Kelley Direct Programs

An Open Letter

2012-02-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

As I finish my last week in the Kelley Direct MBA program, I just wanted to take a moment to say how wonderful the program has been and how proud I am to be part of it. I recently spoke on the phone with a prospective student and recapping my experience brought home how much I have accomplished. All of the learning and discovery would not have happened without the wisdom, expertise and dedication of the faculty. Names like Eric Richards, Idie Kesner, Professor Venkat, Sheri Fella, John Talbott, Joy Brown, Randy Heron among others have been instrumental in my journey through the Kelley Direct program. The classes were enriching and the 1st Year and 2nd Year Kelley Connect weeks were second-to-none experiences. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the staff and their untiring efforts (Lindsey Spoonmore, Erin Kilbride-Vincent, Mark Bridenstine, Terrill Cosgray, Jane Sears, et al) to make it all appear seamless.

Thanks to the faculty and staff for promoting, fostering and delivering a premier educational experience.

To my classmates and colleagues; Jeremy, Drew, Bryan, and Greg for being great partners (in a couple different classes). To the others I have learned so much from and enjoyed interacting with: Amy and Brittany (The P&G twins ... and, no, I won't let that go), Raghu, Patrick, Lauren, Lee, Mike, Hongo, Ana, Tamir, Katie; among others. To my brothers- and sisters-in-arms (both past and present) Clark, Jonah, Gabe, Laura and Jeff, thanks again for keeping the world safe for democracy. I have taken something from everyone I have met and studied with during my virtual stay at the corner of Fee and 10th Street.

I look forward to submitting my final paper on Saturday. Before you get too sad, I am one of the lucky ones as I will continue in the Kelley School as part of the dual degree program (MSF)!

Closing Thoughts

2012-02-17T13:43:00.001-08:00

On March 5^th, I start my last class at Kelley. I finished the MBA last year and lack this one course in completing my MSSM. My feelings are very mixed right now. I’m excited to be finished and to embark on a new adventure, yet I’ll miss the constant connection to this wonderful program and the constant depth of learning and exchange of ideas.

It’s been almost four years since I started at Kelley, and I’m so glad that I chose Kelley for my education. When I started this program, I wasn’t sure how an online business program would work, but it has far surpassed my expectations. The professors have been experts in their fields and are very accessible and amenable to answering questions. I’ve kept in touch with several and will continue to do so. I’ve made great friends with many classmates over the years – ones that I’ll be in touch with forever. I’ve learned so much that I can’t possibly begin to outline it all here, but I can tell you that my whole thought process has changed as I see business and the world differently now. My husband even comments that he’s seen changes in how I solve problems, react to situations, and look at the world. I agree with him. My experiences at Kelley have changed me – all for the better.

Over the years, friends and acquaintances have questioned how an online business program can be any good. I venture to say that it’s been better for me than a full-time MBA program would have been. I’ve worked with people from all over the world. I’ve learned to work across time zones and cultures. I’ve learned how a real-world team really works when other forces vie for each member’s time. I’ve learned from others’ work experiences as they are going through or have gone through the very topics that we cover in our courses. Yes, I believe that Kelley Direct has been a better program for me than a full-time one would have been.

So as I leave this great program, I have a few words of advice for incoming students. First, don’t forget to network with your classmates and professors. Get to know them and learn about them. They are all experts in one way or another, and you will learn from all of them. Second, take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves while you are in this program. There are clubs to join, special courses to attend, webinars, extra readings, discount subscriptions, access to the IU library, and more. Third, enjoy yourself! This program is intense, and at times, it may feel overwhelming, but it is a wonderful process of growth and development that can be incredibly fun.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors! Go Hoosiers!

Guest Blog - Brian Brecheisen

2011-11-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Hey there, KD!! I hope this blog finds you well. I can't believe it, but it's the beginning of the end. I have one last assignment, and I am going to be finishing the MBA program. It's been a fun, long journey, but I'm excited for my next steps. I am not quite sure what they are yet, but I am excited for the future, especially the ability to read what I want to again.

Well, as promised KD, here's a blog from a guest blogger, and friend of mine, Brian Brecheisen. He's a Power Systems Engineer at Nucor Steel. We met during my in-residence course, and have been fast friends. We figured out that we are both from Northern Indiana, and were at a time, both engineers. He was also my roommate for the Washington Campus for Public Policy experience. For the guest blog, I asked him to share some information about himself, and his experiences in the KD program. I have listed his information below. Happy Reading!

Name: Brian Brecheisen

Time in the KD Program: 20 months, started in February 2010

Occupation: Electrical Power Systems Engineer at Nucor Steel

Location: Blytheville, AR

Degree Program: MBA/MSSM Dual Degree

Why did you choose KD?
I, first, learned of KD from friend from my undergraduate college, Rose-Hulman. He told me about how flexible the program was and all of the interesting people he had met and worked with in the program. Also, I was familiar with KD because the Kelley School has a great reputation in the Midwest.

Key Experiences in the KD program.
I really enjoyed both in residence courses. The first year was great because we all got to meet before our program really got started. I was able to build on my relationships in the first year by working with those individuals in some class projects. The second year was even more enjoyable because we all got to reconnect after working together for a year.
Another great experience was the course in Public Policy, which I attended in Washington DC in September. This was a very interesting course which I would recommend to everyone. Emery and Michelle have already discussed this course at length, so I will not bore you with the details.

Any other thoughts for people considering joining the KD family?
The most important thing to consider is that you have to be very disciplined to stick to the work on your own. No one is going to be there making sure you read the material and attend the Breeze sessions. Also, it is very important to have a strong support structure in your personal life. I would not be nearing the end of the program without my wife. She has been very supportive and I think that is as important as anything.

Well, KD, that's Brian! He's another great member of the KD family. Until next time, catch you later!!

The Washington Campus Experience, Pt. 2 - 2, My Other Adventures in Washington

2011-11-03T06:38:00.001-07:00

Well, KD fans, here’s pt. 2 of the 2^nd installment in my Washington Campus Experience – my other Adventures in Washington.

I think in any trip, especially a class trip such as this one, the networking and social times are just as important as the actual education. It is through those that we make the connections that we remember well beyond the actual classwork. Moreover, those are the memories that you laugh about much later, after the fact.

As I reminisce on my Washington Campus experience, there are 2 stories that I believe that I will always remember fondly at – the Quest for Crabs and the March to Georgetown. Each of these titles represents a great story that I will share with you.

The Quest for Crabs

In the summer of 2008, I had a life changing experience that affected me on multiple levels. First, I participated in the National Housing Training Institute (NHTI), which was a highly revered conference for young professionals in housing to insight needed to understand what it took to become a Chief Housing Officer. This was monumental, because it was at this conference I realized that housing wasn’t going to be my long term career path, which ultimately led me to applying to the KD program.

Second, I had my first positive interaction with eating crab legs. NHTI, at that time, took place in Baltimore. During our free day, I was able to go to an Orioles game at Camden Yards, and experience true seafood for the first time. While I have been in all contiguous 48 states, I had really only eating seafood while at home in the Midwest. It was based upon these eating experiences that I decided that I didn’t like crab legs. However, during NHTI, I was introduced to Phillips, a high quality seafood buffet, found only on the east coast. Suffice to say, this experience changed my eating ballet for life.

As things go, this was my first trip back to the Mid-Atlantic, since that faithful trip in the summer of 2008; and my only goal, outside of getting an A in the class, and making some new friends, was to get some high quality crab legs. Fortunately, Brian and Lilia, my new BFFs, were down for the adventure. I am especially appreciative that Brian was, as he hates seafood, lol… However, during the first two days of the class, I was on a wild hunt for crab legs, consulting everyone in our class with D.C. ties, from the teacher, to Syd (our class liaison), to my fellow classmates. While my passion for finding good crabs was equal parts humorous and interesting for most my classmates, I was finally able to get some good recommendations for locations.

In the end, however, Brian, Lilia, and I, were able to find a Phillips restaurant in D.C.!! Getting there was quite the challenge, as we had to figure out which Metro stop to take, walk across an expressway entrance, and under a viaduct to get there. Even more during the trip, we found out that rent for some D.C. properties is $4200/month, depending on whether you live. But, I was able to feast on a full bucket of crab legs, or as I refer to them, heaven in my mouth.

The March to Georgetown

A common occurrence for our class was coordinating dinner schedules. With so many people who were not from Georgetown, there was often comfort found in eating with folks from the class in some of the great D.C. eateries. Moreover, it was truly over meals that we were able to get to know one another, talk about our experiences in our respective MBA programs, and/or debrief from some of the more amazing experiences that we shared throughout the day. Often, after coordinating dinner schedules, there was the enviable coordination of social activities. Throughout the course of the week, classmates wanted to see the sights of D.C., hang out with friends or alums, meet D.C. insiders, etc… So, it would regularly happen that either during lunch, or at the end of class, the same question was regularly bandied about, “What are you doing tonight?”

On this particular night, Brian, Lilia, myself, and two of our colleagues from the class decided that we wanted to go to Georgetown, a neighborhood in D.C., where we were supposed to me another large group of people from our class. I wasn’t sure what was there, but everyone else was jazzed, so was I. Initially, we contemplated taking a cab, as was our normal practice. But, since our group was too large to fit in one cab, and we thought that D.C. was only about a mile and a half away from where we were. We decided to walk. We were told the directions were simple, walk a half a mile down to the White House, turn right, and it’s about a mile. We would never know just how wrong we were… But, we did as the directions said; we walked down to the White House, turned right, and kept walking.

