It’s been an unexpected end of the semester for our 2020 graduates, but they’ve persevered and are now Kelley alumni. We’re proud to celebrate them during a virtual ceremony on Monday, May 18th at 6:00 PM EDT.
Dozens of students received awards and special recognition through the Kelley School at IUPUI, and others were named to the Top 100 at IUPUI.
This is a moment that, for many, is years in the making. We asked just a few of our outstanding students about their journey through the Kelley Indianapolis Undergraduate Program – and the moments that made the experience worthwhile.
Lore’al Avery, BS’20, accounting
The journey didn’t look like what she’d originally planned after graduating from Merrillville High School in 2012, but the end goal has always been the same.
And the end goal is right where she’s at, right now.
Lore’al Avery will finish her Kelley Indianapolis experience in the summer of 2020, and she’s already accepted a job offer at a corporate accounting firm.
She’s also IUPUI’s 2020 Commencement speaker. This is her story.
Aylin Diaz-Copete, BS’20, management and international studies
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School at IUPUI, what are your favorite experiences?
One of my favorite experiences was I-Core. Although it was a tough semester, I enjoyed getting to work with some pretty cool individuals.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your future career?
I have gained knowledge and confidence. I know that my time at Kelley was full of learning opportunities that led to personal growth.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
For me, my Kelley moment was when my group and I had just finished our I-Core presentation, and it felt like a rush of excitement and relief to have completed the semester.
What advice would you give to current students?
I would say to definitely get involved and network, but also to enjoy your time, because it goes by fast!
Ryan Fraser, BS’20
Ryan was named one of the Top 10 of the Top 100 Outstanding Students at IUPUI.
What has been your favorite experience so far at Kelley? I have had so many amazing experiences at Kelley. However, my top experience is traveling abroad to London during spring break.
What has been your favorite class and why? My favorite class will always be financial accounting with professor David Farber. The class was mentally challenging and kept me engaged. Professor Farber did a fantastic job of connecting classroom concepts with the real world, and I felt genuinely inspired after completing the class.
Favorite activity/extracurricular activity that you have been involved in while at Kelley? I have really enjoyed my involvement with case competitions. I have been able to compete in four of them, and I have met students from around the world at these competitions. Each has given me the opportunity to work with diverse teams and hone my presentation and problem-solving skills.
What is your advice to current Kelley students? Keep everything in perspective. Throughout your life, it’s important to remember that you are not defined by your failures or even by your success. Don’t get too low when a test does not go your way or get too high when you achieve a goal. Just stay steady and keep cranking.
Tiffany Keown, BS’20, marketing with a minor in economics
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School at IUPUI, what are your favorite experiences?
My favorite experience at Kelley was Kelley Career Fair. I was able to interview with a few organizations but ultimately took an internship with the state. These interviews gave me great insights and experiences with interviewing.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your future career?
I have gained a lifelong network of resources and relationships. I hope to continue to build rapport with professors and stay in touch with classmates throughout our careers.
What are your plans after graduation?
My plans after graduation are to secure a full-time job and continue to serve my community through political engagement and advocacy.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
My Kelley moment was after taking BUS-J401 with professor Lisa Ketner. We learned business strategy, sustainable competitive advantages, and overall, the method of evaluating a business. I would say this was a moment for me because I was able to hone the area of marketing, which I found most interesting.
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
My advice to current students is take advantage of all opportunities presented before you. You never know who you might meet along the way. Sometimes especially in business, it is not what you know but who you know. Lastly, keep your word. If you are committed to something, try to see it all the way through.
Qianjing Liang, BS’20, accounting and finance
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School at IUPUI, what are your favorite experiences?
My favorite moments at Kelley are the final weeks when we were finishing up projects, and when I was able to see the work of the team presented in a report or a presentation after so many days of effort. One of my favorite memories was when I met with my I-Core team the night before our final presentation, and I will never forget the feelings of blended nervousness and excitement at that time.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your future career?
I have grown much more interested in other business areas than I expected. Thanks to the diverse courses I have taken, I found subjects other than my own majors are actually very fascinating, such as supply chain management and marketing. With this experience, I learned that I need to gain more perspectives before making any judgments about something.
