Ashlie Tyler, Fuqua MBA Class of 2020
Age: 30
Hometown: Boston, but I spent the last 5 years in Chicago, a city that has become near and dear to my heart.
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Duke University, psychology #DoubleDukie
Pre-MBA Work Experience: 8 years in human capital management and business development in the financial services and education industries.
Why business school? Why now? I have dedicated the last seven years of my professional life and personal community service to the goal of giving children from under-resourced communities access to a high-quality education.
Over time I realized that while I am passionate about student achievement, I am most committed to finding scalable, sustainable ways to tackle the biggest problems that our youth face.
I learned more about how impact investors are applying traditional investment disciplines to socially minded organizations and decided that impact investing was my path forward. As such, business school was the logical next step for me. I aim to pair my life experience and industry expertise with the technical skills necessary to become an investment-savvy, transformational leader, and I am excited to do so at Fuqua.
Why Fuqua? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? In the long run I want to launch an impact investing fund. The CASE i3 Initiative on Impact Investing is one of the oldest impact investing initiatives on business school campuses. Fuqua is extremely lucky to have on staff Cathy Clark, who is widely regarded in the impact investing space and who is faculty director of CASE and CASE i3. Having the opportunity to learn from Cathy and participate in the myriad of impact investing initiatives at Fuqua was a huge draw.
In addition, I value collaborative impact and success. The focus Fuqua places on teamwork resonated with me. I wanted to be in an environment where I knew those around me were working toward a common purpose and that they would be just as invested in my development as I am in theirs.
Fuqua was a financial and geographic draw as well. The cost of living in Durham is more affordable than that of the cities in which many other business schools are located. I love Durham because it isn’t too remote but also isn’t a major metropolitan area, which allows me to focus on being a citizen of Fuqua and Durham, while having access to all that Durham and the greater RTP-area, provides. Durham is also like a paradise for those looking to find time and space to truly focus on development with minimal distractions.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020? I am passionate about coaching and supporting others to become a better version of themselves. I am always down to make or find desserts for classmates who are in need of something sweet to brighten their day. With a background in human capital management, I am keenly aware that it is hard for people to consistently perform at their best when they are not feeling their best. As food is something that brings us all together, I often use desserts as a way to say to people, “I care. I am here to listen. Let’s talk.”
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? I am afraid of wind farms and matches. Odd, I know.
Post-MBA career interests? Impact investing
Advice to current prospective applicants:
— One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? If I could rewind this journey a year, maybe two, I would pay careful attention to managing my time and—outside of the necessities such as family, work, and self-care—would be diligent about investing only in the people and resources that were helping me achieve my business school goal.
It’s important for MBA candidates to position themselves such that they have ample time to focus exclusively on testing, then on application writing. Testing and writing at the same time is not ideal. Get your GMAT/GRE final score, take break for a few weeks, and then dive into the applications.
One thing you would change or do differently? I certainly would have saved more money. Seriously, future MBA students—SAVE YOUR MONEY! Between exam prep and fees, application fees, moving expenses, recruitment trips, budgeting for pre-MBA time off, and everything else that goes into this experience, the expenses add up. If you pare down your current lifestyle and are religious about sticking to a budget, you will be doing yourself a huge favor. At the same time, those considering MBAs shouldn’t be afraid to take the risk by considering “creative” ways to finance their education. It’s definitely possible.
Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it? The GMAT is killer! While I think business schools are ambivalent as to whether a prospective applicant takes the GMAT or GRE, I know the financial services industry strongly prefers the GMAT. I would have skipped it if it weren’t for my career aspirations. I found most success when I figured out which method of study worked for me—self study with a tutor to answer specific questions.
What is your initial impression of Fuqua’s students/culture/community? I had the privilege of spending significant time at Fuqua before applying (MBA candidates: visit schools, ask lots of questions). I returned often because I was captivated by the spirit of the Team.
Fuqua. It is not a marketing gimmick, but rather, a belief and commitment to others that permeates through every aspect of the community. Being able to feel the essence of Team Fuqua as a prospective applicant was meaningful to me. I could see myself at Fuqua… I wanted to be here.
One thing you have learned about Fuqua that has surprised you? Understanding what Team Fuqua is now makes this less of a surprise, but the AdCom really wants to know who you are and how you fit into this community. The application is so straightforward that I almost began to second-guess myself.
I was pleasantly surprised by how thoughtful members of the AdCom were with each interaction; applying to business school is stressful and they made it less so. As a people person, I valued their approach immensely.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year? Finding balance. There are an overwhelming number of phenomenal opportunities to take advantage of in business school, and I want to do as much as possible. Excelling academically, landing a summer internship, having meaningful experiences with my classmates, and staying connected with my family and friends are all priorities that I must balance. I’ve given myself a head start by learning to say “no” and sticking to a schedule. FOMO is real!
Thing you are most excited about in your first year? Being a student again. I am a first-generation college student, who, like many first-gens, had trouble navigating the college system. While college was net-positive, I would not say that being an undergraduate student was an enjoyable experience. Fast-forward eight years, I now have a great sense of myself and how to utilize Fuqua, the broader MBA community, and my personal village to achieve my goals.
I am extremely excited to be in a place in life where my sole purpose is to learn and explore. Business school will be a tough but deeply fulfilling experience. It’s not lost upon me that life brought me back to Duke to complete my academic career.