About a mile and a half into our trek, we were talking through Foggy Bottom and passed a CVS, where I had to stop because I was out of gum. (I love fresh breath, what can I say?) After we each made our purchases, I asked a police officer outside the store, how much further until we reach Georgetown. We informed him that we were walking, based upon some directions from a friend; he, then (and I might remember this moment forever), laughed very hard and said, “oh, you have a couple more miles”, which was met with our horror. We made the startling revelation that while we had already walked 15 blocks; we needed to walk another 20 to hit our mark. Of course, this was met with indignation and horror, and we immediately began working to find a cab that would fit us, which of course, would not come. And so we continued, walking to and past the George Washington University campus, through Washington Park, and eventually into Georgetown, which is quite a nice neighborhood.

After walking 3 hours, 4 miles, in clothes and shoes not meant for such a hike, we, then, found that our large party wasn’t coming. But, since we were already there, and none of us wanted to admit that we walked this way for nothing, we explored some of Georgetown’s finest establishments. In the end, we found out two things – one, the trek really could have been only a mile and a half, we took the looooonng way, and two, that it was only a 10 minute walk from a Metro stop. But, it was an experience that will live on forever in humor, at least for me, now.
Well, KD fam… I hope that you found some humor in those two great experiences. For, our next installment, I am going to talk about what happened after the class was over. Until next time, catch you later!!

The Washington Campus Experience, Pt. 2 - 1, The Day at the Capitol

2011-11-03T06:37:00.001-07:00

What’s up KD!! Well, in our last conversation, I was starting to tell you about my trip to Washington D.C., for the Washington Campus for Public Policy. Well, I figured that I would keep telling you about my experience – today’s addition is broken into two parts – the Day at the Capitol and other Adventures in Washington. First, up the Day at the Capitol.

As a part of the Washington Campus experience, we spent a day at the U.S. Capitol Hill. During the day, we met with current and former congressmen and their congressional staff, attended a hearing for either the Senate or the House, and visited the Supreme Court. It was a long, but extremely powerful day. (I have weaved pictures in, so that you can see some of the places that we went… Thank you Lilia for letting me use some of your pictures!!)

Our day started by going to the U.S. Capitol, where we met with Ohio Congressmen Sherrod Brown, and a member of his congressional staff, Marjorie Glick. It was definitely both interesting and eye-opening. I think the most interesting educational lesson from the session was developing an understanding the divided nature of a Congressman’s position. On one hand, he has to serve his constituents in his home district, wherever that is – from Maryland, to Michigan, to California, and everything in between. However, they also have to be in Washington, so that they can make the right connections to get something done. Moreover, they have to be in proper balance, because by leaning to one side too much, will get you skewered by the other side.

I think the second most interesting education lesson was the importance of a good congressional staff. In fact, as a person who used to work in education, I often would get excited for students as they would describe their experiences working for their local congressperson. However, what I learned is that those college interns, who grow up to be congressional staffers, are often the most powerful people on the Hill. They actually control access to the respective congressperson, as they control his/her schedule.

We, then, were assigned to sit in on Senate Hearings during the day. I, unknowingly, actually chose the most important hearing of the day – the Super Committee’s first hearing regarding the budget. It was fascinating to hear each of the politicians say the same things, while sending subtle jabs at one another.

I think the final most powerful lesson from the entire day was the shared frustrations of those in Washington, with our governmental process. It was truly intriguing to get an insider’s perspective on just why Congress and President Obama aren’t able to get anything done. The reasons ranged from a lack of trust, to the lack of concern for re-election, even to an unwillingness to listen to another viewpoint from your own. In all cases, however, it was relieving to see that the Washington insiders that we met with were just as frustrated about the current events, as the American public seems to be.

But, I would be remiss, if I didn’t include some of the cool pictures from places we were able to see while at the Capitol. I have included pictures of the Supreme Court (outside, not inside – no pictures on the inside!!) , the original Liberty, which is outside of Union Station in Washington, D.C., and the World War II Memorial.

The Washington Campus Experience, Pt. 1

2011-10-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD? I hope that this message finds you well!! I am knee deep in my last quarter here with KD, which is both exciting and scary at the same time…

Well, in today’s blog, I wanted to begin to share an amazing experience that I had within the KD program. I met some fellow KD students, learned a ton, and even got a chance to have some fun as well. This experience was the Washington Campus for Public Policy, a class for MBA students and executives in Washington D.C.. The course, which is a week long, allows students to get a feel for what it is like to work in Washington D.C.’s political structure. Moreover, it teaches students the important links between the business community, the economy, and the world political machine. Finally, it gives students ample time for networking with one another and, at times, Washington D.C. political and business insiders.

My particular class took place from September 12-16, 2011. Our class was a shared course with students from the Ohio State Fisher School of Business, which added both a fun, but also interesting educational change to the class.

My experience in the class was so outstanding that I really couldn’t contain it in just one blog, so I have broken it into three blogs – Arrival, the Day at the Capitol and other Adventures in Washington, and the Epilogue. I figure, by breaking it down this way, you will get a complete feel about my experience. So, up first, the Arrival.

I arrived in D.C., on the 10^th anniversary of the September 11^th attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.. It was a surreal day to be arrive, not only because of the fears of another attack, but also the memorials that were taking places all over the city, and the general feel of melancholy around the city. Given the time that I arrived, I wasn’t able to attend any of the festivals, but the news and press coverage was awe-inspiring. Soon after I arrived, I was able to meet up with my roommate, Brian, who was in my in-residence course. I also met Lilia, a fellow KD student, who actually lived close to Brian, and was in our course. Brian and Lilia would be my best friends during the experience – it was great to meet and hang out with them. In fact, some time, we are going to hang out soon.

The next major event was our first day of class. I have to thank Brian – he found us a cheap, quality hotel - which was only a 5 minute walk from our classes. The first day was overall a whirl. First, we met everyone – both those from our KD program and the OSU students. Then, we had introductions, not only to the course and its facilitators, but also to Washington D.C., structure. The initial day was spent learning about policy making, the executive branch of the government, regulation, and lobbying. While it may not sound the interesting, it was actually really fascinating – we had some great presenters who made the topics very engaging.

Our first day closed with a great reception and a fun night of networking – where I actually saw Lavar Arrington. All told – a great first day!

Stay tuned, KD fans… My post is about the Day at the Capitol, and the rest of the course!! Until next time, catch you later KD!

Balance

2011-10-14T11:33:00.001-07:00

Finding balance-it's something everyone struggles with, no matter what your 'job' is or how busy or calm your life may seem at that very moment. Most of us might have even chose the Kelley Direct program because it is a great way to achieve your degree while trying to find that balance, given the flexibility the online format provides. But that doesn't make everything else in life slow down. We once had a senior leader at work give us his principles for finding work/life balance, the core of which was have NO more than 5 'roles' in your life. You simply cannot do more than 5 things well. Every time I hear him speak, this gets me, as I start thinking through my roles: wife, daughter, sister, employee, student...oh wait, that's all i get?! add in church member, volunteer, friend, horseback rider, and travel junkie only to find I've now doubled my list. As I reflect on this, it's not that I can't do all of those things; I even have to do many of them. The key is as I doing them well? Do I want to even do some of them if I'm only half-heartedly engaging? Am I letting others down by only giving it my attention while multitasking and thinking of the 'to do' list in my head?

The solution looks different for everyone. Personally, it means having different roles at different times. Work cannot come before my role as a wife, daughter & sister-they will always take precedence. I fit in my volunteering and horseback riding when I have time, most often on the weekends. Travel becomes a more structured, limited time venture. Yet a friend in need immediately rises to the top. For others, this means deciding not to do certain things (I try this, but find I then replace it with another!). Everyone has to find their own balance, yet for me, when I get to doing those 5 roles well, I find much more satisfaction. Spending quality time talking with my parents, going out for a dinner (with no cell phones) with my husband & friends-these are what I will cherish.

This is the core reason for me why I value Kelley Direct. I love that teachers will record & post their lectures, so even though I can't make a Tuesday 8pm session, I can watch it on Thursday morning while on the treadmill. I find invaluable that my classmates are all trying to find this balance, so we understand the give and take during group work. Lastly, I love that I can continue to challenge myself academically, and yet still have my 'other' roles, falling into a routine. Three-quarters of a year into the program, I finally find myself settling into a rhythm of how and when to study and how to do it well; but it took taking a hard look at how my 5 roles would change during these two years of school. I challenge you to do the same.

What are your 5 roles? Are you dedicating your best to them?

Prelude to an MBA

2011-09-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

What's up KD? I hope this message finds you well! It's been a long time since we last spoke. As the movie says, it has been one long, crazy summer. But, I am doing well, lots of change, but overall doing quite well.

Well, I can't believe it, but this is going to be my last quarter in the KD program. I finish up my MBA this coming November... Can you believe it? It has been quite the ride. Let's see, since I started in the program, I have:

· Changed jobs twice, and careers.

· Changed foci - from dual degree to Ph.D., to just finishing off the MBA.

