Giving and Growing Outside the Classroom

Although the MMS: FOB program will keep you running from the moment you start, finding time to give back to the community will make your experience in Durham so much more valuable. Here are a few on-campus organizations you can join to say engaged outside of class:

1. The Net Impact Club
   The Net Impact clubs lets you explore the intersection of social responsibility and business. This past year we watched and discussed applicable TED talks, like Michael Porter’s on how social responsibility will lead to long term profits for business. We’ve also gotten our hands dirty during Habitat for Humanity build days and have reached out to the Duke Community with a screening of Girl Rising. Net Impact is a great way to get to know other MMSers and leaders of consequence who have a like-minded approach to business.

   Some class of 2014 MMS students “building” their skillset at a Habitat for Humanity house in Durham.
   Photo courtesy of Catherine Doktycz.

2. Duke Interdisciplinary Social Innovators
   This organization, also known as DISI, is new to campus, but a great addition and one that will likely grow for years to come. I was involved in two DISI projects and certainly learned a lot. The arrangement is simple: DISI gives you the chance to help a non-profit organization while you work with people of different skills and experiences—much like you will at your job post-graduation. There are all kinds of projects to get involved with and new skills to learn. Just to give you a glimpse, my first project was to design a sustainable, accessible therapy garden for veterans and my second was to explore social entrepreneurship in other cities. Full lists of past projects are on their website. If you’re interested in consulting or getting to know other graduate students across Duke’s campus, I wholly recommend looking into DISI. The projects run over traditional semesters, but the workload is manageable, and sometimes enhances your MMS coursework.
3. Fuqua2Duke
   The best of both worlds, Fuqua2Duke creates mentor-mentee relationships between Duke undergraduates and Fuqua students. Since MMS students are between undergraduate and business school, we have a chance to be both a mentor and a mentee. You can give advice to undergrads who are unsure of what lies ahead after graduation, sharing what you’ve learned on how to network and to create a personal brand. You can also speak to an MBA student about their industry expertise and get tips on leadership, mentoring, and a host of other things for your own benefit.

My involvement in different activities gave me some really rich experiences organizing events and growing my skillset that I can take away from the program—not to mention plenty to talk about on interviews! As you look forward to joining the next MMS class, don’t forget to find ways to grow your leadership skills and enrich your experience!