An Extension of Tuck’s Transformative MBA Education

By Adam Sylvain

Although Peter Friedman T’03 and Kitty Northrop Friedman were aware of Bridge during their time at Tuck, their support for the program really grew from their experience at their undergraduate alma mater, Bates College.

“We became keenly aware of Bridge’s impact as we began thinking more about the undergraduate path forward into meaningful careers,” explains Kitty Northrop Friedman. “We wanted to help fulfill this important mission of launching liberal arts graduates into the business world.”

In deciding how to direct their philanthropy, the Friedmans say they are most drawn to opportunities that expand access to education. Particularly for liberal arts students, they recognized a need for the valuable pre-MBA exposure to business that Tuck Bridge provides.

“Our desire is to provide opportunity and support for students who may not have even thought about a business career—it hasn’t even been in their vision,” says Peter Friedman. “I know when I graduated, an MBA wasn’t something that seemed possible. A program like Bridge would have been so beneficial, but financially, at that time it would not have been accessible to me.”

The couple believes their support for Bridge and Tuck Next Step, a certificate program for military veterans and elite athletes transitioning to careers in business, is a powerful way to share the exceptional value Tuck offers in a shorter term than the traditional two-year MBA.

“We hope these programs continue to be an extension of the extraordinary MBA experience Peter enjoyed,” shares Kitty Northrop Friedman. “By investing in the transformative education Tuck offers, and joining our support with others, we hope we can create an on-ramp for more and more students to share that experience.”