· Moved three times!!!

· Changed life plans too many times to count.

So, as you can see, it has been quite the road over the last two and a half years. Well, since it has been a while, I figured I would give you some updates on me, and some previews on the blog posts that you can expect to see for the rest of the quarter.

First, about me... I'm still in Carbondale, for now. I just accepted a position as a Sales Executive Manager at Macy's, here in Carbondale. I am responsibile for coaching 30 associates to drive sales, especially in the areas of women's and juniors clothing (my areas), within the store. I never thought that I would be a person who would love working a retail gig full time, but I have loved it so far. I have been able to use my previous work experience and my KD learning to help change the culture in the store. We are performing at a higher clip since I started, I am excited to say. I have been interesting selling women's clothing and shoes, especially given my previous knowledge, but it has been a ton of fun and learning. I have also lost more than 30 lbs, so life is just great overall!!

As for the career planning, I think that I have finally figured it out, at least for the time being. I am pretty much focused within the areas of Sales/Marketing and/or Training/Development. After working a decade in education, I have been fortunate to have developed a ton of talents, by using some of the Kelley GCS tools, I have realized that these are the areas that I fit the best. It's actually what led me to the position at Macy's, where I do a little of all of the areas. I also have to thank my classmates from the Kelley Direct week 2 years ago. I never would have thought of going down this road without their suggestion. I think that going forward, my career is going to be focused in these areas, which is exciting, to me at least.

Outside of that, my family is doing well! Jalen just turned 4 and started preschool, which has been awesome. It's kind of interesting to watch his passion for learning, it invigorates me at times to finish off the program strong. Gabby is 2 going on 16, which has also been fun - because she has actually taken an interest in some of the areas of that I have been studying, which is a true test of comprehension. If you want to test if you really know your material, try to explain it to a 2 year old, it's quite the experience. Finally, my wife, Steph, and I just started a new online business. We are selling hair accessories for women, which has been another fun application of my KD degree. We just opened for business this past month, and things are pretty well. Check us out - www.pocketfulofrosies.com!

As for the blogs to look for this coming quarter, first, I promise not to make you wait another three months for my next post. I am planning (and hoping) to get some thing posted every two weeks, or sooner. I figure since this is the end of my blogging and KD career, I want to go out strong! To give you a preview, here are a view topics that I will be covering:

· Adventures in Washington - My experience at the Washington Campus for Public Policy (a 3-4 part series)

· Adding to your Library - I wanted to give you a last few books to read, since I have found some great books that have been helpful for me.

· Guest bloggers - I am going to reach out to some of the great people I have met in the KD program, and see if they can give you their perspective on the experience.

Well, that's about it for now, KD. I hope that you are great, and until next time - catch you later!!

Reflections of the Washington, DC course: Business and Public Policy

2011-09-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

It’s been over a week since I left Washington, DC after taking the one-week course, “Business and Public Policy: How Washington Works and What Issues Matter”. I’ve had some time to contemplate all that I learned and thought I would share some lessons from the week.

Companies react or respond to legislation and regulations in three different ways: 1) react to public policy when decisions are made, 2) monitor efforts toward public policy changes, and 3) directly participate.[1] Those companies using the first way generally have the most expenses for adjusting to legislation and regulation since it costs money to make those adjustments, especially when the company was not prepared for those changes. Companies that monitor public policy activity have less immediate adjustment costs since they can make slight adjustments over time as they see public policy forming in a certain direction. Companies that participate directly in the process have the highest costs for monitoring and lobbying but can potentially influence decisions that reduce adjustment costs. When companies evaluate which way they will react or respond to legislation and regulations, they also must consider what their competitors and other external organizations are doing. There is a potential for legislation and regulations to have larger effects on a company if the company does not directly participate and a competitor or other opposing groups do.

The word “lobbying” may have a negative connotation in the minds of many Americans. However, lobbying is a very important part of government and is necessary for educating representatives on the effects of legislation and regulations on constituents. In fact, lobbying is so important that it is protected by the 1^st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”[2] Consider this: legislators have many, many bills to consider each year. It is difficult to evaluate all of the effects and potential effects that a bill or regulation would have on individuals and companies. Lobbyists provide that information to legislators through research, surveys, or analyses that have been conducted. Information from all sides of an issue help legislators make educated decisions. The best way to influence public policy is through constituents; therefore, the most important job of a corporate lobbyist is to educate individual employees of the company on an issue so they will be inspired to contact representatives themselves.

Many Americans may have noticed that politics have become more and more party-based over the years. This observation is accurate for two main reasons. First, most moderates or independents do not know their representatives and never contact them for any reason. Therefore, representatives mainly hear from constituents who have strong opinions on the issues, thus pushing the parties further from midline opinion. Second, the costs of election campaigns have skyrocketed. Politicians must spend more time fundraising than ever before since television advertising is the best way to reach constituents and win elections. Since fundraising is done where constituents live, politicians don’t spend time together as they used to so they do not know each other or understand each other’s points of view.

These lessons have inspired me to become involved in the political process by knowing my representatives and expressing my opinions to them – both as a constituent and a representative to my company. This course has changed how I view Washington and has shown me that I can be part of the solution by speaking up instead of part of the problem by being silent. I will no longer stand by and watch; I will become active in the process of improving our nation. This course has been a highlight in my business education, and I highly recommend it.

[1] Keim, Gerry. Political Advocacy in the United States, Chapter 25, Managing Business Political Advocacy in the United States: Opportunities for Improved Effectiveness, pp. 418-433.

[2] Mount, Steve. “The United States Constitution.” USConstitution.net. http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1, accessed 28Sept 2011.

Days 3-5 of the Washington, DC course: Business and Public Policy

2011-09-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

The last three days of The Washington Campus course, “Business and Public Policy: How Washington Works and What Issues Matter”, continued to be busy and full of valuable information. We started Day 3 with a grim report on the federal budget and US economy by Joseph Minarik, Senior Vice President of the Committee for Economic Development. Then Shirley Zebroski, Faculty Director of The Washington Campus, discussed US Trade Policy in general and pending trade policy with Korea specifically. After lunch, Adam Cobb, Professor of International Relations at Command and Staff College of Marine Corps University, talked to us about US strategic relationships with other countries. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to a computer simulation showing us a glimpse of what it is like to be a first-term member of the House of Representatives. We had to make quick decisions about what policies to support and how to handle a variety of situations. With each round, we received a report detailing how our constituents, colleagues, media, and other interested parties felt we were performing. It was a demonstration that a representative can never make everyone happy.

Day 4 started with a lesson on political campaigns and how to run one with Joe McLean, President of McLean/Clark. Then Timothy Brennan, Senior Fellow of Resources for the Future, talked about US energy policy. After lunch, Chris Hansen, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, talked to us about US health policy and specifically about the new Affordable Care Plan. The Assistant Vice President for Federal Relations of Ohio State University, Stacy Rastauskas, talked about lobbying Congress for federal funding for research and student loans. Lastly, Kevin Hassett, Senior Fellow and Director of Economic Policy Studies at American Enterprise Institute, made it just in time from testifying to Congress to talk to us about taxes, tax reform, and his ideas for improving the federal budget.

Our last day started with a talk from Shannon Penberthy, Associate Director of Federal Government Relations at P&G, about her work in lobbying Congress and advocacy strategy. Kiki McLean, Global Head of Public Affairs and Managing Director of Porter Novelli, talked about her work on Hilary Clinton’s campaign and how to manage a crisis. After taking our exam based on the readings and lectures throughout the week, we took a bus to the National Press Club. We had lunch, and then Steve Roberts, Professor of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, talked to us about the changing role of media and its impact on public policy.

It was a fabulous week full of great information, and I highly recommend this course for anyone interested in business and how government and business interrelate.

NAWMBA 2011 National Conference - Irving, Texas

2011-09-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

The 2011 NAWMBA conference took place September 16 and 17 in Irving, Texas and it was a fantastic event. During these two days, attendees were inspired and empowered by learning the stories and listening to the advice of successful women in business.

Most of us, KD students, lead really busy lives as we try to juggle a full time job with our school and family responsibilities. It’s really easy to get trapped in the daily routine and not dedicate enough time to think about our career goals and what will be our strategy to achieve those goals. Events such as the NAWMBA conference provide a great opportunity to pause, absorb new knowledge, and reflect on what your next steps will be career wise.

The conference offered a variety of panels and workshops, covering all sorts of topics including: how to negotiate effectively, achieving work life balance, driving change in the organization, personal image, managing up, and exploring career options in finance, marketing, and technology among others. As awesome as it all sounds, I must say I was anxious about attending this event, since it would surely mean I would need to network.

I recently completed a 4-day backpacking trip in the Yosemite High Sierra area, and I can tell you that the prospect of carrying 30 lbs. of equipment while climbing more than 1,000 feet in rugged terrain and without access to showers or toilets, was less daunting than the idea of networking. Having said that, I’m thrilled to tell all those who feel the same way I do, that it’s not really that hard. From the moment you entered the Irving Convention Center, you could sense the really positive and welcoming atmosphere that would characterize the whole event.

During the course of those two days I met Jessica, an MBA student from Phoenix who had learned Spanish during a Peace Corps assignment in Honduras. We ended up having a great conversation in Spanish, Jessica was thrilled to practice it again after a long time and I was ecstatic to be able to converse in my native language.

