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May 21, 2018

Q&A with Tuck Student Ambassador: Anchit Duggal

By Anchit Duggal

Tuck Student Ambassadors collaborate with the Admissions Office to share their Tuck experience with prospective students. Part of this group is structured to represent eight geographical regions, with a Regional Captain leading each. Today, meet Anchit, T'18 and India Co-Captain.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

You can take a Punjabi out of Punjab but can't take Punjab out of a Punjabi. Especially when it comes to courage, love for good times, cherishing relationships, and taste for delectable food. Be it sky diving, learning to fly a helicopter or jumping off a cliff, I am up to any adventure that kills my fear of heights instilled due to an early near-death experience. Karate is my childhood love and I am currently working on diversifying my martial arts skillset. I did electronics engineering at BITS Pilani, India and pursued my passion for technology by designing & implementing IoT smart building solutions in huge infrastructure projects in UAE.

Why Tuck?

If you completed your undergrad or worked in a small town, chances are Tuck is your sweet haven. It self-selects people who are looking for a well-rounded educational experience in a remote, intimate setting. Add to that accomplished peers and distinguished yet accessible faculty, there’s a huge learning opportunity outside the classroom. I wanted a small class size, an elite general management program and a supportive alumni network; making Tuck an easy choice.

Everyone at Tuck chooses a different path. What’s your life at Tuck like?

There’s always so much to do at Tuck, that it can get a bit overwhelming at first. My life here revolves around academics, recruiting, and friends. I had fun playing Tripod hockey in the first year, but an ACL tear crashed my dreams to learn to ski. I grab any opportunity to learn from pros here and perform on stage, with Diwali and Follies being my most cherished memories. Small group dinners continue to pleasantly surprise me as I realize there’s so much to learn from the larger Dartmouth community. In terms of global educational travel, I visited the Netherlands for a Global Insight Expedition (GIX) focusing on Healthcare best practices and was in London during Spring Break, learning about emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning with my OnSite Global Consulting team.

Transformational Moment

Imagine being drafted to the best Tripod team at Tuck, Twine Ticklers, and not know how to skate. When everyone whizzed past me to score while I was figuring out how to stop and not be a reason for an offside, it was understandable that my time on the ice was limited. But not at Tuck and certainly not with the Ticklers. Not only did I get every chance to have fun learning the sport, but the whole team cheered for me every time I held the hockey stick. The captains readily offered me a ride, even 15 minutes prior to start of the game, whenever I was stuck with intense study group sessions. Experiencing such sportsmanship and team spirit was a transformational moment for me. 

Why did you join the Student Ambassador Team?

I think it's a great opportunity to give back to Tuck. Tuck is not for everyone and a full-time MBA is certainly a huge investment in time and money. I enjoyed helping undergrad prospects make their engineering college decisions, so I knew this was something I wanted to get involved with. There’s also a huge learning opportunity in interacting with prospective students who have been successful in diverse career paths. Understanding their interests and aspirations, before helping them take the next step is indeed a very fulfilling experience.

What surprised you most at Tuck?

The number of clubs (social/academic/recruiting/others) that Tuck has. From cryptocurrency to board games, whatever your interests maybe, we have a club for you. And if it’s not there, you can always start one and create a legacy at Tuck.

Any advice for prospective students?

Be authentic and do your research well in advance. It’s a stressful and tedious process for everyone, and there’s a huge opportunity cost in pursuing a MBA. Some initial self-reflection and gaining broader perspective on career aspirations will help in making the best possible decision. In the end, think of it as a learning experience, give it your best shot and have no regrets.

Connect with the Tuck Student Ambassadors here