Earning an MBA is a step you can take in your professional journey that pays off right now and for decades to come. Jason Lynn, MBA’01 was a married father of three young children working for Carrier Corporation in 1996 when he decided to enroll in the Evening MBA Program at the Kelley School of Business.
“Having the part-time MBA option was perfect for me because it allowed me to work and go to school at night,” Jason said. “Kelley offered a local, nationally recognized, excellent program in finance, which is what I wanted to focus on with my mechanical background. I really enjoyed every minute of it.”
During the program, Jason began working for Cummins in Columbus, Indiana. He studied and carpooled with other professionals from Columbus who were enrolled in the Evening MBA Program in downtown Indianapolis. Though it was a very busy time in his life, Jason enjoyed his studies and how much more interactive the MBA was compared to his undergraduate experience. He could learn about a concept in evening classes and immediately apply it to his job the next day.
“The best part about the program was how interactive it was. You take the instruction, do the homework, and apply what you learned,” Jason said. “Plus, the program attracts a lot of experienced professionals, which makes for great interaction within the cohort. Kelley instructors are very energetic and knowledgeable, too. They brought a lot of life to the subjects. It made for great classroom discussions throughout the program.”
The best part about the program was how interactive it was. You take the instruction, do the homework, and apply what you learned.”
Originally from Orange County, California, Jason has worked all over the country and the world. He was initially inspired to earn an MBA in high school, when a family friend and executive at Black & Decker emphasized the importance of a business education to open doors in his career. Jason has found that to be true in the 22 years since earning the degree.
After he graduated in 2001, Jason entered the field of procurement cost analysis, identifying product costs and the drivers in order to negotiate pricing and budget for projects. He’s been in this field ever since.
“The MBA helped me understand a lot of the concepts about cost and the macroeconomics of an industry,” Jason said. “For example, it’s useful when I’m studying in detail the economics of the steel industry and how my company can remain competitively situated compared to all the other manufacturers in our volume. The MBA definitely opened the door to that role, and the things I’ve learned at Kelley allowed me to succeed in it.”
The MBA definitely opened the door to that role, and the things I’ve learned at Kelley allowed me to succeed in it.”
Jason has worked for Whirlpool, SunPower Corporation and now serves as a senior cost analyst at Dell Technologies. He says his education has led to new experiences and opportunities he might otherwise not have encountered.
“I got to live in China for three years for Whirlpool due to my understanding of costs and the cost drivers of a product,” Jason said. “That was really a nice spinoff of some of the things I’ve been doing, and I attribute the MBA to opening that door, too.”
Throughout his career, Jason has also volunteered and offered his business knowledge as treasurer of his homeowner’s association and helping with budgeting for his church. He’s also proud to know his daughter and fellow engineer, Melanie Raney, MBA’23, is currently enrolled in the Evening MBA Program. In addition to the program, Jason—who’s currently living in Austin, Texas—says the Kelley School in Indianapolis is a great place to learn.
“We’re just so happy to have been able to live there for so long. Indy is such a great city because it’s big enough to enjoy a lot of the amenities of a big city, but small enough to not have big-city issues,” Jason said. “I loved my time in Indy, and I love that Melanie is living there now, too. It’s a great place for education.”
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