In the days leading up to the IUPUI Top 100 Outstanding Students Recognition Dinner, we will be featuring our Kelley students who have been named a Top 100 for 2016.
What has been your favorite experience so far at Kelley?
My favorite experience at Kelley so far has been being apart of the Kelley School of Business Honors College. It has definitely been the best decision that I’ve made during my college career. I’m very grateful for being able to engage with some of IUPUI’s brightest and most ambitious students, faculty and alumni every day. Together, we represent Kelley in and outside of the classroom and we contribute to an interactive and sophisticated learning environment that will further build the outstanding reputation of the school. I have become very fond of the friends that I have made in the honors class and wish them nothing but the best for their future.
What has been your favorite class and why?
My favorite class at Kelley has been BUS-Z404, Effective Business Negotiations, with Professor Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow. It was a highly interactive class setting that taught valuable information about business negotiation and increased my bargaining skills.
If you had to pick one professor that has impacted you the most while at Kelley, who would it be?
If I had to pick one, it would be Professor Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow. I have acquired many useful skills in her Leadership and Business Negotiation class. Most important of all though, she has inspired me to think about my values and beliefs and what kind of leader I want to become in the future.
Where do you see yourself after you graduate?
After graduation, I plan on following my passion for marketing in either renewable energy or sports. The first option is joining the marketing department of Vestas in Portland, Oregon. The organization is the world’s biggest producer of wind turbines and constructor of wind parks. The field of wind technology is in its infancy and I believe that Kelley has well prepared me to bring strong job skills to this company. Business in Europe is going very well for Vestas but they are struggling to catch foot in the US since the country is new to renewable energy. I’m particularly interested to explore ways that the American culture sets itself apart from Europe’s and what is necessary to successfully launch the wind energy business in the country. The Kelley School has the necessary resources that will help me become part of a company who shares my vision of making the next step into a healthier world. The second option is keeping my connection to sports and joining a marketing and media department at a university or professional sports team.
Favorite activity/extracurricular activity that you have been involved in while at Kelley?
My favorite activity that I have been involved in while at Kelley is being a student athlete. Although my triple majors of business management, marketing, and human resources management are rigorous and challenging, I am able to excel in the classroom while also dedicating twenty hours of my time to practice with the IUPUI men’s swimming team every week. I hold the distinction of being one of the first IUPUI swimmers to compete at the USA Swimming National Championships, I have earned 15 Top 3 finishes at the Summit League Championships, and I am currently defending eight school records. The greatest lesson I have learned in my three years as a Division I athlete is what truly motivates me. In Germany, swimming has always been an individual sport for me. My results were the consequences of my actions. Since I have come to the U.S., I have realized what it means to be part of a team and the impact that I have on those surrounding me. That is why I take advantage of every opportunity that I get to lead by example, motivate my team mates, show support, and swim as fast as I can to earn the trust and pride of my family, my coaches and teammates, and my university.
What is your Kelley moment?
My new Kelley moment is becoming a Top 100 student. I came to the United States four years ago as an average high school student with only average English skills. It is incredible what impact IUPUI and the Kelley School of Business have left on me in my four years of college. The university has given me so many great opportunities to develop and grow. Now I am able to count myself to the one of the Top 100 students of IUPUI. Being a Top 100 student is an incredible honor and my motivation to continue the hard work and dedication that I put into my academic, athletics, and extra curricular activities each semester.
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