I also met Heather Howell, who is the Chief Tea Officer of Rooibee Red Tea and she is also a board member of NAWMBA. Heather is an amazing woman who is really passionate about her work and about empowering women. She encouraged me to really take advantage of the conference by networking with other attendees, interacting with the panelists and to simply enjoy the event.

Karen, Angela, and Meredith; KD students at NAWMBA Conference

I also had the pleasure to meet fellow KD students Meredith Suffron and Angela Whiteside; as well as our brand new Director for Student Engagement: Sheila Morris-Watson. It was really exciting to get to know them during this conference, and it was pretty clear everybody was having a great time.

While it’s not possible to provide a full summary of the topics covered, there are a couple of topics I would like to highlight. First of all, the first keynote speaker was Karen Hough, and she talked about improvisation techniques and how to apply those in the workplace. Four key recommendations provided were:

Provide positive feedback at the same time you are offering suggestions to others. This will ensure people don’t focus only on the negative aspects they have to improve, but rather they can feel good about the things that are right, even if there’s room for them to improve.

Building blocks: recognize the good ideas contributed by team members and use them as a springboard to provide your own contributions.

Team equity: Recognize that teamwork is better than trying to do everything yourself. Being ready for anything sometimes means you have to give up control.

Oops to Eureka: when something does not go as expected, the best thing to do is to acknowledge it, take a deep breath and think of an alternative solution.

If you are interested in this topic, you can check out Karen’s website at:

http://www.improvedge.com/

There’s also a workshop I’d like to point out and it was “Fulfill Your Purpose – Pursue Your Passion” with Lisa Arie. Lisa spoke about the importance of knowing yourself and getting clarity on what you really want to accomplish, so you can start with the end point in mind.

She also explained that success is the result of work done in peace, and that every time we feel vulnerable it’s a great opportunity since it basically means we are being faced with the question: are you willing to let the status quo change?

Often times, we let fear paralyze us and we choose to stay in our current situation thinking that we’ll be safe and we’ll avoid risks. Well, Lisa explained how the word risk comes from an old navigation term which was used to point out difficulties you could encounter while you were cut off the land, such as a strong current. So, it’s a way of saying “pay attention”, but by no means should it become a reason for us to stop pursuing our passion, whatever that may be.

Recap of Germany Trip

2011-09-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s hard to believe, but it has already been over a month since returning from Germany. At this point, we have just submitted our required assignment for this course, and this task has been the perfect impetus for me to take a trip down memory lane (or memory “straße” if you will) from our week together in Germany.

As I am preparing for my next quarter of “traditional” classes, I’ve gained a greater appreciation of just how special our study-abroad experience was. I can say with clean conscience that it was truly one of the greatest courses I’ve ever taken. And the fact that the entire class was contained in one packed week speaks volumes to the professionalism and skill of the team at the German Graduate School of Management and Law (GGS). As I mentioned in my previous post, the staff at GGS did an excellent job of integrating informative lectures with company visits and other hands on experiences to make the learning come to life. No other class in my two years of being an MBA student has been able achieve this accomplishment quite like this exchange program. Not enough can be said about Kelley Direct for creating such wonderful international ties, and giving their students this unique opportunity.

What sticks out the most about our trip to Heilbronn, Germany has to be the meticulous organization of the entire week. From the first day, I, along with several other students, had a bit of trepidation about how the week was going to progress. Namely, how was our host university going to make the topic of study interesting when very few people in attendance knew much about the business environment in Germany, and most certainly had never heard of a Mittelstand company? It’s safe to say that after the first morning, no students were running to the airport. We were all in awe at the gorgeous view from the GGS building, which stands prominently on the Neckar River, just adjacent to downtown Heilbronn. From the 12th floor of the circular building, we had a panoramic view of the rolling hills nearby dotted with vineyards growing some of Germany’s most acclaimed grapes for red wine. Although I would never want to insinuate the lack of topography in Indiana makes for a less enjoyable educational experience, it certainly helps motivating someone to go to class when surrounded by such a beautiful landscape. I knew we had a wonderful experience awaiting us when we were promptly informed that the mayor of the city was expecting us so he could properly welcome us to his beloved town. As an added treat, we had the honor of toasting some locally produced sparkling wine with him after his speech. It’s not often you get to drink wine while in class! As some locals I met later in the week mentioned upon being told about our grand welcoming, “I’ve lived here for 25 years, and never had the opportunity to meet the mayor!”

Another reason GGS made this one of the most memorable MBA classes I’ve ever taken was the variety of professors and guest lecturers they were able to acquire. We didn’t just have the same person lecturing on different topics: We had a representative from the Chamber of Commerce to discuss with us the educational system and employment challenges facing Germany, we had an Indian ex-pat who currently works in Germany to lecture on the difficulties faced by non-Germans when working within our host country, and we had a representative from the Economic Development Office explain to us how the region of Germany in which we were studying was working tirelessly to attract future talent in the hopes of filling a projected gap of skilled workers in the future. These lectures afforded us the opportunity to not only learn from people in the world of academia, but also interact with professionals struggling to solve the very problems we were learning about in the classroom. While learning about how Mittelstand companies must deal with succession issues in their leadership structure, we actually had the opportunity to hear from a local CEO of a business who dealt with fighting within his family when it came to succession planning. While we could have easily just read about this sensitive topic from a textbook, it was invaluable to speak to someone who has actually lived through this trying experience, and get a true feeling for the difficulties faced by him and his family.

Similarly to the experience of speaking with guest lecturers, visiting local corporations brought much of our studies to life. In each of the corporations we visited we had the unique opportunity to meet with, and ask questions of management within the company that could further explain how the principles of business we were learning about were implemented at their company. On each trip we received a company tour, and got an exclusive look at how some of the most innovative companies in the world operate.

As much as the GGS excelled at providing an outstanding academic experience, they also succeeded in showing us a world-class cultural experience. Each day, an exquisite lunch and dinner was arranged for and provided by the staff at GGS. We visited local eateries, and had the opportunity to try many delicious German dishes, including local Swabian specialties. Although all but the two German-speaking students needed translation help with the menus, we enjoyed every plate put in front of us, even if sometimes we were unsure of what we were ordering. There was also no shortage of opportunities to learn more about the burgeoning wine industry in the Heilbronn area. We had a tasty meal at a vineyard that included a thorough education on the region’s wine as told by the 14th generation owner of the property in which we were eating. We also visited a wine cooperative that collected grapes from all over the region, and then collectively performed the bottling function. At this location we went for a scenic stroll through their vineyards. One evening we visited a nearby castle, and had the opportunity to dine outdoors next to the walls of the ancient structure. To end the week, some of the GGS staff brought us to Stuttgart to further our cultural exposure to the region in which we were studying. We went to the top of the world’s oldest TV antenna, which offered spectacular vistas of the city of Stuttgart. We then traveled as a group and visited the Porsche museum. After one last evening socializing in Stuttgart, we all parted ways back home the following day

One of the more unseen benefits of this Germany experience would have to be the social bonds I created with my fellow MBA students and professors. Particularly coming from an online MBA program where live interaction with fellow students is infrequent, it was an incredible experience to go through this class with 20 other like-minded people interested in learning about different cultures. The group of us from Kelley Direct became such good friends with our fellow MBA students from around the world, that most evenings after 12 hours of studying/eating, we would stay out in the city and socialize further. It was quite enlightening to speak with students in other programs, and realize that although we are separated geographically by thousands of miles, and often must deal with language barriers, we share a bond with our mutual business education, and can connect on a deeper level than if we had met in other circumstances. I can’t stress enough my excitement to visit my new friends from around the world, both fellow KD students, and those from the other programs. A similar bond was also created between the students and the professors. I observed many students engaged in deep conversation with the professors during our breaks, and could tell that many students had a genuine interest in the experiences of our professors. Many students expressed interest in continuing communication with the professors, as they felt their area of expertise could help them in their professional life back home.

Indiana University, specifically the Kelley Direct program, has hit a home run with its partnership with the German Graduate School of Management and Law. Once again, the Kelley Direct MBA program has managed to find a new and exciting way for its students to gain business knowledge outside of the classroom. They could not have found a more professional and relevant school as GGS, and I commend them for forging this partnership that will hopefully stay strong for years. Since returning from Germany, we’ve been told that this first annual summer session by GGS was so successful that they are already planning for next year’s session.

On behalf of myself and my fellow KD students, I would like to extend a warm thank-you to the Kelley personnel that made this trip possible. I would also like to express my sincerest gratitude to the entire staff at GGS who worked tirelessly to ensure their guests had an educational and memorable experience. Danke schön.

Here’s to hoping they let me come back next summer!

Max Rubenstein

Days 1 & 2 of the Washington, DC course: Business and Public Policy

2011-09-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

The first two days in The Washington Campus course, “Business and Public Policy: How Washington Works and What Issues Matter”, have been busy and full of valuable information. On the first day, we met our fellow students – 15 students from Indiana University’s Kelley Direct program and 38 MBA students from Ohio State University – along with our faculty director, logistics coordinator, and program coordinator. Then we had four excellent speakers with diverse experiences in Washington. John Shelk, President and CEO of Electric Power Supply Association, spoke about the US Congress and policymaking including the changing roles of congressional committees. Jeff Weinberg, Legislative Attorney for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), talked to us about the executive branch and policymaking and how Presidents have differed in policymaking over the years. Jonathan Gledhill, President of The Policy Navigation Group, spoke to us about the regulatory process and the role of the OMB in that process. Douglas Bennett, Vice President of Federal Affairs for Liberty Mutual Group, talked with us about lobbying and interest groups. Afterward, we had a social event at James Hoban’s Restaurant and Bar.

