Trust, Excellence, Advocacy: Celebrating the Tuck MBA Class of 2024

“Trust—that is the belief and confidence in another—and the ability to foster trust will be foundational to the future that lies before you as leaders,” he said. Trust is critical in building teams and human capital, an essential virtue for today’s leaders, noted Slaughter. He urged graduates to continue developing and fostering trust in their professional and personal lives, a skill they honed during their time at Tuck. “Build trust. … People are seeking business leaders whom they can trust to better the world,” said Slaughter.

Keynote speaker and award-winning marketing leader Kenny Mitchell D’97, T'04, CMO of Levi Strauss Co., reflected on his time at Tuck and shared the challenges he’s faced throughout his career, as well as the lessons he’s learned along the way. Prior to joining Levi’s, Mitchell served as the global chief marketing officer at Snap, Inc., the parent company of Snapchat. Under his leadership, the company more than doubled the size of its user base and more than tripled its revenue. Mitchell was named one of “The Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company and has been featured on similar lists such as Forbes CMO NEXT, AdWeek 50, Business Insider: 25 Most Innovative CMOs, and Campaign Power 100.

Mitchell, who is also a member of Tuck’s MBA Council, shared three key pieces of advice, which he calls “K Mitch’s Three Pointers”:

Pointer 1: “Kick ass in your current Job.”
Mitchell emphasized the importance of performing well in your current role rather than obsessing over the next promotion. “Excel in it, expand it, redefine it, make it your own. You do that by solving problems. Being accountable. Being a topnotch teammate—which is critically important—so much so that people look forward to working with you,” he said. This approach, he noted, has been instrumental in his career, leading to opportunities driven by a “pull strategy” rather than a “push strategy.”

Pointer 2: “The standard is the standard.”
Borrowing a mantra from Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin—“The standard is the standard”—Mitchell highlighted the importance of maintaining high standards of excellence regardless of your circumstances. During an interview, Coach Tomlin was asked how the Steelers continued to perform so well. “His response was that the team has set expectations around how they prepare—and the effort they put out on the field,” Mitchell told graduates. “They have set a standard of excellence for Steelers football—and regardless the individuals or who’s the next man up—the standard is the standard.” He encouraged the graduates to focus on what they can control—preparation, response, and effort—upholding these standards in all their endeavors.

Pointer 3: “Be in service of others.”
Inspired by his late grandmother, Fanny Clark, Mitchell underscored the importance of serving others. “Nana, in her eternal wisdom said: ‘We are all here to be in service of others,’” he recounted to graduates. “Whether that’s your family, friends, community, your work colleagues—ultimately, we are here to be in service.” As a former point guard, Mitchell says he “loves the assist”—helping others find their true potential. “In my career, I call it ‘lifting as I climb,’” he said. “It’s the idea, particularly as a leader of color, that my success is made most meaningful when I can be helpful for the next generation of leaders—whether through mentorship, sponsorship, introductions, referrals or advice.”

Toward the close of the ceremony, class speaker Fresia Blanco T’24, recently named to Poets&Quants’ list of “Best and Brightest MBAs,” addressed classmates and highlighted three key lessons she’s learned during her time at Tuck:

Lesson 1: “When you’re given a new opportunity, don’t just take it—run with it.”
Blanco praised her classmates for having the courage to leave the workforce and move to Hanover to get their MBA. “You came here in full force determined to come out of this program a more wise and decisive leader,” she said. “You took chances.” She celebrated the drive and resiliency of her fellow T’24s, from launching the first-ever real estate conference, a national security conference, and a wellness retreat at Tuck, to balancing responsibilities as a student and a parent.

Lesson 2: “Let people into your journey.”
“Something that sets Tuck apart from the rest is our willingness to help and our ability to share,” Blanco told T’24s, celebrating the diverse international community at Tuck. She recounted moments of cultural exchange and mutual support, from home-cooked meals to festive dances, that strengthened their bonds and enriched their Tuck experience.

Lesson 3: “Advocacy knows no limits.”
In her final point, Blanco stressed the critical need for building inclusive workplaces and the importance of being an advocate. “While I don’t want to take away from the progress we’ve made so far, I think we can all agree there’s more work to do,” she said. “But I’m telling you now, the school and your future employer can’t do it alone. We have to do the work too."

In closing, Blanco emphasized the power of Tuck’s people. “The best thing we got from our time at Tuck was each other,” she said, “with these professors, and with this community.”

Additionally, the ceremony honored Zdenek Bakala T’89 with Tuck’s Distinguished Achievement Medal, an award that celebrates a member of the Tuck community for their remarkable career and contributions to business and society. Cofounder of the BXR Group, founder of the Bakala Foundation, and partner at BM Management, Bakala is a member of Tuck’s Board of Advisors and of Tuck’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Council. During the recent Tuck Difference campaign, the Bakalas made a transformative $25 million gift to endow the Bakala TuckGO Program, the portfolio of for-credit, immersive educational experiences that comprise Tuck’s global learning requirement.

More information on student award recipients and the ceremony can be found on the Tuck Investiture site.

View Photo Gallery

---

Watch the Livestream