One of the application essays for Daytime MBA and Master of Management Studies, a list of "25 Random Things About Yourself ", is a tradition within the Admissions team at Fuqua. New team members share their lists when they join us. Like our new hires, our applicants are looking to join our Fuqua community. Thus, we thought that the Random Things would be an appropriate way to get a true sense of our applicants and how they would engage with and impact our community. We want a list of 25 things that illuminate your passions, personality, quirks, hopes, fears, etc.

Since applicants are also seeking to understand the schools to which they are applying, and whether Fuqua is a good fit, we will use the Random Things to help you to get to know us and our community.

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25 Random Things -- Russell Davis, Assistant Director of MBA Admissions

• I lived in 5 countries growing up - Singapore, Japan, England, Hong Kong...and the US. I was the son of an ex-pat who worked in the energy industry. I am certain my appreciation and joy that I get from working across cultures was inspired by this unique upbringing.

  
  

• I have visited 30+ countries. I love to travel and amvery lucky that travel is a big part of my job. I love meeting people and learning about their everyday lives.

  
  

• I have two girls - Parker Joy (10 years old) and Lucinda Willie (8 years old). Nothing or no one makes me laugh as hard as they do.

  
  

• I met my wife, Pamela Joy, on Dec 31, 1999, in Key West, at approximately 10pm. We were married approximately 18 months later. I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but there was definitely an immediate connection.

  
  

• If I could take a nap every day, I would.

  
  

• I am a passionate music lover, including seeing as much live music as I can...shows, music festivals, whenever, however. Music often times takes me back to a place and time, and reminds me of old friends.

  
  

• I am a 5th generation Texan. And while my kids were born in North Carolina, they are actually Texans because ‘nationality’ runs through the paternal line.

  
  

• When I first learned I would be moving to North Carolina from Texas the beginning of 1999, I was a little nervous and unsure of how I would like it. Now, I can’t imagine living anywhere else! The quality of life is great, the weather is great, and it is a wonderful place to raise my family.

  
  

• I played on two record albums in college playing baritone sax. Yes, real vinyl records because I am that old. They are big band jazz records. If I could return to one former hobby or activity, it would definitely be playing music again. Maybe it is not too late!

  
  
  

• I can watch over and over again the movies - Steel Magnolias, Love Actually, and Singles.

  
  

• I hate chick flicks.

  
  

• Absurdity is my favorite form of humor. Comedians who talk about taboo subjects are often times relying on this form of humor. However, not everyone appreciates making fun of taboo subjects.

  
  

• I was a member of the house improvisation troupe, The Laff Staff, at The Laff Stop in Austin, TX, for over 6 years. We performed fournights a week, every week, during that time. Nothing trains you for thinking onyour feet like doing improv comedy!

  
  

• I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch almost every Mon thru Fri. I do not get tired of fruit, orange juice, salads and broccoli.

  
  

• I am like an eight year old when there is snow in the forecast. I get very excited and keep looking out the window for the first flakes!

  
  

• I enjoy decorating our home, and Pam lets me. I think this is a creative outlet. I do not enjoy yard work, however.

  
  

• The best part of my job is that I know people all over the world. When I travel to a city, in the US or somewhere else around the globe, my favorite thing to do is have dinner with a friend and catch up on what has been going on in their life.

  
  

• Having children gave me a new perspective on life. OK, this is not a revelation. But for me, prior to having kids I was always looking down the road to see what was next. Now I am much more interested in what is happening today.

  
  

• I am an avid beach volleyball player. Once spring arrives, I play as often as I can, though usually no more than a couple times a week. Staying active as I get older is very important, especially having such young children.

  
  

• I love my job because I get to meet so many interesting people with a great diversity of backgrounds. I get to hear their dreams, and sometimes in some small way even get to play a part in helping them achieve them.

  
  

• I went to three different high schools. My freshman year was at St. Mary's Int'l School in Japan with 60 people in my class. My sophomore year was at Dulles High School in Sugarland, Texas, with over 1500 people in my class, it was the largest high school in TX at the time. My junior and senior years were at the American School in London where there were 170 students in my class, which I thought was just the right size.

  
  

• I met John Wayne in a coffee shop in Singapore. Yes, I was very young, but I clearly remember it. He was very big.

  
  

• My favorite directors are The Coen Bros, Terrance Malick and Stanley Kubrick. My favorite authors are Cormac McCarthy, John Irving, Joe Lansdale, Victor Gischler and Ken Follett. I particularly enjoy historical fiction and biographies and appreciate when a director or author can paint avivid picture of a time, place and/or person that is long gone or verydifferent from what I know.

  
  

• I love movies and some would call me a fanatic because I love to know the back story of how a movie was made, as well who was the director, cinematographer, or producer. I can typically name a long list of actors from just about any movie. Sometimes I wake up at 2am and watch a movie in its entirety sine it is often the only peaceful time when I can steel away to watch a movie uninterrupted.

  
  

• I used to work at another business school as Student Services Manager. I received an outstanding contribution award for creating an intranet for the students. The content was easy to come up with, I simply listened to the questions the students asked for 6 months, kept a record of them, and then created a self-service tool they could use to get those answers 24/7.