As noted in the previous post, Fuqua offers two Social Sector scholarships each year to individuals with nonprofit backgrounds who are looking to acquire business skills for use in their pursuit of social impact. We are proud to announce our new CASE Scholars, including Thomas Shields!
Thomas comes to Fuqua having spent the past eight years in education, building charter schools for underserved students.
In 2002, Thomas joined KIPP DC’s first school, KEY Academy, to establish and manage school operations, in addition to teaching social studies and language arts. The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools with a track record of preparing students in under-resourced communities for success in college and life. During his 4-year tenure, KEY Academy became the highest performing public school in Washington, DC and KIPP DC has now grown to a network of of nine schools serving more than 2,000 students.
In 2006, Thomas accepted a position teaching middle school and freshman English at P.S.1, Colorado’s first public charter school, in Denver. He partnered with school leadership to improve the overall quality of the school, including the development of classroom management tools for struggling teachers, integrating curriculum across grades, and leading staff professional development sessions. Thomas then returned to KIPP DC’s network headquarters where, as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, he raised more than $5 million dollars. He also supported the development of innovative teacher training and college completion programs and founded the Associate Board, a group of young professionals committed to promoting the mission of KIPP DC through fundraising, marketing and volunteering.
Thomas plans to use his MBA from Fuqua to leverage innovation and entrepreneurial models to have a more systemic impact on improving education. Thomas holds a B.A. in economics from The George Washington University.
Why did you decide to pursue your MBA degree?
While I have had the opportunity to be involved with an outstanding social sector organization, my experience with another that failed to reach its goals and failed its principal constituents drove me to pursue an MBA. Witnessing this failure firsthand illustrated the need for the skills an MBA would provide in supporting social sector organizations. The two organizations differed in their ability to build leadership, develop and execute the organizational vision and strategy, hire the right people, and manage finances. Through an MBA I believe I will develop these skills and the ability to create them within an organization.
Why did you choose to come to Fuqua?
I chose Fuqua because I wanted to learn in an environment that valued my unique background and professional experience while stretching me to learn and achieve at high levels. The diversity of the student body provides a global perspective that enhances the learning experience. Through the opportunities provided by CASE, I felt that I would be able to tailor my education to fit my goals and become an impactful leader in the social sector without compromising any of the benefits of an excellent business education. I was also impressed with the thoughtfulness and passion of Fuqua students in and out of the classroom.
What are you most excited about when you think about your next two years?
I look forward to learning from my classmates, traveling through the Global Consulting Practicum and GATE trips, being intellectually challenged and, of course, becoming a Cameron Crazy.
If you were granted one wish (no limitations), what would you wish for?
My wish would be that every child has the opportunity to have a meaningful education – that they would be able to access a place of learning where high achievement was expected and supported, they would be allowed to develop their curiosity, their individual experience and interests were valued, and empathy was as important as arithmetic. I believe no other pursuit is more valuable in developing a more equitable and productive society than building a meaningful and effective education system.