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Kelley School of Business Indiana University Bloomington
Kelley Direct Online MBA

Meet the Kelley Direct fall cohort: Q&A with incoming student Matthew Dowling

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Incoming MBA candidate Matthew Dowling is pursuing an online MBA for engineers after his work led him to explore the business side of his field. Students joining the #1-ranked Kelley Direct Online MBA this fall come from a wide variety of backgrounds and fields. In this second installment of our Q&A series, incoming student and Deep Ocean Engineer Matthew Dowling shares why he chose Kelley, where he wants to go in his career, and a welcome surprise in the admissions process:

Why are you pursuing an MBA after engineering?

“As a deep ocean engineer, I support the US Navy’s only rescue submarine. Now I’m looking for an opportunity that will allow me to interact with professionals in the business world, and I’m interested to learn about the business side of the engineering industry. A Kelley Direct Online MBA is a step in a new direction for my career.”

Why did you choose Kelley Direct?

“I searched for the best online MBA and discovered Kelley. I talked about the decision with my family and friends, and I chose Kelley because its name, reputation, and the positive reviews Kelley receives mattered to me.”

What are you looking forward to the most?

“In-person events and an opportunity to network with a variety of people from different backgrounds are what I’m looking forward to the most.”

Did anything surprise you about the Kelley Direct admissions process?

“I was surprised by the number of scholarship opportunities available to students applying to the Kelley Direct Online MBA Program.”

Interested in earning the Kelley Direct Online MBA? Start with the first part of our Kelley Direct Application. It’s free and takes only a few minutes to complete.

 

Meet the Kelley Direct fall cohort: Q&A with incoming student Taylor Bruner

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Taylor Bruner, merchandising project manager for Home Depot and incoming Kelley Direct online MBA student.Want to meet some of the remarkable incoming students of the #1-ranked Kelley Direct Online MBA? In this Q&A series, students share why they chose Kelley, how they navigated the admissions process, and the goals they’re most excited to achieve. Introducing Taylor Bruner— currently in the field of merchandising project management in Atlanta and excited to maximize her leadership potential:

Why is an MBA part of your project management career path?

“I’m currently a project manager in merchandising for Home Depot, a role I’ve had for three years. My undergraduate degree is in finance, and I want to advance as a business leader in my career.”

Why did you choose Kelley Direct?

“I was looking for a top school, and the education and opportunities at Kelley were comparable to those at Ivy League schools. After weighing the options, the Kelley Direct Online MBA stood out as a program that fits well in a working professional’s lifestyle. Where other schools have rigid schedules, Kelley offers flexibility for real life.”

What are you looking forward to the most?

“I’m looking forward to Kelley On Campus, and I can’t wait to take advantage of Kelley Direct’s global immersion courses. While an online format is best for me overall, having in-person experiences will allow me to invest time in building relationships with faculty and classmates.”

Did anything surprise you about the Kelley Direct admissions process?

“I thought that the process would take a significant amount of time, but instead I received prompt and personalized responses to my application.”

Interested in earning the Kelley Direct Online MBA? Start with the first part of our Kelley Direct Application. It’s free and takes only a few minutes to complete.

 

Q&A with Forté Ambassador Ana-Maria Visoiu-Knapp

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Forte ambassador Ana-Mria Visoiu-Knapp works with the women's leadership organization to help advance the careers of women in business.Kelley Direct is proud to partner with the Forté Foundation, a women’s leadership organization whose mission is to launch women into fulfilling, significant careers through access to business education, professional development, and a community of successful women in business. Our partnership offers Kelley Direct students a free Professional Access Membership which gives unique access to scholarships, women’s networking opportunities, and actionable resources that enhance business education and careers. The shared goal at both Kelley and Forté leadership is to increase the number of women business leaders, thus making this partnership a powerful and competitive package offered to our graduate women in business school. Additionally, we have started offering Forté Fellowships as of our Spring 2023 cohort.

