I came to Tuck with my husband, Brennen. When we met in San Francisco, we happened to be applying to business schools at the same time. We were so happy to find a program that we felt would accelerate both of our careers at the same time! Brennen had lived in Hanover twice before—as a Tiny Tuckie when his father studied here, and then when he attended Tuck’s Bridge Program during college. After we visited campus during the Women in Business Conference, it was easy for us to imagine how much we would love spending two years in Hanover. As a married couple both pursuing Tuck MBAs at the same time, it was important for us to be supported by a community where we weren’t the only people planning a dual career household.

I was attracted to Tuck’s program because I wanted to chart my own path. Because Tuck is a general management program, all elective courses are open to you after you complete the core curriculum. I loved that there were so many opportunities for experiential learning—my First-Year Project with a fintech startup confirmed my interest in early stage companies and my passion for technology to do good. My fellowship with the Center for Business, Government, and Society allowed me to learn about the responsibilities for serving on a Board of Directors by serving on the board of a local nonprofit, Positive Tracks. At Tuck, you not only belong to the MBA community, but you also belong to the greater Upper Valley community, too. I think it’s one of Tuck’s differentiating factors from other peer schools.

The network of support you’ll have is unparalleled. At Tuck, your classmates are excited to embrace who you are and who you want to be. When I first arrived on campus, I was shocked by how welcoming the T’17s were—they taught us how to be stewards of the school, so that when the T’19s arrived a year later, we were prepared to lead them. Similarly, Tuck professors are devoted from your first day on campus to helping you succeed in the classroom and beyond. Whenever I reached out to alumni for advice, they always candidly answered my questions.

Classes have application in the real world. In Design Thinking for Strategic Innovation with Alva Taylor, we learned the importance of a human-centered approach. It was incredibly helpful to practice before my summer internship with Nike Digital where I spent the majority of my time prototyping and testing new ideas for The Nike app.

I also loved Field Studies in Private Equity with Phil Ferneau D’84, T’86. The vignettes we role-played gave me insights into how my Tuck Social Venture Fund team and I should think about new deals and manage our impact portfolio.

I’ve always been a values-driven person. I did a lot of reflecting and experimenting at Tuck to figure out what would be the right role for me when I graduate. I challenged myself to find a company that aligned with my personal values and inspired me with its mission and purpose. Given my early career in tech at Apple and my role as a fellow with the Center for Digital Strategies, I strongly believe in technology’s ability to positively transform peoples’ lives. After graduation, I’ll be working for RippleWorks as a venture growth manager. They’re a technology startup that lives by Tuck’s mission to better the world of business.