It was an unexpected end of the academic year for our 2020 graduates, but you persevered and are now Kelley alumni.
We’re proud to celebrate all of our graduates at the Kelley School of Business on IUPUI’s campus during a virtual ceremony on Monday, May 18th at 6:00 PM EDT. This ceremony will recognize our graduates from the Evening MBA Program, the Graduate Accounting Programs, the Business of Medicine Physician MBA Program, and the Kelley Indianapolis Undergraduate Program.
This is a moment that, for many, is years in the making. We asked just a few of our outstanding students about their journey as a graduate student in the Kelley School of Business – and the moments that made the experience worthwhile.
Franqlin Gatson, MBA’20
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School Evening MBA Program, what are your favorite experiences? Do you have any favorite memories, classes or professors?
I think my favorite experiences were getting to speak and interact with new and prospective students during the induction dinners and info sessions. Getting to share my personal experiences and give advice to newcomers was fun because I genuinely appreciate the journey this program sent me on. My favorite classes were operations management, management consulting, negotiations, psychology of decision making, and the study abroad program to Chile. Some of my favorite professors are Stephen Nelson, Sasha Fedorikhin, Amrou Awaysheh, and Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your career?
In my time with Kelley I have gained an appreciation and understanding for the processes that go into running a successful business. When I started at Kelley I was also helping start a company called Sparx Athletic Refinery. The start-up lit a fire in me to learn more about what it takes to run a successful business. The program helped me become more well-rounded and appreciative of all aspects of a business and gave me some insight into how processes work.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
My Kelley moment happened in my operations course with professor Amrou Awaysheh. We were going over a case about a significant problem that had a simple answer that was in plain sight. I remember thinking to myself, “What if we did that?” But I did not believe the solution could be that simple. After a few minutes of listening to myself and my classmates overthink the answer, Professor Awaysheh said the solution was exactly what I was thinking. From that point on I trusted myself and gained the courage to believe in myself. That class showed me I was heading in the right direction. That was my Kelley moment.
What advice would you give to current students as you graduate?
The grind of the program is worth it. I speak with some of the students that I met at the different orientation dinners or info sessions. When they tell me how things are going, ask me for advice, or just want to talk about the program, I typically tell them two things. One is to use your fellow classmates. I believe that one thing that has helped me really grasp concepts throughout the course is learning and discussing them together. Learning from each other and teaching each other was one of the most valuable experiences from the program. The second thing I tell them is to hang in there and keep going. Your Kelley moment is coming. Once you have it, the program will look totally different for you. And then from that point you will go from a moment to momentum. I believe the momentum I have gained from mine will last me a lifetime.
Dustin Kleppe, MBA’20
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School Evening MBA Program, what are your favorite experiences?
I decided to focus my MBA in marketing, so the marketing related classes and professors were all very impactful. Particularly, professor Kim Saxton and the digital marketing course, as well as the IMAGE program. Operations Management taught by Amrou Awaysheh also stands out as a great experience. Overall, all the classes and professors were top notch.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your career?
I started the program shortly after moving to Indianapolis, and the program not only provided knowledge but has given me friends and connections that will help in my career well into the future.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
I had the opportunity to work on a marketing consulting project for a real corporate client through the IMAGE program. I worked with a fantastic group, and at the end of the project we had the opportunity to present our work to the client and our advisor, Kim Saxton. It was the type of hands-on experience that is invaluable and felt like a culminating moment of the MBA program.
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
It’s a great opportunity to work with intelligent and motivated classmates and learn from some of the best instructors in the country. Do your best to appreciate your time in the program and the people you meet along the way.
Naqash Palathamveed, MBA’20
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School Evening MBA Program, what are your favorite experiences? Do you have any favorite memories, classes or professors?
As someone who has always been passionate about learning and acquiring knowledge, the entire experience of going through the MBA program has been very rewarding and enriching for me. There were a few classes I enjoyed more than the others, but the two that stand out for me are financial management with professor Greg Durham and business law with professor Judith Wright. I was very impressed by professor Durham’s dedication to student learning. His style of teaching was instrumental in helping me grasp some of the foundational concepts in finance. Coming from an engineering background, business law was not a class that I thought I would particularly enjoy. And yet, thanks to professor Wright’s excellent teaching style and delivery, it was one of the most interesting classes I attended as part of this program.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your career?
Having spent most of my career in technical functions prior to starting the MBA program, I think that the overall business knowledge and insights I gained during my time with Kelley are going to be very helpful as I continue to explore my long-term goals. In addition to learning the hard skills, this was a great opportunity to further improve some of my soft skills that will always have a positive impact in my personal and professional life. Finding the right balance between family, work and school has been most challenging and the experience has certainly improved my time management skills and self-discipline. My professional network has also grown significantly since I started this program, which I am thankful about.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
My Kelley moment came when I got the email letting me know I’d received the Evening MBA Academic Excellence Award. It was a gratifying moment that followed all those numerous hours spent, late nights and weekends in the last couple of years,while balancing full-time work and a family with two small boys, and the sacrifices that came with it.
What advice would you give to current students, as you graduate?
As cliché as this may sound, I encourage everyone to make the most out of your time while you are here. It’s a fast-paced learning environment and the more you give,the more you get out of it.This is a fantastic opportunity to not only acquire the hard skills but also to work on improving your soft skills, which will benefit you wherever you go. You are in the presence of a diverse group of peers from various backgrounds and industries, and there is much to learn from each other. Use the opportunity to make new friends, build connections and grow your professional network.