On our second day, we visited the US Capitol where Marjorie Glick spoke to us about her role as a staffer in Senator Sherrod Brown’s office. Then Senator Sherrod Brown himself spoke to us about being a senator for Ohio and answered lots of questions. Afterward, we were free to choose which Senate or House hearings we wanted to attend. I attended the hearing on Deficit Reduction where all 12 members of the Super Committee presided over it. After lunch, we all met at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building where Mickey Edwards, former representative for Oklahoma in the House of Representatives, reflected on his time as a representative and discussed the changes in Congress today. Afterward, we had a choice to see the Supreme Court or to visit the Senate or House galleries. I chose to see the Senate gallery and heard senators discussing FEMA funding for victims of natural disasters in their states.

The next three days are packed with more valuable information and events, and I’m looking forward to learning more.

Pre-Trip Preparation for Washington, DC course: Business and Public Policy

2011-09-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I travel to Washington, DC for a one-week course entitled “Business and Public Policy: How Washington Works and What Issues Matter”. Fourteen other Kelley students and I will join MBA students from 16 other business schools around the country for a week full of tours, speakers, and a computer simulation.

When I first heard about the course, I was very interested, so I talked with my advisor about taking it. Once I registered, I was linked to a website with more details on the trip along with a required pre-reading list of articles. The intro article gave a synopsis of the who’s who in government and how the various agencies and departments are linked together. The remaining articles mostly described the good and bad sides of lobbying and advocacy groups along with some of the attempts at reform. They also gave a glimpse of the topics that would be covered during the week.

Last week, I received the final agenda for the course, and my interest in the course quickly turned to excitement. Seventeen guest speakers will discuss topics covering policy making, roles of lobbyists and interest groups, the federal budget, taxes, China, elections, energy, healthcare, universities, trade policies, the role of media, and more. We will also observe Congress, visit the Supreme Court, and have lunch one day at the National Press Club. One afternoon we will even participate in a computer simulation demonstrating the types of pressures that Congressmen confront. For grading, we have a written exam on the last day of the course and a team project to complete within two weeks of finishing the course.

I don’t know any of my fellow students who are attending, but I look forward to meeting them and other students from around the country. I suspect that I will learn from all of them as we explore how our government works and what issues matter.

Hello world!

2011-08-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! My name is Wei and I am a first year student in the Kelley Direct MBA program. I'm halfway through my first year right now and definitely loving the experience. I was given the opportunity to contribute to the Kelley Direct blog and I am really grateful for the opportunity. I wanted to quickly introduce myself in my first post so you can get to know me and hopefully, at least for prospective students, be able to relate to my experiences and how it got me to where I am now.

A little background about myself: I graduated from the University of Washington with a BFA in Industrial Design and a BA in Comparative Religion. I found out during the ID program that I wasn't passionate enough to be a designer for the rest of my life, and somehow by chance fell into consumer goods product development. It was a career path I'd never heard of, but something I've fallen in love with since I started my professional career. I spent the last 3 years in the toy industry mainly working on Disney products and have some great memories from those experiences. However, I soon discovered that if I wanted to continue moving forward in my career, I would need to build up my business skills and knowledge. This is why I decided to pursue my MBA and I most certainly don't regret the choice!

For all the creative minds out there, you do have skills to contribute to the MBA program. You don't have to be a numbers person at all to succeed. You certainly may need to put more time in to the quantitative courses, but there are other skills you can offer to the program, to your cohort, and to your team mates. For people who have been trained in design, for example, you can offer your creative problem solving skills. You can also offer your persuasion skills, as designers are often required to sell their concepts to their coworkers or superiors. I can guarantee you that your classmates will appreciate you for it and for your unique perspective.

In any case, thanks so much for reading! I look forward to posting more in the future and sharing with you my experiences.

Cell Phones and Online MBA Education

2011-08-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

I purchased an iPhone recently, and it got me thinking about online education. If you’re wondering what the heck I’m talking about, allow me to explain. I owned the same cell phone for five years. It was a classic flip phone with an antenna. It took 25 keystrokes to write a simple phrase like “happy birthday." It was a terribly inefficient device that my friends reminded me of regularly.

I didn’t get a new phone sooner because I’m a late adopter. It takes me a long time to evaluate products and services, and it takes an even longer time to make a decision. I tend to be distrustful of “the next best thing,” and I prefer to allow other people to test new products so that I may learn from their feedback. So why did I choose to earn an online MBA degree – a relatively new educational program design – instead of a traditional two-year immersive program?

There were three mental obstacles that I had to overcome in order to apply (and be accepted) into the Kelley Direct program. It’s my hope that prospective students who read this blog entry may find my thought process to be parallel to their own. Clearly my goal is to be a good steward for the program, and I hope prospective students will choose the Kelley Direct program, but at the end of the day everyone has to do what’s right for them. With all that said, let me continue.

First, I wanted to make sure that whichever MBA program I chose would have a great reputation. I wanted the program to be challenging and to adhere to strict academic standards, and the Kelley School is frequently ranked among the best in the country. Additionally, the Kelley School has done a tremendous job opening up its career and alumni resources to Kelley Direct students. The administration has further integrated the program so that everyone knows that it’s the first word in “Kelley Direct” that is the most important.

Second, as sick as it sounds, I wanted to keep working. When I was evaluating full-time programs, I had lots of discussions with prospective students about career goals. The inevitable first question that I was asked was “What do you do?” and the follow up question was “What do you want to do?” After answering these questions the same way for about the 500th time, I realized that (a) I love my work, (b) I’m doing exactly what I want to do and (c) I have great opportunities to progress in my career. So why leave for two years to go back to the same job in the same industry?

Third, I have a young family, and their happiness is of paramount importance. My daughter is about a year-and-a-half and my wife is working on her master’s degree. How far would our family be set back if we made nothing for two years? What kind of dad would I be, or shall I say could I be, while being a full-time student? I should note that I met people who were dealing with the same circumstances, and they were accomplishing their MBA as a full-time student while being a family-person. I admire their commitment to fulfilling their MBA dream, but I knew that their path was not for my family and me.

Obviously I’m very happy about my decision to enroll in the Kelley Direct program. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and expanding my skills. I’m even looking forward to viewing PowerPoint presentations on my iPhone.

Rounding 3rd, Heading for Home

2011-08-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

Late last month, I had the opportunity to sit in on a webcast for prospective students. It offered me the chance to reflect on where I have been and what I have accomplished over the last 18 months. I am in the middle of my second year at the Kelley School (hence the baseball analogy in the title).

There were 20-some people on the web conference, all of whom were evaluating online MBA schools and trying to find the best online MBA program for their own circumstances. I had the same questions as they did. "Is it worth it?" "Are the professors top notch?" "Do you feel like you are learning as much as you would in the classroom?"

Yes, yes and yes!

Having completed almost six of the eight quaters for my degree through Kelley Direct, I look back amazed at the knowledge that I have attained, the people that I have met and the professors that have diligently taught and mentored throughout my time at the Kelley School of Business. As promised by the faculty during my first in-residence, the rigor of the program is there. The professors are as good as advertised. The classes are demanding.

In case you are wondering, I am not being paid to write this and I am not brainwashed. The Kelley School has delivered on its promise. I am looking forward to two more exciting, intense quarters before graduation.

What am I doing?

2011-07-27T13:41:00.000-07:00

I'm about a week and a half from attending Kelley Connect Week. My travel plans are set, and I'm excited to be staying at the beautiful Indiana Memorial Union. It's hard to believe that I'm so close to starting the program. Lately I've been thinking about how I got to this point. I've been thinking about my (shall we call it) pre-MBA journey, so that I can articulate my story to the fantastic people I expect to meet during Kelley Connect.

Why am I pursuing my MBA? What kind of masochistic-traits must I have to put myself through sleepless nights in order to shell out thousands of dollars? What will this do to my family?

Before you begin to think, "This guy is just thinking about this now!?!" Let me assure you that I have spent ample – and I mean AMPLE – time considering these questions and a hundred others. It's just that now that I'm so close to beginning the program the main questions I had during my research arise again. Obviously this is typical for consumers. I will begin the program with questions swirling, then I will move steadily into the cognitive dissonance stage, and ultimately I will once again realize that pursuing my MBA was the best decision I ever made.

Any way... first thing's first. Why am I pursuing my MBA? I'm doing so because I knew that business is ever-changing and not that long ago it was pretty special to have an undergraduate degree. I knew that to keep pace I needed to become more aware... I needed to become more knowledgeable. I also wanted to give myself the challenge. I wanted to see if I could do it.

Being a relatively-new father and a naturally frugal individual, I was always concerned about the financial commitment of the program. I read countless articles espousing the pros and cons of the MBA ROI, and I drove my wife crazy with Excel analysis proving and disproving the ROIs. What got me over the hump is I realized that there's a price for quality. There's all sorts of financial reasons not to complete an MBA, but it really came down to one simple question: Do I think that the MBA will lead me to a better and happier life? And, the answer was a firm YES!

