Namrata Rao
Kelley MBA’19

Pursuing a business degree is a tough decision to make, especially when you plan to pursue it in another country. Nothing can be a polar opposite from my previous chaotic lifestyle in India than my structured and composed life in Bloomington. When I decided to seek an MBA, I wanted to make sure that I made my new city and the people, my home. Kelley is exactly that!

My first day, I walked into the atrium feeling nervous and excited. I picked up my Kelley bag with the details of Me, Inc.(a unique Kelley program that enables students to develop their personal brand) and was approached by classmates who were eager to know me and my story. Me, Inc. is structured to make you open up to those around you. Because of this program, I was able to make friends the very first week of school. From your teammates’ high-fives to small words of appreciation, I realized how fortunate I was to spend the next two years with people who would become my family in America.

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Andy Pyon 
MBA’19

Having taken the GMAT, you know you’ll have to make decisions with incomplete, and often imperfect, information. The same holds true when selecting a full-time MBA program. You’re not going to know everything until you jump in, but to aid your decision, here are four questions to consider during your visits.

What is the quality of the faculty? 
Top business schools will naturally be the home to top faculty. Before visiting, research the instructors who will transform you into a business leader. Do the top faculty teach MBAs? More importantly, do you get the sense they enjoy teaching MBAs?

While visiting, talk with the professors and see if they’re just as excited to be there as you are. You want to find a program where the professors are willing and driven to invest in your success, like John Hill, Clinical Assistant Professor of Operations and Decision Technology at Kelley, who happily dedicated his time to help a business analytics major in the Consumer Marketing Academy nail a supply chain internship offer.

Does the school embrace different personalities and learning styles?
You know yourself best, and finding an MBA program where you feel accepted and comfortable is most important to your success. For example, I knew I didn’t fit the mold of a traditional business student. They all seemed outgoing, charismatic, and super confident. But when I first met Jonlee Andrews, Clinical Professor of Marketing, at an event in Indianapolis, she saw my insecurity struggles right away and said she’d help remove any barriers between me and my goals. I realized right away that Kelley isn’t going to ask me to change who I am, but would embrace and enhance my strengths through coaching and development. (more…)

Jennifer Solomon
1st Year MBA Student

“WE SURVIVED THE CORE.” The four words I heard the most throughout the night after our final case competition, which was the conclusion of our first semester at Kelley. There were tons of cheers, hugs, and smiling faces between first and second-year students, all of whom were decked out in their ugliest of holiday sweaters.

The Core is designed to stretch your capacity to learn, network, manage your time, and define who you are and where you are headed. With a finite number of hours in the day, and a personal limit for how many consecutive hours can be spent in a cohort room, it was apparent very early on that the key to success would involve checking your ego at the door and learning to rely on others for help, feedback, and moral support.

The idea of Kelley being a collaborative program is not a new notion but truly came to life in the past four months. I had classmates who spent late nights at school to help me study in subjects that I was struggling in and our Blue Cohort morning “breakfast club” of early risers who I’m convinced came early in part to do homework, but in part just to spend time together. There were countless group projects with my amazing core team that included late nights and plenty of Mother Bear’s pizza and trips to conferences and company visits where lifelong friendships were born. It’s quite evident that the people of Kelley are the reason why I was successful in completing The Core, and I couldn’t be more grateful and honored to have shared this experience with so many intelligent and talented classmates.

by Eric Johnson, Executive Director 
Kelley Graduate Career Services

George Eliot* has been credited with saying, “It’s never too late to become the person you were always meant to be.”

This is good news for people like me, who aspire one day to be Matthew McConaughey.

I reflect on this quote every morning, without fail. It’s part of my daily practice of morning meditation and mental preparation. I feel inspired afterward because it keeps my value of continuous improvement alive and it reminds me that today presents a new opportunity to evolve towards the best possible version of myself.

I have also found that Eliot’s quote helps me give hope to others. In my job as a career and leadership coach, I assist young leaders in their pursuit of their best selves, particularly as it relates to navigating personal transition. Remembering that our past does not forever define who we are is an extremely important step in that process.

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Written based on the expertise of Eric Johnson, Executive Director of Graduate Career Services. For the full version of Eric’s talk, click here. 

With the stress and pressure involved in finding the right internship, it can feel like the war has been won when you finally hear that you got the offer. Truth be told, the hard work is just getting started. There are two primary objectives for your summer: #1 to obtain an offer and #2 to gain experience that translates well for a full-time job search while leaving a favorable impression on those you worked with throughout the summer. One major point to highlight here – even if this isn’t your dream company, do not throw in the towel for the summer saying, “It doesn’t matter if I get an offer. I don’t want to work here anyway.” Full-time recruiters will be asking whether or not you received an offer, and there’s no sense in wasting a summer because you’re not exactly where you want to be.

A few things to note from a career standpoint; you should be practicing interviewing all summer long and making it a point to meet one new person each week. We’d recommend contacting the alumni chapter for the city you’re in. It’s a great chance to expand your network and connect with people outside of your company. You should also be in touch with recruiters from companies you’re interested in for full-time opportunities. You’ve laid the groundwork during your first year, but don’t let those connections fade over the summer. Let them know where you’ll be spending the summer, and check in throughout the summer. Keep in mind not to share any sensitive information – violating a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a huge red flag for what could be a potential employer. (more…)