Neetu Rastogi, MSA’20
As a CPA in India, Neetu Rastogi, MSA’20, knew she wanted a career internationally. To pursue that, she decided to attend the Kelley School of Business at IUPUI in pursuit of her Master’s in Accounting.
“I am so honored to have attended the Kelley School of Business,” said Rastogi. “It’s truly been an amazing experience in learning and growing in diversity.”
During her time at Kelley, Rastogi has taken the initiative to get involved in as many volunteer and professional development experiences as she could. She’s involved with PFFP , Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House. She was an Anchor for Mariachi band at IUPUI’s International Festival and participated in Regatta. She is also a student member of the Indiana CPA Society and actively involved in GASB and now she is the President of the Graduate Accounting Student Board (GASB).
“I would highly encourage students/peers to actively participate in social organizations, particularly GASB if they’re pursuing a Master’s in Accounting/Taxation. Also – Focus on activities besides academics and attend various GAP professional events to develop networking skills. There are ample opportunities at Kelley School of Business – You just have to take the initiative and get involved.”
“Nothing is impossible with the right guidance and motivation. Always strive for your best; it’s about competing with yourself each day to make progress from day one to where you’re at the present. All about the journey —I can’t express my gratitude enough and thankful from the bottom of my heart to all my professors and mentors.”
When it comes to her favorite classes – There were many!
“I really enjoyed auditing with Diane Sturek. Her teaching style is so amazing. She covers real-world corporate examples, and her classes are really brainstorming. I also enjoyed my auditing and corporate governing class with Kevin Yancey. He discussed lot of case studies on internal controls and hone our analysis skills. I also loved federal individual tax with Lindsey Schiesser. Being US taxation, I was a bit anxious being in a different country with different rules, but her teaching style is so cool. She made it interesting by surprise quizzes and projects. She’s really a good motivator. Finally, I like financial accounting with John Hassell. Accounting is so vast, but he made it seem like a piece of cake with his explanations. He is very energetic and inspire everyone and pushing us forward. I really appreciate their efforts and time and felt so honored and blessed to have had these professors. What I’ve learned from them is immense.”
As for a Kelley moment, Neetu says it was when she received an email from the Graduate Accounting Program Director Susan Cauble, saying she’d received the Graduate Accounting Leadership Award.
“That was a really proud moment for me,” said Neetu. “I’ve been truly inspired by Susan – She is a dynamic personality and has been my mentor throughout this program. She believed in my abilities and encouraged me to do better and never give up and I’m so thankful for her.”
After graduation, Neetu will be looking for opportunities in public accounting. To other Kelley students, she says – Make sure to dream big.
“You can achieve the impossible. Keep your spirits high and the sky is yours.”
Nick Rumpke, MBA’20
Looking back at your journey at the Kelley School Evening MBA Program, what are your favorite experiences? Do you have any favorite memories, classes or professors?
I think the most impressionable classes I took were Tod Perry’s F540 Firm in the Capital Market or Amrou Awaysheh’s P501 Operations Management. Both classes were built around case studies which allowed us to analyze complex business problems while the professors guided us through the benefits and pitfalls to our proposed solutions. Analyzing complex cases where there may be no perfect solution, and using the information and tools available to make the best business decision was a huge takeaway for me from these classes and the program as a whole.
What have you gained from your time with Kelley that will help you in your career?
I think by far the biggest takeaway was learning more about my leadership style and how to leverage my strengths to positively impact others. The career preparation classes and coaches, my term as the Student Advisory Board President and my classmates, who are leaders themselves, all were instrumental in helping me be a better, more impactful leader.
Do you have a Kelley moment?
As the 2018-2019 Student Advisory Board President I had the opportunity to attend the Welcome Reception & Dinner with the Fall cohort from that year. The opportunity to network with my new classmates and faculty was both a rejuvenating experience and a chance to reflect on how far I had come after just a year in the program. The obstacles that I had encountered at work prior to starting the program were no longer holding me back, and I saw the results (and my employer did too).
What advice would you give to current students as you graduate?
The quality of the faculty and my classmates at Kelley are second to none, and I attribute the quality of my experience to these people. Leverage those connections to amplify your experience in the program. I can guarantee you, my experience wouldn’t have been the same without them!
Dr. Sara Jo Grethlein, MD, MBA’20
As an oncologist, hematologist and medical director for cancer services at IU Health’s Adult Academic Health Center and Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center, Sara Jo Grethlein, MD, MBA’20, is leading her team through the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure immunocompromised patients and all within the organization are safe.
It’s a challenge like none they’ve seen before, but Dr. Grethlein says her business training has been crucial as she navigates it all.
“The Kelley Physician MBA has been critical. What I’ve learned has truly helped me be a more effective leader going through this crisis. Bringing together the lessons I’ve learned in process improvement and in leadership has allowed me to accomplish more than I think I could have without that understanding.”
Dr. Grethlein is earning her MBA through the Kelley School of Business Physician MBA Program, a program exclusively for physicians. Read her story here.
Our Physician MBA graduates are working day in and day out on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about them and their amazing work here.
We wish we could highlight each and every one of our amazing students — now alumni! Read more about our students in our blog.
Posted by: Teresa Mackin, tmackin@iu.edu
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