I've always said that "things work for you if you make them work for you." I think an MBA is exactly like that. I know I will make it work for me... and really, that's that.

The First Few Days in Germany

2011-07-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

This week, I, along with four other Kelley Direct students have had the opportunity to travel to Heilbronn, Germany to study at the German Graduate School of Management and Law. The goal for this week is to learn about what makes the small to mid-sized enterprises in Germany (referred to as Mittelstand companies) market-leaders in their niche markets. They play a vital role in Germany’s economy, and we have been learning many ways to transfer their successes to businesses back home.

The five of us from Kelley Direct are pleased to be joined by a wonderful group of fellow MBA students from around the world. This includes several students from Leeds University in England, and two students earning their MBA at our host school. In addition to residents of the United States, England, and Germany, there are students here from India, Taiwan, China, Japan, and Switzerland. This past Sunday evening, the day before class started, we had the pleasure of meeting many of our fellow classmates and instructors over beer and typical German food in a restaurant attached to our academic building. This proved to be an excellent opportunity to get to know each other, and begin the week with a sense of camaraderie.

Each day we have had the opportunity to learn about doing business in Germany from some of the most qualified professors in Germany on the subject, in addition to hearing from executives of the companies described in our textbook. We have visited three different corporations of varying sizes, and along with a tour, were able to hear directly from their management about how to succeed in the business world while operating within both Europe and the global marketplace. In addition to these excursions, each night we have been taken out to dinner by the director of this summer program, Prof. Markus Vodosek, to many different local eateries. They have included biergartens, wineries, and even a dinner on the grounds of a castle. Every day has been filled with informative lectures, in-person visits to companies, and more food than any one person should eat. While I’ve enjoyed the past week, I look forward to the next few days, which is scheduled to include a winery tour and a cultural visit to the city of Stuttgart.

Kelley Direct Graduation

2011-06-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

I will start my last quarter with Kelley Direct this week and finish the entire MBA program in August. Even though I still have one quarter remaining, I was able to participate in the graduation ceremonies in May because everyone who will graduate this year had the opportunity to participate in the spring commencement activities. It was great to be back on campus in Bloomington.

I've been looking forward to this the graduation ceremony since the day I started the program because I wanted my two young sons to see me graduate from a great university. I wanted to inspire them to do great things in their lives and get as much education they can.

I was fortunate to have a lot of family support at the graduation. My wife Emily and my sons Jacob and Andrew flew with me from our home in Seattle. My dad flew out from Colorado, and my mom and step-father flew out from Utah.

One of the things that makes Kelley Direct a top online MBA program is the on-campus activities it provides to the students. While students participate in a majority of the MBA program from a distance, on-campus activities like the Kelley Connect Weeks and graduation provide an opportunity to be on campus, talk to faculty and fellow students face to face, and enjoy the full academic experience.

Kelley Direct graduates are invited to attend two different graduation ceremonies. The first is the IU graduate student commencement, which is the ceremony for all graduate students from all programs at Indiana University. The second graduation ceremony is just for graduates of the Kelley Direct programs.

I attended the IU graduate student commencement on Friday at the Assembly Hall. I was able to meet students from several of the other Kelley School programs including the in-residence MBA program and the MSIS program.

On Saturday I attended the Kelley Direct graduation ceremony at the Indiana University Auditorium. It was fun to see many of my fellow students. I had worked with some of them in person at the in-residences. Others I had only ever talked to on the phone and via email. For those friends, it was nice to be able to put a face with the voice.

As the ceremony began, Dean Daniel C. Smith commented that he heard several small children in the audience. He said didn't want parents to feel like they had to take the kids out of the auditorium if they made too much noise. He welcomed the children because they will be the next generation of Kelley School of Business graduates. I applauded his remark because he was right. And, the truth is, my kids were probably the ones making the most noise.

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Alan B. Gilman. Mr. Gilman earned his MBA from Indiana University in '54 and went on to serve as CEO of Federated Department Stores and Consolidated Products Inc. I enjoyed hearing him talk about his experience and insights because he is such an accomplished professional.

It was a great feeling to walk across the stage and shake the hand of Dean Daniel C. Smith. I really have a lot of respect for him. He made a comment during his remarks that left an impression on me. He talked about the analogy of seeing the glass half full or half empty. He said people who see the glass half full add to the glass and make it more full. People who see the glass half empty take away from the glass and leave it more empty. He encouraged us to be the kind of people who add value and make things better, rather than the kind of people who just point out problems and deficiencies.

This is a wonderful MBA program and has been very worth while. I have seen it improve over the 21 months that I've been in the program. As a Kelley Direct MBA student, I've tried to add value and help make the program better too. That's one of the reasons I worked with the faculty and Student Advisory Board to create the Kelley Direct Investment Club.

I was humbled to be selected as a recipient of the Student Leadership Award along with my friend, Jen Oberholtzer. It was a great addition to a wonderful night.

I'm glad I made the trip out to Indiana for the graduation ceremonies. I'm especially glad that my favorite people could be there to share the experience with me.

The Feeling of India

2011-06-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

I’ve been home from India for about a month now and have put off writing this final reflection simply because I’m not sure what to say. While we were in India, we knew that no story or picture or video could capture what we were experiencing, and now that I’m home, I find myself running into the same problem again and again when people ask me about my trip. As India was so different than any other place I’ve been, I don’t even feel like I have the right words in my vocabulary to describe it. No verbal picture I attempt to paint could even begin to do our experience, the country, the people, or the culture justice.

So, without trying to capture my first taste of India in a few paragraphs, there are a couple of closing thoughts I can offer. Before we went on the trip, we were told that many people don’t enjoy their first trip to India. Rather, it takes most people multiple trips to get passed the point of feeling overwhelmed so that they can begin to enjoy and even fall in love with the culture. Well, for most of us, this was our first trip to India. And every single one of us loved it there. We certainly hit our share of literal and non-literal bumps in the road, faced some very long days, and had to navigate many things outside our comfort zone. But through it all we remained open, flexible, and grateful to be there, and as a result, we had an amazing time. I think Kelley and this course gave us that gift, the gift of being able to not only appreciate but embrace a culture so very different from our own. While nothing could completely prepare us for the experience, the 6 weeks of coursework leading up to the trip gave us the self-awareness and desire to take in all that India had to offer. And the opportunity to explore the country while learning from India faculty and visiting local companies certainly gave us a perspective that many tourists don’t ever get.

In closing, I’ll share our “theme” from the week, a thought that was first put into words by Eric Richards during a dinner with our Indian faculty. You can’t describe India, you can’t fully understand India. You have to feel India. And so while I want desperately to share everything I saw and did while I was on the other side of the world, here is where I’ll stop myself. There is a beauty to the land and architecture, a kindness in the people, and a feeling of connectedness in the air that just has to be experienced first-hand.

Online MBA student on fast track to a brighter future

2011-05-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

Kelley Direct Online MBA student Robert Edwards, who works for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, helped his racing team win the pole for this year's Indianapolis 500. True Speed Communication made note of Roberts contributions to Sam Schmidt racing and his personal advance through Kelley Direct in a recent press release:

Double duty: In addition to working as team manager for Alex Tagliani’s No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins Dallara/Honda/Firestone, Rob Edwards is also in the process of earning his Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the prestigious Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He began obtaining his MBA in 2008 while still employed at Walker

Racing. Since then, he’s worked as team manager at FAZZT Racing, which was purchased by Sam Schmidt Motorsports just before the 2011 season. “I think one of the important things, for all of us, is to sort of reinvent ourselves as we go forward through life,” Edwards said. “Racing forces us to keep doing that because every season there are new challenges. I think tackling the MBA is sort of the same view. It’s a chance to reinvent myself, if you like. I did all my schooling in the U.K. (United Kingdom) and so as I’ve been doing the coursework, it’s been a challenge to understand how the education system in America works. It’s been a great chance to meet a very diverse group of people outside of racing. So, it’s all about reinventing yourself and I think you get more experiences and you can then draw into what you do in racing. At the end of the day, running a race team is running a business and hopefully it makes one more effective running a business.”

Obtaining an MBA is challenging for anyone, let alone someone like Edwards who works in racing, which is notorious for its long hours.

“First, I don’t think you can do it without a lot of support from your family, so that’s been the number one thing that’s helped me achieve it. There have been a lot of sacrifices from my wife and my girls. It’s actually provided a good foil. As someone who’s not very good at switching off, I find it actually helps what I’m doing in racing being able to have something to keep my mind working away from the racetrack. And, likewise, doing the school work and the course work and being so intense at the racetrack with what we do, I find that it helps to actually provide focus in both areas. When you’re in Sao Paulo (Brazil) for example and you go back to the hotel at night, it’s a good way to keep your mind active, but in a different manner. I find it helps to keep me focused in both areas.”

Read the full press release via True Speed Communication >>

See how you can earn an AACSB Accredited Online MBA

Failing Forward

2011-05-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD! I hope this blog finds you well. It’s been a while – I have been meaning to get this blog out, but I have been swamped.

