To me, the Fuqua community can be aptly summarized by the slogan – “Team Fuqua” that reverberates throughout the Duke campus, as well as around the world by its Alumni. At its essence, the MBA program at Fuqua is all about being a part of a highly motivated team that thrives on support, collaboration and cohesiveness between its members. Indeed, this is further demonstrated by the activities and organizations that Fuqua offers, and I am excited to become a part of such a dynamic environment where I can make a positive impact with like-minded individuals. I plan to make the most out of my time at Fuqua, through my involvement with multiple organizations as well as community engagements.   As I aspire to pursue a lifelong career in FinTech, the FinTech Club at Fuqua would make me conversant with pertinent domain knowledge, as well as offer hands-on experience through the partnerships it has forged with the finest companies and industry professionals. The financial services sector is being transformed at breakneck speed through innovative technologies, and with its continued investment in this club, Fuqua has demonstrated its intentions to remain a leader in this space. I wish to be part of its growth and expansion, by becoming a senior member of this club. Additionally, the Tech Club has also caught my attention, and I plan to attend its various events such as the Tech Treks to learn more about technology companies, as well as share my experiences with peers at Fuqua by leading Tech Talk sessions. As I am also interested in the social impact of technology on multiple sectors such as personal finance, healthcare, and education, I would aim to create a new club that partners with tech companies committed to social good, and hope that this initiative would receive a positive response, as it aligns perfectly with Fuqua’s values.   In addition to professional clubs, I am excited to be part of the numerous engaging activities that Fuqua has to offer. I have been an avid cricketer throughout my life, and was the captain of Bahrain junior national cricket team. Since I moved to the US, I realized that many people were unaware of the existence of cricket, despite it being one of the most popular sports in Europe and Asia. In fact, whenever I hear the word, it is always in regards to the cell-phone network company rather than the game! As a previous captain, I want to be an ambassador of the sport and spread its awareness, and have already spent hours educating my peers and colleagues about the nuances of this competitive team sport. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Fuqua is one of the few business schools that has a cricket club. This truly proved to me its commitment to diversity, and I’m eagerly waiting for the opportunity to lead Fuqua’s cricket team and contribute to the cricket fraternity, and even expand its presence by forming a team to participate in inter-college and national tournaments.   Another appealing factor of Fuqua is its thriving international community, where I hope to seamlessly fit in, due to my experience of growing up in 4 countries and being educated in international schools with diverse students. As a result of my upbringing, I have always been keen to learn about other traditions. For this reason, I am especially looking forward to participating in Fuqua Friday events, both as an organizer, as well as an attendee, where I will be able to expand my horizon about other cultures, while sampling the unique dishes from the countries of my peers. Additionally, this would also be an excellent way to network with students, professors and alumni in a laid-back setting, and would allow me to develop more personal connections with these individuals.   Furthermore, Fuqua’s commitment of giving back to the community ties in very well with my own values and goals. Since my early days, I have been an active member of the community through my volunteering experiences, and I plan to continue with these engagements at Fuqua. Education has been very dear to my heart, and I have taken part in multiple efforts to educate the less fortunate, especially through my experiences in volunteering at schools for children with special needs, and developing interactive educational applications for children in the Middle East. At Fuqua, I will further this cause by becoming a member of Net Impact, as well as leading initiatives to partner with nonprofits such as The Shodor Education Foundation, which holds workshops and events to promote Durham youths to pursue a STEM education. As Dean Bill Boulding says – we need to have a “sense of purpose that the reason that we want to serve others is because we want to make a positive difference in the world,” and this statement resonates with my own beliefs.   Fuqua also appeals to my long-term goal of founding a technology venture, through the Duke Startup Challenge. Here, I will get a hands-on approach to starting my own venture, and this will give me an insight into the entrepreneurial mindset required to found a company and lead it successfully. I am confident that this challenge, in addition to the other initiatives by Innovation and Entrepreneurship, will teach me the intellectual suppleness and problem-solving skills that entrepreneurs must have, and will provide me with the relevant practical exposure to achieve my goal.   Even though Fuqua offers a wide array of extra-curricular learning opportunities, there is an unmistakable binding factor that ties all of these together: the “Team Fuqua” spirit. Each of its organizations and clubs is managed by students, and caters to the entire Fuqua community, which underscores that Fuqua truly believes that a group is always more powerful than the sum of its parts. My own experiences in teaching and mentoring have also inculcated the same attitude within me, and thus I feel that I would be a great fit for Fuqua. By partaking in the aforementioned clubs, activities, and societal engagements, I aim to become a well-rounded individual as well as a lifelong member of the Fuqua family.