Forté Ambassador Ana-Maria Visoiu-Knapp recently shared more with us about this partnership. (more…)

Fostering LGBTQ+ Inclusivity at Kelley Direct

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Online MBA student Tyler Dean Muirhead shares his experience building an online learning community and fostering support for LGBTQ students.By Tyler Dean Muirhead, MBA’24

I completed my undergraduate studies at the Kelley School of Business in 2019. My undergraduate studies were untraditional, in that I worked throughout the weekday and would drive to campus for evening classes. Having an untraditional college experience hindered me from fully experiencing the benefit of student associations and events.

When I decided to pursue my online MBA in the fall of 2022, I saw an opportunity to foster an inclusive environment for remote learners. Similar to my undergraduate experience, it felt difficult to connect with classmates on a meaningful level. I was then introduced to the Kelley Direct Student Leadership Association (KDSLA) whose mission is for “your classmates to become your community, your friends… to connect, learn and have fun with your Kelley Direct peers.” The KDSLA has many wonderful sub-associations that create a sense of community for Kelley Direct students who are spread across the globe; however, there was not an organization focusing on the LGTBQ+ community and its allies. (more…)

Kelley Direct Online MBA student Gary Tong on using an MBA to change careers

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By Mary Thomason-Smith

Gary Tong headshot: this Kelley Direct graduate shares his insight on using an MBA to change careers.Gary Tong, MBA’24, spent his early career in engineering and manufacturing but wanted to earn an MBA. A first-generation college graduate, Gary kept his MBA ambitions on hold to support his family and build a career at Boeing—until he discovered the #1-ranked Kelley Direct Online MBA program. Now Gary works in consulting and shares his tips for using an MBA to change careers:

Career coaching for MBA students

“I chose the Kelley Direct Online MBA for the highly personalized Kelley Direct Career Advancement & Performance Coaching that I couldn’t get anywhere else. With the one-on-one support of a certified career coach, I researched the fields that interested me, narrowed my career interests, and pivoted my career focus from engineering to consulting. They worked with me on interview prep and helped me understand a new industry. My confidence increased. Ultimately, partnering with a career coach helped me land an offer from a global consulting firm. Now I serve as a senior vice president for AlixPartners at the same time I’m finishing my Kelley Direct Online MBA.” (more…)

Meet our Spring Cohort Kelley Direct students—Q&A with Kara Plotz

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Kara Plotz is transitioning from veterinary roles to an operations management career path with an online MBA from Kelley Direct.Kelley Direct students begin their online MBA for various reasons; they want to advance in their careers, switch careers, or want more knowledge and fulfillment. Kara Plotz, a Senior Manager of Operations at National Veterinary Associates, shares her why for joining the Spring Cohort.

What are your career highlights? “I have moved from a practicing veterinarian to the business management side, now overseeing 240 veterinary hospitals. I’m very proud to have made this big leap in my career and for the future opportunities that await with a Kelley online MBA.”

Why did you choose Kelley Direct? “When choosing a program, the reputation of the school was very important to me. When I asked friends and colleagues about the programs I was considering, Kelley always rose to the top as a high-quality program. It was great knowing that Kelley had such a positive impact on others that has lasted their whole careers.”

What are you looking forward to most? “I’m most excited to meet my peers. Of course, I’ll learn from the faculty and coursework, but the breadth of my fellow classmates and their experiences is tremendously valuable.”

Ready to begin your MBA Journey?

We have a two-phased application process. Phase 1 is free and takes 5 minutes to complete. We encourage you to start it now—and take the first step in creating the future you want.

 

Meet our Spring Cohort Kelley Direct students—Q&A with Michelle Braun

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Neuropsychologist Michelle Braun poses with a model of the human brain. Braun earned her online MBA to advance a career in public health.Kelley Direct students begin their online MBA for various reasons. In this series, you’ll meet some of our students and learn why they have decided to take this step and enroll with Kelley Direct! Michelle Braun, a Neuropsychologist with Ascension Healthcare, shares how she thinks the Kelley Direct program can help her meet some big goals.

