Grace Weissend, Dartmouth Tuck MBA Class of 2027
Age: 29
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Notre Dame, Political Science and Film, Television, & Theatre
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Talent Assistant at TalentWorks Agency (2018–2019); Assistant in Comedy Touring at United Talent Agency (2019–2021); Chief of Staff to Whitney Cummings (2021–2022); Producer and Staff Writer on “Whitney Cummings Presents” (2022–2023); Producer and Content Strategist at GO Digital (2023–2025)
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I moved to Los Angeles with the dream of becoming a writer, but once I was actually in the role it wasn’t as much of a fit for me as I’d hoped—I craved something more strategic and concrete. The writer’s strike of 2023 provided me with the perfect moment to pivot out of entertainment, and when I got a taste of the operational challenges and opportunities of working at a startup, I knew I wanted to move fully into the business world.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Tuck? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
While the robust core curriculum, incredible location, and excellent recruiting outcomes caught my attention, I was most swayed by Tuck because of the people. In my application process, Tuck alums were super excited to talk to me about their experience and share advice; they were open, warm, and encouraging. When I got to campus for Admitted Students Weekend, I found the same to be true about the current students; they set the bar so high that I compared every other school I was considering against Tuck and found I couldn’t beat it!
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2027?
I think that having taken a big swing in my career by moving to LA and trying to make my dreams come true has taught me to be fearless in the face of potential failure. Also, if you need something organized, pushed over the finish line, or funded, call a producer.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I grew up playing bass guitar in cover bands and gained a small amount of local suburban Kansas City fame as “Grace on the Bass.”
Post-MBA career interests:
Consulting, marketing, entertainment
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Be my authentic self, especially when it comes to writing all the essays without the help of AI—you really don’t sound as much like yourself if you don’t start in your own voice!
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would give myself more time to study for the GRE and prepare all of my application materials. I did them simultaneously and it worked out but I definitely wouldn’t recommend it.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Can’t lie, I didn’t love the agonizing weeks between hitting “submit application” and interview invites starting to roll in, and the agonizing weeks between the interviews and the decisions starting to roll in. I spent a lot of time on walks, in nature, and absorbed in my hobbies to keep my brain and hands busy—the hands part is especially important because you’ll be tempted to compulsively check Reddit and other sites. Try not to!
What is your initial impression of the Dartmouth Tuck students/culture/community?
It’s been a long time since I laughed this hard this often, which is impressive considering how much time I spent around very funny people in my life before school!
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I’m in the T’27 band (the Grateful Debt) on the bass guitar and as a singer. It’s so nice to have a creative outlet in the midst of the madness and I’m constantly blown away by how talented my classmates are. I’ve also joined the (wildly helpful, amazingly supportive) Consulting Club and have been diving into learning about all things tech with the Center for Digital Strategies. And in classic Tuck fashion I am, of course, playing tripod hockey (0-0-1 record so far).
What is one thing you have learned about Dartmouth Tuck that has surprised you?
I knew “Tuck nice” was a thing, but I’ve been consistently surprised by just how real it is. People go out of their way to support one another, whether it’s with rides around the Upper Valley, help with class concepts, advice for recruiting… you name the challenge, someone will be there to give you an assist in meeting it.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I can’t wait to take everything I’ve learned in the core, combine it with my professional experience, and apply it in a real-world scenario in my First-Year Project this spring!
