When she enrolled in the Undergraduate Program at the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis, Liz Aurora Hernandez, BS’27, was attracted to the downtown campus and the diversity of the students. Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana—a couple hours north of Indy—Liz Aurora looked forward to meeting new people at IU Indianapolis, and during a campus visit, she discovered a great way to do that through the Business Connect Program at the Kelley School.
“I was visiting the Campus Center, where I met Derrick Williams-Bacon, associate director of diversity initiatives at Kelley Indianapolis. He said Business Connect is an opportunity to get to know other students during Welcome Week,” Liz Aurora said. “I didn’t know anyone here, and I liked the idea of meeting other students like myself. I am still friends with most of these people today.”
Business Connect is a supportive community on campus for first-year Direct Admit students who’ve experienced educational disadvantages. Business Connect students gain an early introduction to campus before their first semester begins, mentorships with junior and senior Kelley Indianapolis students, networking events, company tours, case study projects, and year-round support.
“Connecting to this diverse group of people was great because I’m not sure I would’ve met them otherwise. We had that first week to get to know one another and work on a business case with Cummins,” Liz Aurora said. “We got to tour the Cummins building downtown, create a business proposal, and work on our presentation skills before classes even began. I liked that because you get a little bit of experience in your back pocket and work with real professionals to get a taste of what business is like.”
Liz Aurora enjoyed the sense of community with other Kelley Indianapolis students. She also appreciated the opportunity to meet Kelley alumni from minority groups who shared their experiences and career journeys at Business Connect events. Liz Aurora said Derrick helped make each student feel at home at Kelley Indy.
“I really appreciate everything Derrick has done for us. He knows us and helps us stay connected. Throughout the year, he organized several meetups to check in on us, see how we’re doing, and laugh together. I really liked those,” Liz Aurora said. “He also set up a networking event I really appreciated called ‘Can we Talk?’ Several alumni and Latino and Black professionals shared a dinner with us—that was a really nice way to practice networking with other professionals. Plus, it inspires Latino and Black college students like me to pursue these careers.”
Last summer, Liz Aurora completed a study abroad in France, and she really enjoys the French language. She’s decided to combine her business studies with her interest in the French-based Doctors Without Borders and pursue a role at the organization. She says Business Connect helped solidify her interest in a business career, while helping her learn to realize the importance of networking toward her goals for the future.
“I was undecided about my major last summer, and Business Connect networking events showed me what I can do. As a first-generation college student, I want a career that offers stability, which is why I pursued accounting. It’s not really about the money for me, but the stability. And one of my goals is to work for a nonprofit organization, so I’d like to work for Doctors Without Borders,” Liz Aurora said. “I think the opportunities in Business Connect, the networking, and Derrick’s support would help any Kelley Indianapolis student.”
Liz Aurora encourages other Direct Admit students to consider joining Business Connect to jump-start what will likely become a career-long skill of business networking and creating connections.
“I like the phrase, ‘You get what you give.’ If you give your time and effort toward something, you’re going to get a lot in return, whether it’s friendship or mentors, opportunities, or networking. Join Business Connect because you’ll have experiences that most first-year students won’t, and you’ll also earn a small scholarship for books, which is something a lot of first-generation students could use,” Liz Aurora said. “Representation really matters, and through Business Connect, you have junior and senior mentors who look like us and offer helpful advice. It’s a great resource because a lot of business involves getting to know people who can help you, and Business Connect teaches you how to do that early on.”
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