I spent my entire career in finance getting good at managing financial statements and solving analytical problems. However after working on a few projects that involved cross-functional management, I came to realize that I really enjoyed the idea of being a general manager, and that in order to successfully pursue this path I need to reinforce some of my non-analytical skills. An MBA afforded me the ability to become a more well-rounded leader while also expanding my network beyond my bubble of tech and finance.

I visited Tuck during ASW and immediately fell in love with the people. Never have I been around so many encouraging, down-to-earth people as during my two years at Tuck, and it really gave me the intimate college experience I never had. Additionally, Tuck is known as a general management school, and the year-long core forced me to engage with topics that are crucial to a company’s operations, but that I might not have studied otherwise. I leave Tuck knowing that I have what it takes to be an effective general manager, as well as a network of Tuckies that will be a pillar of support and friendship throughout my life.

Tuck gave me the space and support to push myself beyond my comfort zone and grow in the way I lead and communicate. In Communicating with Presence I learned how to harness emotion and empathy to make powerful presentations, while my club leadership roles taught me how to manage people and navigate bureaucracy. As a creative director for Follies, I poked fun at Tuck and had the ability to perform a live comedy sketch on stage in front of 200 people. I wanted to participate in international work projects and I got my wish when I was selected to spend three weeks in Seoul with five Tuckies advising a multinational pharmaceutical company in December 2019. Tuck’s small size affords you the ability to craft an experience that’s unique to you, and I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to take advantage of all that Tuck has to offer.

Tuck’s academic experience is intense and supportive. The first year, and especially the fall term, is a lot of work. Looking back, I learned a lot and retained much of it thanks to Tuck’s supportive network of students and professors. Some of my favorite elective courses were The CEO Experience with former NH Governor John Lynch, Countries and Companies in the International Economy with Professor Andy Bernard, and Managing Stakeholder Issues in Private Equity with Professor David Marchick.

Tuck alumni will always pick up the phone, no matter what. In my first year I leaned on the network to explore new companies and functions, and without fail every Tuckie I reached out to was happy to jump on a phone call with me. I remember cold emailing VPs at various tech companies half-expecting them not to respond, but lo and behold I was chatting with them a few days later. Recruiting for full-time roles during my second year was difficult due to Covid, and I was surprised at the number of Tuck alumni in venture capital who were willing to take 30 minutes away from their hectic schedules to hop on a call, give me career advice, and provide connections to their network. The Tuck network is a special group of people who I know will always have my back.

Tuck is a magical place. Spending two years in rural New Hampshire is not for everyone, but I found it to be the perfect backdrop for my journey of growth and learning. Being far away from a major city means that you are far from distractions and are always immersed in the Tuck community. This allows you to build powerful bonds with your classmates, have shared experiences, and create the space you need for your own growth and development. I never thought I would spend two years of my life living in the woods (literally), but my two years at Tuck gave me all the time and space I needed to embark upon my transformation into an effective leader and a more empathetic human.