Blog Archive B-School Insider Interview Courtney Duffy, Dual-Degree Student, Dartmouth Colleges Tuck School of Business and Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government, Class of 2019

Blog Archive B-School Insider Interview Courtney Duffy, Dual-Degree Student, Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Class of 2019 Periodically, mbaMission interviews business  school students and alumni to gain insight into their experience attending top MBA programs.  Originally from Worcester, Massachusetts, Courtney Duffy is a 2012 graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she studied political science, English, and the interdisciplinary arts. She held several professional roles before applying to business school, including one as a regional field director on Senator Scott Brown’s reelection bid. She also established InkHouse Media + Marketing’s first satellite office in San Francisco before relocating to Washington, DC, to run government relations for the nation’s largest arts services organization, Fractured Atlas. (February 2019)   mbaMission: Thank you so much for giving us some insight into the Tuck MBA experience today. But you’re not just a Tuck student, you’re pursuing two degrees at once, right? Can you start by explaining how that works a little? Courtney Duffy: During my first year at Tuck, I applied to the Harvard Kennedy School’s concurrent MPA program. I began at Kennedy in the fall of 2018 and am currently back at Tuck finishing up my MBA. Next year, I will be at Kennedy full time and graduate from there with my MPA in 2020. Last summer, I interned at Facebook on the company’s Economic Policy team. I have one more summer in which to intern and eventually plan to work in the private sectorâ€"likely a tech companyâ€"with a mission-oriented function. mbaMission: Nice. What compelled you to choose Tuck for your MBA? CD: Tuck is eerily similar to my high school and college environments. I had a “nontraditional” background going into business school and knew I wanted an intimate learning environment with small classes and close professor connections in which I would feel comfortable making mistakes as I sought to bolster my analytical toolkit. I knew Tuck is often referred to as tight-knit and all that, but it has exceeded my expectations. Before even arriving on campus, the leader of the MBA program office connected me with an apartment rental opportunity. The apartment was under renovation, and she herself walked to the apartment during a lunch break to personally ensure its quality. With her thumbs up, I felt confident signing a lease sight unseen while still living in DC. I also had access to tutoring for my quantitative classes from second years who made themselves available to meet with me anytime I needed them. During exam season, we literally met every dayâ€"all free of charge! I thoug ht I knew what I was getting when I decided to come here, but I barely knew the tip of the iceberg. mbaMission: That sounds great. How have you liked living in Hanover for your studies? CD: Hanover already holds a special place in my heart, and we hear from alumni recruiters all the time about how happy they are to be back. I actually hosted an alum and his family at my empty apartment for a week during the summer. He wanted to share this place with his wife and young daughter. I know I have my whole life ahead of me to live in a bustling city, and I look forward to that. But going to a program like this one, in a place like this, causes everyone to “buy in,” to really take advantage of the outdoor opportunities, to embrace the winter weather for all the activities it offers, to host visiting friends and family with pride, and more. It is such a transformative two years. We all lean into Hanover and embrace it and will certainly return to it throughout our lives. mbaMission: I’ve only ever heard good things about Hanover, so I’m not surprised. What are your thoughts on Tuck’s required curriculum and the way it is executed? CD: Having never so much as taken an economics class, I needed a level set, and the first-year curriculum offered just that. Some of my classmates placed out of certain subjects depending on their pre-Tuck experiences, but for the most part, they were encouraged to enroll all the same. They added such rich experiences to the classroom, and within my individual study group, my financially savvy classmates regularly took the time to walk me through the basics of subjects I had never before touched and which were being covered during the core. I was particularly impressed by the fact that our professors in the core curriculum had studied our respective backgrounds and sought our experiences during relevant moments of the conversation in a way that familiarized everyone with one another’s strengths and elevated the discussion quality overall. Tuck was proactive about soliciting our feedback on the core, as well. One of the most frequent suggestions was to rework the order of courses in accordance with the recruiting schedule. From what I understand, “Marketing” is moving to the Fall Term from the Winter Term, for example, to benefit first years recruiting for internships in the marketing and brand management space who interview in January. There are also steps being taken to draw closer connections between the concepts taught during the core and the national and global business world. mbaMission: Can you comment a little on Tuck’s required First-Year Project (FYP) and how that works? CD: It’s basically a capstone of sorts which first years complete in the final term of the first year. It’s a way to apply all the skills you’ve acquired during Tuck’s core curriculum, which is of course rigorous and comprehensive. Traditionally, students divide into groups of five or six and select among a number of different projects which are sourced by the school: a local nonprofit may be looking for a comprehensive marketing plan, for example, or a Tuck alum may want some market research done to help her decide whether or not to expand her business into another state, and so on. Many of my classmates took on FYP clients from other countries and then visited those countries to make a final presentation. In my case, however, I was part of an eFYP, the e standing for entrepreneurship. My classmate wanted to explore why more women don’t run for elected office, and she assembled a team of five women to dig into the issue and develop potential solutions. We tackled