What are her career highlights? “I was named a “Woman of Influence” for 2022 by Success Magazine—an entrepreneur-focused publication. I’m a national leader in brain health and Alzheimer’s reduction with a public health focus as well as an author of the book “High Octane Brain.”

Why did you choose Kelley Direct? “I have big plans to create innovative brain health products for older adults. I have the scientific skills for designing these products. It is clear that Kelley Direct can provide the business skills I need to be successful with this venture.”

What are you looking forward to most? “Kelley On Campus was critical for me when deciding to start the online MBA program. Like others, I need the convenience of a mostly online program. But I also really value building my network with so many different people. I’m so excited to immerse myself with my classmates as we become Hoosiers at the start of the program.” (more…)

Meet our Spring Cohort Kelley Direct students—Q&A with Guru Lakshmi Narsimhan

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Kelley Direct students begin their MBA for various reasons; they want to advance in their career, switch careers, or want more knowledge and fulfillment. Guru Lakshmi Narsimhan, a Production Manager and Missiles Systems Ensign at Bickford Aerospace and Defense, wants to transition from engineer work to a management role.

What are your career highlights? “My team spent the past few years building over 180 mechanisms for the James Webb Telescope that NASA launched this past year. It was thrilling to be part of a monumental project.

Why did you choose Kelley Direct? “I am transitioning from engineer work to a management role. Ultimately, I have plans to be a Senior VP. The Kelley Direct curriculum offers diverse coursework options that will be vital for me to be a business unit leader.” (more…)

Kelley Coin Winner: Hank Swearingen, MBA’22

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Hank Swearingen is advancing in the business of healthcare as he earns his online MBA from Kelley Direct.I received my Kelley Coin for being a member of the winning team from the first Kelley Connect Week in Summer 2020: Navigating a COVID-19 World. Several weeks of learning from experts about the challenges of the pandemic and the business of healthcare culminated in a 72-hour entrepreneurial idea sprint. Each team was tasked with developing a novel solution to a COVID-related problem, creating a minimum viable product (MVP), validating the solution and MVP with data from potential customer groups, and developing a crowdfunding-style video pitch. I was exhausted by the end of the weekend blitz, but it was thrilling to solve real-world problems and develop a solution that could truly make a difference.

My teammate – inspired by his own experience with uncomfortable surgical masks in his healthcare field – came up with a brilliant solution to develop an innovative mask that would circulate cool air. My team and I solved the challenge by taking the time to get to know one another and learn about each other’s backgrounds and strengths, which built the trust necessary to be open about our gaps. In the end, it all came together in an amazing, winning video pitch, because six people chose to trust each other, rather than be consumed by the challenging experience. (more…)

Kelley Coin Winner: Robert Moore

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Robert Moore won a strategic venture competition as part of his military to corporate transition in the Kelley Direct online MBA program. I received a Kelley Coin for winning a case competition in which my team and I were tasked with finding a new strategic venture for NetJets, Inc., the private airline company. My role was to coordinate and solve problems – a role made even easier because I worked with some fantastically smart and innovative teammates with deep functional knowledge in diverse areas.

My team and I created a plan that would see NetJets expand further on both sides of the value chain on getting their customers to their destinations. Specifically, we proposed customized car services and destination benefits. Out of 30 different team submissions, NetJets chose ours as their favorite and implemented parts of the solution!

Easily the most challenging part of the competition was fully assessing what NetJets’ managers wanted from a strategic venture. However, this is something that I’m familiar with as a career military professional. Stakeholder management and consulting don’t always leave you with a straightforward path to success. My team overcame this challenge by listening closely to the NetJets managers, which helped us focus on delivering what they actually wanted. (more…)

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