the Tuck School of Business, Edwin worked at EY Los Angeles in their Assurance Practice and Global Innovation group. Prior to joining EY, Edwin attended Santa Monica Community College and graduated from California State University, Long Beach where he majored in business with an emphasis in accounting. In his spare time, Edwin loves to read the latest crypto/blockchain news, play golf, play soccer, and jam out on his trumpet!
Many Voices, One Tuck (MVOT) celebrates the stories of our vibrant and diverse community. What’s your story? Email DEI at Tuck if you’d like to contribute to the MVOT project.
Note: MVOT is open to members of the Tuck community, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, TEE and Tuck Bridge participants, and MHCDS graduates.
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