What are your plans after graduation?
I’ll be attending a master’s program in Frankfurt, Germany.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
My Kelley moment was when I walked out of my I-Core presentation with a Kelley t-shirt, and our team went to take group pictures together. I got to experience the joy and excitement of presenting in front of people who dealt with real businesses with my team, with whom I had worked with for a semester and had gotten to know in so many ways.
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
Do not be afraid to reach out! During my time in Kelley, I’ve been honored to have so many excellent classmates and professors in my classes, who I have learned so much from. Although I was shy in the beginning, once I took the first step and started talking to them, I realized that every time I could learn something new, which really made my day.
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School at IUPUI, what are your favorite experiences?
I’ve had so many great experiences. Over spring break my sophomore year, I traveled to London to learn more about Brexit. While in London, I was exposed to many different business ideas, which broadened my understanding of the diversity of ideas that people use to create value for others. One of the coolest moments in London was when I stepped out onto the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral and looked across the City and the River Thames. I had seen it in movies and read about it in books, but nothing could beat seeing it with my own eyes. I could have stayed up there all day.
In April of my sophomore year, I attended the annual IU Real Estate Alumni Dinner. I was looking forward to learning anything I could about real estate. Before dinner, I talked with Professor John Snell, a real estate professor at IUPUI. He dared me to get an internship before the evening was over. So, I networked my way around the room for half an hour before dinner. The dinner bell rang, and I thought I had lost my chance. However, five minutes after sitting down for dinner, I was offered a summer internship with J.C. Hart Company, a real estate developer! I took it! Over the past couple years, Professor Snell has been and continues to be a great mentor to me.
During the summer of my junior and senior year, I was selected to go to the Hesselbein Global Leadership Academy at the University of Pittsburgh. While there, I met many of my peers from around the world and practiced servant leadership. Our first evening, we went to a Pirates baseball game. One of my new friends from Pittsburgh sat with me. We could see the city skyline across the river. While we sat, he told me the whole history of Pittsburgh while pointing to the places he was describing. That certainly beat reading about it in a book.
My senior year started with a trip to Orlando for an international Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network convention. Over the summer, they had presented me with a scholarship, and part of it included a trip to the Orlando convention. While there, I got to meet many amazing women and men in the industry and explore Orlando and Cape Canaveral. I even got to go to Kennedy Space Center and drink Tang while in a conference room overlooking a Saturn V rocket! My time with CREW increased my excitement about real estate and getting into the industry after I graduate.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your future career?
The network I grew at Kelley is one of the largest elements that will help me in my future career. I formed strong bonds with my classmates and professors. I even utilized events hosted by Kelley to develop a professional network. I am grateful to be a Kelley because of the world-class education I received and the connections I made.
What are your plans after graduation?
My goal is to invest in people and places to bring their great ideas to fruition and make the world a better place. I desire to spend time abroad to understand how people in other countries conduct their work in the real estate field, specifically in sustainable real estate and economic development. I am currently looking for a position doing real estate development or acquisitions.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
During the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, my mentor handed me two books that changed his life and asked me to read them.These books were Rich Dad Poor Dad and Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant, by Robert Kiyosaki. They helped give me direction and piqued my interest in real estate.This moment and my curiosity led me to where I am today.
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
Get involved with school organizations that connect you with a diverse array of people so that you can be exposed to ideas and cultures that are different than your own. Also, find ways to get different work experiences, like internships, and do this early on in your college career.
Jaden Smith, BS’20, management, minors in criminal justice, economics and psychology
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School at IUPUI, what are your favorite experiences?
Honestly, my favorite experience was I-Core. I know that’s probably not a super popular answer, but as you read my answer to the next question, you’ll understand why I was able to take so much from this experience.
Regarding courses, I enjoyed all of my courses in the Kelley School, but I definitely need to recognize and recommend any course with Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow or Ryan Outlaw. All of Kelley’s professors are top-notch, but these two set the bar high for their overall enthusiasm and desire to help students succeed.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your future career?
In today’s business environment, you must be self-driven and able to work in teams to be successful. From my time at Kelley, I was able to build upon my communication, teamwork, and leadership skills, which I know will serve me well moving forward. To me, this is why I-Core, and every other Kelley group project, is so important.