This month’s blog is about failure… Well, at least, it’s about how to fail forward. Failing Forward is the title of a book from John Maxwell, whom you know is a favorite author of mine. The book talks about how people view failure incorrectly, which leads to lots of problems. In fact, the premise of the book is that there are 15 steps to failing forward. Since the book is awesome (I highly recommend it!!), I want to focus on the steps Maxwell states we need to take to fail forward.

I don’t know where each of you are in your career’s, but thanks to my experience in the MBA program, I am in the process of making a career change – from Education to Business. And while I know I have the skills and intellect to do well, the process has been an exercise in failing forward. Between the difference in communication between the fields, especially as it has to do with resumes, interviews, and jargon, it has been quite the learning experience. However, as I have continued to move forward with my plans to change careers, I have often reflected on the following 15 steps to fail forward, according to Maxwell.

Realize there is one major difference between average and achieving people.

Learn a new definition of failure.

Remove the “you” from failure.

Take action and reduce your fear.

Change your response to failure by accepting responsibility.

Don’t let the failure from outside get inside you.

Say good-bye to yesterday.

Change yourself, and the world changes.

Get over yourself and start giving yourself.

Find the benefit in every bad experience.

If at first you do succeed, try something harder.

Learn from a bad experience and make a good experience.

Work on the weakness that weakens you.

Understand there’s not much difference between failure and success.

Get up, get over it, get going.

As KD students, either in the program, personal life, or career, you are going to have a time when you feel like you failed at something. For me, it has been various moments during this career change process, among several other things; just reflect on these 15 steps as you think about failing forward. When it comes to failure, as the great philosopher Jay-Z says, “It’s one to the next one…” For me, it has been truly helpful.

As a closing aside, I want to say thanks to Allyn Curry and the Kelley Graduate Career Services office. It has been quite a learning experience working with them so far during this career change process. I can’t imagine how lost I would be without Allyn straightening me out…

Well, KD, I hope that you think of some of these tips the next time you need to fail forward. Until next time, I’ll catch you later!!

2011-05-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

In addition to sightseeing around Delhi and Agra (including seeing the Taj Mahal!), we somehow managed to fit in several days of classroom time, company site visits, and even a case presentation. Just like an in-residence week in Bloomington, our days were packed full.

We took class and stayed at the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow in Noida. The campus was quite beautiful, and our Indian professors were exceptional. We also had numerous guest lecturers, who covered a range of topics including rural marketing, supply chain challenges, public private partnerships, cultural differences, and more. In addition, to deepen our learning experience, we spent a day touring two companies, Genpact and Maruti Suzuki, and received a unique inside look at India’s advanced auto manufacturing and service industries. Each day, we walked away from class so excited about what we learned. The opportunity to interact with prominent experts and visit Indian companies was incredible.

While our Indian classroom experience was similar to that of the US in some ways, at the same time, the cultural differences were evident. We quickly realized that actually applying our material on cultural differences was much more difficult than writing a paper on the topic. Our Indian faculty noticed the differences as well. Just as we had to adjust to a new classroom setting and different lecture styles, our professors had to adjust to our way of looking at things and our particular types of questions.

Tea times quickly became an important part of our classroom experience. Unlike the class breaks I was used to in the US, where everyone went their separate way for a few minutes to make a call or check email, in India these breaks were highly interactive. For around 30 minutes, both the professors and students engaged in conversation, using the time to build and strengthen relationships. I found this time to be very refreshing, an acknowledgment to the importance of spending time with one another.

During class, the electricity would cut out from time to time. We expected brownouts but what caught us by surprise was that our Indian professors didn’t miss a beat when the lights went off. They continued to seamlessly lecture (the computer and projector were on a back-up generator). We later joked that if something like this happened in US, half the class-time would be spent rebooting computers and getting everyone back on track. But in our Indian classroom, literally not a second of time was lost. In this, we found a lesson in flexibility and adaptability.

Just like in a US MBA program, case studies are a big part of the India curriculum, and we had to do a case analysis presentation for our final project. We found that the case was written in a different manner than what we were used to, and it took a little time to fully work through the material. In the end, our Indian professors were impressed with our work and really appreciated the fact that we approached the case differently than their Indian students. Although neither approach was superior, it reminded us that because of our culture, we see things differently.

Although we were completely exhausted at times, everything we fit into our days was necessary, as each element added so much depth to our learning experience. For example, our discussions around marketing in rural India wouldn’t have been nearly as impactful if we hadn’t seen some of India for ourselves first. The company visits emphasized that India has advanced and rapidly growing businesses, the tea times highlighted the importance of relationship building, the brownouts reminded us of the things we took for granted and the need to quickly adapt, and interactions with our Indian professors revealed that, through our cultural differences, we had a lot to learn from and teach one another.

From Indiana to India

2011-04-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

I’m not even quite sure where to begin. I’ve been here 3 days now, but we have seen and experienced so much already that I feel like I’ve been here a month…in a very good way. India is amazing, and amazingly different from any place I’ve ever been before. Even though our class spent weeks prepping and learning about the country and culture, I don’t think anything could have fully prepared us…we are truly in experiential learning mode, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Like many others, my first real experience in India began with a cab ride. At first glance, the roads appeared to be filled with complete chaos. Cars, buses, tuk-tuks, rickshaws, horse-drawn carts, camel-drawn carts, bikes, motorcycles, people, and cows were everywhere, moving in all directions. Honking filled the air, the number of lanes changed in an instant, the few traffic lights we encountered were optional at best, people crossed the street even though there didn’t appear to be a single break in traffic, and cars switched lanes with no more than a few inches of clearance. Yes, it would have been very easy to slap a “chaotic” label on India and never look deeper. Luckily, Professor Garcia prepared us to embrace self-awareness, let go of the things we thought we knew, and embrace the fact that our way of thinking simply could not be applied to such a drastically different culture. As I stared out the window, with a large bus passing just a couple inches from my nose, I realized four things. First, I didn’t feel nervous. Second, I didn’t see a single fender-bender. Third, even though the roads were more packed with cars, animals, and people than I thought possible, traffic continued to move forward at a fairly even pace. And fourth, the constant honking wasn’t the angry New York or DC style honking I was used to – people were communicating with one another! It was a beautiful thing to watch. Everything was so fluid and responsive, as it must be when so much diversity fills a single street.

Before we left for India, Professor Garcia told us that we must be flexible, and within my first few moments of being in this new country, the word took on a whole new meaning for me. I realized that even American “flexible” was different from India “flexible”. For this week, I am a stranger in a strange land, where even the little things, like sleeping and using a hairdryer, are a challenge. But being pushed outside my comfort zone has not come without its rewards. From the delicious food to the amazingly kind people to the breathtaking sites, our first three days have been filled with rich, memorable experiences. I am overwhelmingly grateful to be here, to be experiencing this place with my fellow classmates, and to be learning simultaneously from both our Kelley and IIM Lucknow faculty and staff. It is 4am for me right now (like I said, even sleeping is a challenge), and I am anxiously waiting to see what this next day holds for us. It will be adventure, without a doubt!

A Global Perspective

2011-04-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

I leave for India this Friday. And even better, I am going with a group of Kelley Direct students, faculty, and staff. I absolutely loved the two required in-residence weeks in Bloomington, and now I get to have an in-residence #3…but in a different country! I’m not quite sure what to expect, but I know it’s going to be amazing!

Kelley Direct has always been a global program in that it attracts students from all over the world, as well as integrates an international perspective into many of its classes. I have had some amazing learning experiences while interacting with classmates from India, China, Japan, and more through weekly discussion forums. But now KD is taking its global experience to a whole new level.

For this inaugural cross-cultural management class, I have spent the past 6 weeks in the KD virtual environment with 13 other students scattered throughout the country and world. Together we have explored the history of India, contemplated the effects of cultural differences on global teams, identified ways to become a more effective leader, and participated in weekly live class discussions to deepen our learning. Our professor even brought in a couple of guest speakers so that we could learn about India from an Indian and hear first-hand accounts of what it’s like to take on an expat assignment. These past 6 weeks have been enriching to say the least, and the trip to India will be our opportunity to put into practice everything we have learned up to this point.

I’ve never been to India, and I haven’t met the majority of my classmates face to face. Even so, I have absolutely no doubt that I am going to love the country and walk away with many new friends. I am ready to embark on a life-changing adventure (although I still have a lot of packing to do)!

The End Is Just The Beginning

2011-03-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

At the end of February, I finished my MBA. In some ways, I feel completely exhausted, thinking about all the hard work, as well as the sacrifices I've had to make over the past two years. Another part of me just can't believe that I'm done with my MBA already! The two years really did fly by.

I pretty much had the perfect end to my MBA experience. It was an incredibly busy term to say the least, one of my busiest in fact - the professors certainly didn't let us off easy. We were expected to give it our all right up until the end. However, for me all the hard work culminated in a trip to the Bloomington campus to meet the incoming MBA cohort of Spring 2011. It was a bit surreal to be at IU during the last weekend of my MBA, greeting those who were just beginning their journey. And it was amazing to take a step back and reflect on all the wonderful relationships that I've made over the past two years. While time at Bloomington this time around, I saw so many friendly faces, from current students to alumni to faculty and staff, that I felt like I didn't have enough time to catch up with everyone! I also felt completely at home while strolling through the gorgeous campus, walking through the impressive halls of the business school, sharing my experiences with the incoming MBA students, and having a beer at Nick's with friends. Even though I wasn't on campus every day, I absolutely feel like I am a part of this school.

