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David M. Hughes
Whoever coined the adage, "If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it," must have had David Hughes in mind. Cheerful and rock steady, Hughes demonstrates an uncanny ability to continually absorb new projects and activities. As a result, this hard-working fellow, who believes in "giving 110 percent" of himself to anything he's involved in, earned a reputation among students and staff at HBS as someone who could always be counted on to do a job - and another and another - and do it right.
Sometimes in highly visible roles, sometimes operating behind the scenes to bolster a worthy cause, Hughes worked tirelessly to enhance campus life for his fellow students. As president of his section, for example, he helped communicate to the administration the special needs of the first-ever January cohort (those students completing the MBA degree in sixteen months without a summer break, of whom he was one).
Hughes also ran two student orientations for members of the Class of 1998 (one last fall and one in January) - complex, time-consuming, and largely thankless projects. Expanding orientation activities significantly, Hughes - and colleagues with whom he is quick to share credit - offered new students not only social events to help them get acquainted but also a central location where they could obtain information on everything from purchasing computers to buying groceries. Through it all, Hughes proved to be a skillful leader, drawing disparate constituencies from the HBS community together in a common purpose. "I'm a big consensus builder," he says, "and I love helping to motivate people."
In addition, Hughes served on the HBS Student Association and was production manager for the HBS Show, the School's annual student-produced, musical-theater event. He sat on several HBS administrative committees and on the Harvard Graduate Council, helping to plan University-wide events such as a "Fun Run" to benefit inner-city youth. Explaining how he managed to do it all while maintaining good grades, Hughes shrugs, "You can accomplish a lot in a short period of time if you're disciplined."
So what is it that motivates Hughes to just say yes to virtually everything? "It sounds incredibly corny, but I'm happiest when I feel I'm giving all I can to others," he says. "My parents instilled in me how important it is for those of us who are fortunate in life to give back."
Born and raised in Toronto, Hughes showed a penchant for achievement early on. In high school, his community service efforts won him the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh award, an honor bestowed by the British Commonwealth. Later, at the University of Western Ontario, he managed student fundraising and the $1.5-million student activities budget as vice president of student affairs during his senior year. Signing on as a fundraising campaign manager for the United Way of Toronto at the tender age of 23, he supervised scores of volunteers and full-time personnel and founded a youth division to get young professionals more involved in fundraising.
Having been a research analyst for Mercer Management Consulting prior to HBS, Hughes plans to return to consulting after graduation - and to continue throwing himself into service projects in whatever communities he finds himself. "Actually," he confesses with a laugh, "I'd probably be very inefficient if I didn't have a lot on my plate."
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