The Duke University Fuqua School of Business MBA Class of 2028 brings together an accomplished group of professionals whose backgrounds, career paths and aspirations vary. In this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students, we meet five members of the new class who are embracing the spirit of Team Fuqua, the school’s collaborative culture, commitment to leadership, and emphasis on making a meaningful impact as they prepare for the next chapters of their careers.
First up is Eva Shvartcer, a former professional violinist who transitioned into nonprofit fundraising, working in the arts and healthcare sectors, including as a development manager at The Dallas Opera. Her experiences helping mission-driven organizations improve their financial sustainability inspired her to pursue an MBA and a career in strategy consulting, where she hopes to help nonprofits maximize their impact. Next, Mauro Santos joins Fuqua from Rio de Janeiro, with a distinctive combination of military leadership, engineering, and finance experience. A captain in the Brazilian Army, Santos has served in logistics and strategy and operations roles, including managing operations at the Army’s data center. He also worked as a private credit analyst at Occam Brasil, an experience that sparked his interest in capital markets. Santos is pursuing his MBA to strengthen his financial expertise and transition into investment banking in New York.
We then meet Nadia Mitchell, a Minneapolis native and graduate of North Dakota State University, who brings a background in nonprofit development and a commitment to expanding economic opportunity. During her four years with UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation, she helped raise millions of dollars to support families facing children’s medical expenses. Mitchell chose Fuqua for its combination of a collaborative culture and opportunities in social impact finance, including CASE i3 and the Sustainable Impact Student Investment Fund. Max Jiang arrives at Fuqua after nine years as a journalist with China Daily in Beijing and New York. Covering international affairs, technology policy, and social issues, Jiang developed a nuanced understanding of how geopolitics, technology, and public policy shape the world. He also helped expand his newsroom’s presence in social media and short-form video. Now, he hopes to shift from reporting on the business world to shaping business decisions himself, with interests in strategy consulting and technology-focused marketing or strategy roles.
Rounding out our featured students is Pat Cronin, an entrepreneur from Keyport, New Jersey, who spent 12 years co-founding and operating Cronin Plumbing & Heating, an HVAC and plumbing services business. A Cornell University graduate, Cronin gained firsthand experience in business development, client management, and strategy while building his company. Seeking to make a broader contribution to the energy transition, he is pursuing a dual MBA and Master of Environmental Management through Fuqua and Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. Cronin hopes to pursue a career commercializing emerging energy technologies, bridging the gap between innovation and widespread market adoption.
Together, these five students illustrate the diverse experiences, ambitions, and perspectives that define Duke Fuqua’s MBA Class of 2028. Read on to learn more about their journeys to Fuqua, their advice for prospective MBA applicants, and what excites them most about becoming part of Team Fuqua.