What are your plans after graduation?
I am currently an assistant manager at Crew Carwash. I have been with the company since December 2018 and am looking forward to continuing my professional growth with this great company.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
I was asked this question in my W494 course, and it was hard to come up with just one answer, or one “moment.” I think I’ve had a collection of moments during my time with Kelley, but if I had to choose a few, I would focus on the trips that I have been able to make out of the state or out of the country in an academic capacity. The Kelley Honors Program afforded me the opportunity to travel with Professor Flynn to the National Character and Leadership Symposium at the U.S. Air Force Academy to hear military and civilian leaders speak on Leadership, Teamwork, and Organizational Management. Then, with the Honors College, I traveled to Costa Rica for a service-learning course in which I volunteered teaching English and dental hygiene at local elementary schools. Both opportunities forced me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to improve upon my communication skills and reflect on myself as a leader.
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
I would advise all students to go into things with an open mind, eager to learn and ready to work hard. Your professors will do all they can to support you, but ultimately, you will get out what you put in. Challenge yourself to move outside of your comfort zone and make the most of your time at a great school, with great professors and staff who will support you in whatever you attempt to do.
Hongyi Zheng, BS’20, accounting and finance
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School at IUPUI, what are your favorite experiences?
My favorite Kelley experience was I-Core! Through that semester-long project, I gained a lot of insights on the business practice and also enjoyed a great time, where I collaborated with five wonderful teammates. I would have to say all the classes I had at Kelley were great, and the professors were always willing to offer help to propel me to success. Two of my favorite classes were professor Kim Donahue’s I-Core marketing course and Professor Catherine Bonser-Neal’s international finance course. Even though I am not majoring in marketing, professor Donahue succeeded in making me discover how interesting and useful marketing is. The active atmosphere of this class provided one of the most enjoyable experience during the I-core. And, professor Bonser-Neal not only taught so well with each detailed concept in international finance, but she also addressed a lot of connection between the concepts and the events happening around the world. This class benefited me a lot and inspired me to pursue further study in international finance.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your future career?
The study at Kelley provided me with a lot of opportunity to improve my presentation and communication skills, which I think is essential for my future career in business. And, experiences to cooperate with students from various backgrounds benefited my teamwork ability. The ability to work in a diversified group will provide great help in achieving my career goal to work in global investment banking firms.
What are your plans after graduation?
I want to further my study in finance and I’ve already received offers from the business schools of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Imperial College London, and HEC Paris. I probably will choose the MSc International Finance program in HEC Paris. After that, I will look for jobs in investment banking.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
My Kelley moment was taking the photo with my I-Core teammates in front of the Kelley wall. We gave a great presentation on that day for the I-Core project, and I was so proud of my team!
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
Try your best and make good use of the resources provided by Kelley and IUPUI. Be ready for the challenges, but also enjoy the experience!
Meghan Ziegler, BS’20, marketing and international studies
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School at IUPUI, what are your favorite experiences? Do you have any favorite memories or classes?
Looking back on the past four years, it is difficult to choose just one favorite experience, but if I had to choose it would be studying abroad in London. Other favorite Kelley memories include completing challenging courses alongside classmates that become friends, and serving as an executive officer in Kelley Indianapolis Student Government.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your future career?
I think one of the biggest things that I have learned apart from loads of marketing knowledge is how to work with a diverse team to accomplish a central goal. In student organizations and classes, we were often given challenging projects and assignments and had to work together to solve problems and utilize each member’s individual skills.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
My Kelley moment was being awarded Kelley’s Outstanding Marketing Student. I would not say that school or academics is something that comes easily to me. I was honestly so surprised and excited to be recognized for my academic, professional, and extracurricular activities.
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
Something I would say that made one of the biggest differences was introducing myself to anyone who sat next to me in class. Especially my first couple years of collage this helped me to meet quite a few people and at least know someone in each of my classes, and I am so glad that I did because these classmates became I-Core group members, friends, and study partners. So just smile and introduce yourself to someone new!
Posted by: Teresa Mackin, tmackin@iu.edu
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