As Caleb Piper, BS’24, prepared to graduate with a management degree with a concentration in international business from the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis, he already had a job lined up. A Direct Admit to Kelley in his first year at IU Indianapolis, Caleb made the most of his four years at college; joining student organizations, volunteering, and completing multiple internships. He says beyond the classroom learning, the Kelley School prepared him personally for the career ahead.
“Kelley prepared me through opportunity. It was impactful for me to join clubs and organizations at Kelley, launch the ‘Kelley Sold’ professional sales training and networking event, and run for student government. Instead of forcing me to do it, Kelley offers what’s available for the next four years, and it’s up to you to go get it,” Caleb said. “I’ve developed resilience because I didn’t have everything handed to me. If you come to Kelley, they’ll prepare you with every course, professor, and connection, but you have to take that next step. We talk about from moment to momentum—it takes the first step.”
During his time at the Kelley School, Caleb joined a variety of student organizations, including the co-ed professional business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi (DSP). Connections he made in this group helped him land at least one internship. He says he joined DSP to network, meet potential mentors, and learn more about business at the professional and social levels.
“I really enjoyed that DSP offered a community service outlet as well as professional opportunities. While growing educationally or socially, I’d also be developing professionally and philanthropically to give back and learn what it means to serve my community,” Caleb said. “That helped me understand that we do business for more than simply serving ourselves. I enjoy sales and consulting because it’s an opportunity to serve others.”
Caleb also worked as a teaching assistant and a Student Ambassador, welcoming new and potential students and families to campus, and served as a Senator for the Undergraduate Student Government at IU Indianapolis. Caleb also volunteered at the Jagathon dance marathon to raise money for Riley Hospital for Children.
“I got involved with Jagathon because I was at Riley when I was very, very young, and giving back and being involved is super important to me,” Caleb said. “As someone who loves sales and loves to communicate and make friends, I really enjoyed Jagathon beyond just dancing and raising money. I love connecting with others.”
During his senior year, Caleb says he put all his experiences, network, and education to work as he searched for a job. Though he says he learned business skills through his classes, he says Kelley really helped him also gain soft skills to connect with others and communicate shared goals.
“Kelley creates an environment where you learn how to make things happen. When you’re surrounded by other professional, motivated, and smart students in DSP, you’re forced to level up, too,” Caleb said. “The environment at Kelley pushes you out of your comfort zone to be better. It made me comfortable knowing who I am and what my goals are. It prepared me to figure out what I want to do, where I want to go, and what hard questions I need to ask to get there.”
This fall, Caleb is moving to Dallas, Texas, where he begins a role as a mid-enterprise account manager at Gartner, a tech advisory firm. During the interview process, Caleb applied lessons gained from interacting professionally with Kelley faculty to present himself and communicate effectively with recruiters and company leadership.
“The technical knowledge I learned from I-Core and other classes at Kelley, plus the conversations with faculty really prepared me for the interviews because I had to answer challenging questions,” Caleb said. “I’ve experienced rejection from countless internships and part-time work, and it was my resilience that really allowed me to get to this position.”
Caleb says there were a number of Kelley faculty who supported his goals and encouraged him along the way.
“Professor Demetra Andrews was the first one who told me I could do or be anything I wanted, and Professor Judith Wright encouraged me to not be shy about my achievements,” he said. “I loved commercial law and Professor Wright gave me an opportunity to give back to students through a job as her teaching assistant sophomore year. Mark Mayer is another professor who taught me how to be professional in an informal environment, a lesson that will carry well beyond my years and is one I am most grateful for.”
As he heads into the next stage of his career, he offers advice to future Kelley students to be positive, be assertive, and be sure to take a project management course.
“If I could tell students to take one class out of any in college, take Professor Mohan Tatikonda’s project management class because it prepares you for pretty much any career question and teaches you to ask questions, learn how to run a team, and think strategically about how to balance a business’s people, time, and resources,” Caleb said. “Do hard things with a positive attitude because people remember that most. Own your success and be proud of what you did – your resilience will get you where you want to go.”
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