the project over several stagesâ€"by interviewing leading researchers in the field, interviewing women who hold elected office, interviewing women who would make great candidates but have never run to learn what they see as the largest obstacles, and so on. Eventually, we developed technology solutions to tackle the two largest obstacles cited by these women. mbaMission: Nice. Have you done any Tuck-related traveling, either just for fun or as part of a course or program? CD: When it comes to travel opportunities here, my classmates and I face an embarrassment of riches. Informally, I joined a student-led trip to Colombia over Winter Break during my first year. Formally, I participated in a pre-Tuck trip to Croatia with 20 classmates, which was overseen by a Tuck alum who runs a tourism company. We had a mid-sized ship to ourselves and explored, hiked, visited vineyards, swam, relaxed, dined, danced, and more for a full week. I built the beginnings of lifelong friendships in just a few short days, a trend which has continued in Hanover. I currently live with two girls I met on that trip. And academically, I love Tuck’s global requirement [TuckGO]. I believe it’s the only top program that has it? Or maybe it used to be. To fulfill that requirement, I visited China for 11 days over Spring Break of my first year on a professor-led trek which was entrepreneurship and venture capital themed. Tuck funded the entire trip itself; all we were responsible f or was our own plane tickets. Tuck alumni hosted us for site visits across Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai at companies such as Alibaba, JD.com, and Didi, among eight or nine others. mbaMission: That sounds really fun. How would you characterize your classmates and the greater Tuck community? CD: The strength and intimacy of Tuck’s community is perhaps what the program is best known for. I knew that going in, and it’s one of the traits that most drew me to apply in the first place. But somehow the community’s depth exceeded my already high expectations. I can confidently say that I “get it” now. Here’s an example: One of my classmates had a friend from college who was applying to Tuck, and when the applicant and his wife visited Hanover, my classmate organized a small group dinner for the couple so they would feel welcome. Over the course of our discussion about Tuck, the applicant noted that any time any one of us mentioned the first name of someone in the community, everyone else knew who they were talking about. Everyone knows who “Doug” is, who “Simone” is, who “Lina” is. And beyond the simple comfort of knowing all my classmates and feeling acknowledged for the perspective and talents that I bring to the community, I have forged deep friendshi ps that far surpass a simple hello in the hallway. These are my future business partners, investors, and sounding boards. Most importantly, they are my dear friends. mbaMission: Have you had any particular professors or courses that have really made an impression on you? CD: In my earlier academic life, I typically answered this question by choosing an instructor from a class in which I easily excelled. It’s natural to have positive associations with those who teach you in subjects which align with your natural talents. In this case, however, I would say Emily Blanchard, the professor of the most difficult course for me in my two years at Tuck: “Global Economics for Managers,” a course from the core curriculum which is affectionately known as “GEM.” Beyond being an expert in economics who has been widely published and is frequently sought by reporters to comment on stories, Professor Blanchard maintained incredibly high expectationsâ€"you never wanted to be unprepared and “disappoint” herâ€"all the while weaving in humor and cultivating an environment in which even the more “elementary” questions were answered with respect and energy. She found a way to weave the most banal concepts into compelling story lines that were accessible t o everyone and directly relevant to the world around us. I visited her office hours frequently and knew that she genuinely enjoyed holding them. Professor Blanchard is an absolute force, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to learn from her during my time here. mbaMission: I love that. Have you had much interaction with Dean (Matthew) Slaughter? CD: I had always heard that Dean Slaughter had been a beloved professor at Tuck before embracing the dean role full-time. He actually taught GEM, the course Professor Blanchard teaches now. I jumped at the opportunity to take a course he began teaching this semester called “Leadership in the Global Economy.” In many ways, the course is like a GEM 2.0. We tie together all of the concepts and themes we have been discussing since the fall of 2017 and apply them directly to discussions of policies that have major consequences for millions of peopleâ€"climate change, immigration, intellectual property and technology, trade, etc. Ahead of each class and after extensive research on the subject at hand, we each compose and submit Congressional testimony on behalf of one of the major players involved in the topic. Dean Slaughter then reviews all the testimony and strategically assembles a foursome whose character testimonies complement each other well. We then hold an actual Congressional committeeâ€"style hearing during class in which the foursome read their testimonies before answering questions from their character’s point of view which are asked by classmates in the audience who take on the roles of Congressional members. mbaMission: That sounds really intense! How would you assess Tuck’s facilities? CD: There is a finite number of first-year dorm rooms, and demand for dorm rooms was particularly high among my T’19 class. I unfortunately did not win the housing lottery but ended up in a lovely one bedroom a short walk from campus which turned out to be wonderful. This is not a consistent problem, however. The T’20 class demand was lower, and there were extra dorms available. As for the best parts of Tuck’s facilities, I love that all the buildings are connected underground, not just because it allows us to avoid the cold on particularly chilly days but mostly because it aligns with that sense of connectedness that Tuck advocates. It’s no coincidence that I get to campus at 8 a.m. and regularly stay until between 10 p.m. and midnight. With a gym, library, dining hall, and all the study rooms