“Tuck alumni do way more than I expected, so that really sealed the deal for me.”
I want to go into the beauty industry, which is a non-traditional path for business school. You always hear about how great Tuck alumni are, so I wanted to test this out. I reached out to alumni at all the schools where I was accepted and I was really impressed by Tuck. I talked to an alumnus at Estée Lauder and, although he worked in a completely different field from marketing, he was more than willing to assist me in learning about the culture of Estée Lauder and if it was a fit for me. He took me to lunch, and showed me store fronts and competitors' store fronts. It was fascinating. Not many people go above and beyond in a situation where they have nothing to gain from it. He didn’t really have to do what he did, but Tuck alumni do way more than I expected, so that really sealed the deal for me.
I think the number one thing is admitting when you need help. You’d be amazed at how many people are willing to help you when you need it. At Tuck, there were times when I couldn't get my head around certain things, and then I studied with my study group. One time I was on the phone until 2 a.m. with a friend, working on problems in a class that he wasn’t even in. I had told him I was struggling and he helped me. In turn, I helped out others in the classes that I was strong in. I also learned that it is really important for you to take time for yourself—even if it’s only five or 10 minutes—and sit and do nothing to process your own thoughts. There are times where I pencil in things on my calendar where it’s just “me time.”
We had a nineties party that was so great, especially because for most of us that decade was really meaningful. I went with a few friends as the Spice Girls, and it was just a great way to bond as a class and dance and feel nostalgic.
As a first generation college student, people tried to put a lot of limits on me. I wanted to prove everyone wrong, so in high school, and at Spelman, I was practically on every page of the yearbook. At Tuck, it was the first time I realized I can't do everything, which has been a healthy learning experience. I'll be better at managing my time in a way that will serve me in my career and with a family.
Marketing
Charlottesville, Virginia
Spelman College, bachelor's degree in economics
Delta, senior account manager, 2013-15; Google, associate account manager, 2012-13, Google, account coordinator, 2011-12
Academic representative for the Tuck Student Board; Tuck Diversity Conference co-chair, co-chair, Black Students at Tuck (BSAT)
For my First-Year Project, I worked on a coffee farm located on a volcano in El Salvador with the goal of increasing profit margins. Prior to Tuck I visited 10 countries.
Estée Lauder Presidential Management Associate
Mattel, Inc., associate marketing manager
Going into the beauty industry, my optimal goal is to shift how people perceive beauty. I want to help young girls see early on how their differences are their strengths, and that beauty starts with self-love. I honestly think beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but each person has power over what that beholder sees. If you focus on who you are as a person and the best you can be, others will see you that way, too.