I could ever need available within a short walk, Tuck makes for a gorgeous place to study and socialize, no matter the season. mbaMission: Sounds good. You’ve mentioned some of your interactions with Tuck graduates. We’ve been told in the past that the alumni are very responsive, open, and generous with studentsâ€"would you say that’s still the case? CD: I felt the strength of Tuck’s alumni network even before I applied. I did some serious diligence during my application process, reaching out to alumni of all the schools to which I was applying. Tuck was the only program from which I received a response from every single alum I emailed, even those I cold emailed! In a few cases, our subsequent phone conversations about the program lasted a full hour. As a student, I have found myself in a few situations in which I was invited to interview with companies with a really tight turnaround. The alumni from those companies who I reached out to, even with the time constraints, still made themselves available to me. I genuinely enjoy speaking to prospective students and am eager to continue offering myself as a resource to future Tuckies. It’s my turn to be part of the circle which has been so good to me! mbaMission: Sure. Has the school’s career development office helped you with your job searches? CD: I took an atypical recruiting path, which actually changed slightly upon my acceptance to the Kennedy School. Suddenly I had two summers in which to intern, and my reemergence in the real world was delayed a year. Tuck’s career services office was incredibly flexible and has allowed me to recruit for another summer internship as if I was a T’20. As is consistent with Tuck all around, the career resources are incredibly personalized for the student and her needs. mbaMission: That’s good to hear. What other Tuck resources would you say have been most helpful in preparing you for your post-MBA career? CD: Tuck has empowered me to develop a greater understanding of myself as a leader. This includes understanding and growing my strengths, of course, but it also involves digging into my weaknesses, fears, and vulnerabilities. I have learned how to network more naturallyâ€"I am an introvert, so this has been a significant development for meâ€"how to influence and collaborate with my peers, and how to ask the right questions in any professional setting. mbaMission: Great. What have been some of your favorite extracurricular activities at Tuck? CD: I am co-president of the Tuck Band, which is, without a doubt, the most meaningful extracurricular in which I have engaged during my time here. Any class of 275 high achievers is bound to have talented musicians, and my class is no exception. As first years, we kept up the Tuck Band tradition by forming a group called The Regressions, which rehearses on Sunday nights and focuses on cover songs. We regularly play for our classmates at events in Raether [Hall], and even for events held at Hanover venues like Murphy’s Pub and The Skinny Pancake. Most meaningfully, we were the main act at Admitted Students Weekend, which meant a lot to us. Several of us had decided at our own Admitted Students Weekend that Tuck was the place for us when we saw the T’17 and T’18 bands performing. The opportunity to have the same impact on future T’20s was not taken lightly. It was a real honor. mbaMission: That sounds really cool. What else do students tend to do for fun outside the classroom? CD: Tuck offers an incredibly diverse and active social scene. There are also a good number of students who came to Tuck with young families, so several of the events are family friendly and open to Tuck partners and children, tooâ€"the “TPs” and “Tiny Tuckies.” While the outdoor- and winter-related activities are genuinely unmatched, everything from skiing and hiking to camping and playing “Tripod Hockey,” I want to emphasize that there is so much more to Tuck and Hanover than these activities. I am not a “nature person” by any stretch, and I have maintained a robust social life without ever stepping into a ski or skate. We’ll often have themed parties in Raether, some of which the band will play at, such as “Tuck High,” a high school promâ€"themed evening, or a mixer with the medical school called Suits and Stethoscopes. Students also frequent Murphy’s, a pub in downtown Hanover which is the undisputed “Tuck bar.” The bartenders make a point of learning every student’s name, and it makes for a really cozy experience. This year, we’ve begun hosting open mic nights at Murphy’s, too, featuring singers, instrumentalists, and even stand-up comedians. The Dartmouth Coach bus is an inexpensive way to get to New York City or Boston at any time, which is always an option, but most students dig into their time here and stay in the area over the weekends. mbaMission: I’m impressed that the bartenders learn everyone’s name! Do students seem very concerned with Tuck’s placement in the various MBA rankings? CD: Tuckies do of course pay attention to the program’s various rankings, but it comes from a place of pride in the school and wanting to make sure the richness of opportunities here is adequately depicted. We maintain an active dialogue, both within our class and with faculty and the administration, to provide feedback on what can make Tuck even stronger for Tuckies of the future. mbaMission: What do you think more people should know about Tuck that they probably don’t know, particularly candidates who might be considering the schoolâ€"or who are not considering it and should? CD: I’d like to take this opportunity to dispel three common misconceptions. One, as I mentioned earlier, you don’t have to be a “nature person” or a seasoned New Englander to come here and have the best two years of your life. Two, you don’t have to aspire to enter consulting or banking. While Tuck has an exceptional track record of preparing students for roles in those spaces, there is a strong contingent of students who focus on a wide range of industries, and the resources available to those engaging in off-campus recruiting are boundless. Three, the financial investment you make in yourself by spending two years at Tuck will pay off well beyond graduation. The payoff for me, not just in terms of the business and leadership skills I have gained here, but also on the strength of the alumni community I will soon join, will last me a lifetime. Share ThisTweet B-School Insider Interview Business School Dartmouth College (Tuck)