Also coinciding with the completion of my MBA was a job offer, one that has me moving halfway across the country in less than a week. There is no shortage of change going on in my life right now! Although the formal education part of my MBA is now complete, my post-MBA career is just beginning, and I am confident that going forward, my ties with Kelley will only grow stronger.

A new experience. A new In-Residence.

2011-03-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

I recently attended the first year In-Residence for the Spring 2011 online MBA class last month. Since I have completed both In-Residences and will graduate in May, it was a nostalgic feeling interacting with the new students during registration, orientation presentation, and the welcome dinner. Throughout the evening, I interacted with several students and answered questions they had about the school and challenges going through the program. Some questions asked were “How much study time does one need to spend per week?”, “How are the professors?”, and “What are the team like during on-line sessions?”. Those and many others were the same questions I had during my first In-Residence.

The following day I participated in the first day of course work for the first year students on a second year alumni panel. The purpose was to answer questions students might have, like the ones I mentioned above. During the Q&A, I came to the conclusion that these students are in for a unique experience. An In-Residence experience that is better than what I experienced. Kelley Direct actually renamed the In-Residences “Kelley Connect Week” to better fit this experience. These new students experienced an entirely revamped format for Kelley Connect Week. Dean Dan Smith and many other senior faculty members taught the course material throughout the week. Now, I had a wonderful experience at both my first and second year In-Residences; my point is that the Kelley School of Business KD program is constantly evolving to become better and better.

Think about your undergraduate years or educational programs at work that taught the same information every time and it made you feel like “why am I here?” Even if you requested changes to happen, you knew nothing would change. While I was watching the interaction among professors, staff, and students during the first year Kelley Connect Week last month, I could tell from my past In-Residence experience that something new and wonderful is about to happen for KD. The great thing about some of the changes I saw was the fact that my classmates and I suggested these changes only 6 months ago. It was a great feeling to see the changes we requested actually be seriously considered and implemented for future Kelley Connect Weeks. This is one reason why Kelley Direct MBA is one of the best online MBA programs and why I encourage you to consider the program.

Leonardo Kim, Second Year KD MBA student

Your Professional Development

2011-03-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

What’s up KD!! It’s been a long time since we last talked. I hope that all is well. I have been swamped with work and life, but I had a minute, so I wanted to drop you a line.

This month’s blog is about great professional development resources. I was once told “You will be the same thing that you are a year from now only with the added books that you have read, knowledge you have acquired, and experiences that you have gained.” So, I, as you could probably guess, place a very high value on developing myself professionally.

I know that it may seem odd to suggestion additional resources or readings, since we are in an MBA program, but I have found a few tips that have been really helpful for me to easily incorporate into a busy life.

So, here are a few tips that I have for developing yourself professionally.

Pick a topic or area where you wanted to develop yourself personally or professionally.

For me, I have spent a lot of time reading management texts because I have wanted to add those resources to my professional tool kit. Since then, I have expanded other areas, and of late, my topic of choice has been related to my faith. However, independent of the topic, you have to first pick one to get started.

Start finding resources on your topic.

For many people, resources often mean purchasing and/or attempting to read books. However, there are tons of other resources that are out there to be used, many of which are free. Here are a few examples of things that I use.

First, I have become a lover of audiobooks and podcasts. One of my favorite podcasts is “What Great Bosses Know” by Jill Geisler from the Poynter Institute. It has great resources for supervision of staff. However, there are tons, upon tons of other free podcasts that have valuable information that you can use around just about any topic. Additionally, all of these podcasts often have small nuggets of learning that you can immediately use.

Second, start using your colleagues in your job or community. Since you know the topic you want to ask about, invite people out to a lunch interview or other meeting. Use the time to ask them questions about themselves, their job, their experiences, or other valuable knowledge. I got this idea from John Maxwell, and it has been very valuable for me, as I try to figure out my next career steps.

Finally, use social media. There are lots of people who have Facebook and Twitter accounts for communicating with friends; however, there are also tons of pieces of news and professional development from all fields that can be found in both Facebook and Twitter. In fact, I have found that Twitter has become one of my most valuable pieces of professional development because of the sheer value of information available by following the right people and/or groups.

Use the resources immediately.

I have found that with most professional development tools, the sooner I use them, the more likely I am to retain the information. So, find ways to immediately use the information you find, if you deem it valuable. The earlier you use it, the fresher it will be in your mind, and the more likely it will help you grow.

Well, KD, I hope that you have found these tips helpful for your professional development. I know they have been helpful for me. Until next time, I’ll catch you later!!

Kelley Direct 2nd In-Residence

2010-11-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

I attended my second Kelley Direct in-residence in August. It was great to be back on the beautiful Indiana University campus in Bloomington. The in-residence experiences are an important part of the distance MBA program experience because it allows us to interact with our professors and fellow students face to face.

It was fun to see some of my friends from the first in-residence. The last time we were together, we were new to the program. Now we are seasoned veterans.

The professors are all excellent. Our focus each day was on a specific topic related to managing human resources. Here I am with each of the professors. Above from top left:

Tatiana Kolovou: Communicating in the Workplace

Idalene Kesner: Linking Your HR Strategy to Your Firm’s Corporate & Business Strategy

John Wisneski: Maximizing the Value of Consultants

Sheri Fella: Managing Human Resources in a Global Environment

Steve Whiting: Human Resource Selection

We were assigned a team with whom we worked all week. It’s always fun to work with different people and learn from their diverse backgrounds and experiences.

The highlight of the week for me was the discussion on linking our HR strategy to our firm’s business strategy. We had to analyze a case write up about Intradevco, a Peruvian consumer products company. The lecture was led by Professor Kesner, who wrote the case and is an excellent teacher.

After our class discussion on the case, Professor Kesner introduced Luciano Arosemena, whose father runs Intradevco. Luciano had worked at Intradevco and helped Professor Kesner write the case. Hearing him give a first-hand account of how the company dealt with the challenges in the case took the analysis to a whole new level.

The first in-residence week was pretty intense. We didn't have a lot of free time for socializing. They gave us more time to network at the 2nd in-residence. We got to enjoy fine cuisine from some of the local restaurants, view priceless works of art at the art museum, and unwind at Nick's.

It was a great week. The next time I'll be in Bloomington will be for my graduation next year.

KD-powered career upgrade

2010-11-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

It didn't occur to me as it was going on, but in hindsight it's startling how KD's resources propelled me all the way through a career change I would've never thought possible prior to entering the program: 1. Got a great education through the Kelley Direct program. I had no intention to change careers when I began my studies, but as I developed more strategic sensibilities it occurred to me that my job may not be taking me where I wanted to go. 2. Used the IUAA's career services resources for introspective self-assessments and exploratory research into new careers and industries. 3. Took advantage of the complimentary “career strategy tune-up” when Kelley Graduate Career Services was swinging through my town to get constructive input, update my resume and craft a plan. 4. A week after I completed my studies, I saw an intriguing job opportunity on Kelley’s MBA Focus job board. 5. Leveraged the alumni network to connect with the target company. I also utilized IUAA career services' online resources for interview prep & negotiation advice. 6. 3 months later, I’m starting my dream job - and with a 40% salary increase! Thank you, KD!

Name: Jake Tamarkin
City: Brooklyn
State: NY

The True Power of a Kelley MBA

2010-11-15T14:10:00.000-08:00

What’s up KD!! I hope that this blog finds you well. Life is super hectic right now with work and school, so this blog is a welcome mind relief.

This month’s blog is going to be a little different than normal. I had a great experience recently that taught me the true power and prestige of a Kelley MBA, so I figured that I would share, especially for those of you who are thinking about joining the KD program.

As a point of honesty, I should admit, I have never really been about rankings. I do not understand them. I know they are important, but for me, it has never really been that important. And while my sister went to an Ivy League university, I still never really got what it meant to be at a prestigious institution. I blame this on being an engineer at heart. It might not be an accurate place to lay blame, but it works for me. I have always been more interested in how, how well, and if something worked, more than what is looked like while it worked. Therefore, when it comes to rankings, I had always thought that as long as I went to a moderately respected institution, it would be fine. Well, at least I did until last Friday.

I have recently decided to pursue a Ph.D in Marketing. This is in large part due to my experience in the KD program, and the awesome experience that I had in Dr. Sexton’s Strategic Marketing Management class. I happen to work at an institution that grants Ph.Ds in Marketing, and my current institution provides free tuition for employees as a benefit. After doing a little preliminary research, I was strongly interested in the Ph.D program here, especially since you can go part time, which is not always allowed in Ph.D programs across the country.

This leads us to my life changing meeting this past Friday. I met with the Ph.D. admissions chair for the Marketing department to get more information on the program. During a great meeting, I shared that I was working to finish my MBA at the Kelley School of Business, and the complete direction of the conversation changed. The professor began to recruiting me to join the program, potentially for this coming fall, assuming I am able to finish my MBA by then. After walking into the conversation hoping to be admitted, I walked out of his office believing that due to the strength of my Kelley MBA, I would potentially able to start a Ph.D. program much earlier than ever imagined.

So, for those of you who were like me, and questioned what it meant to be “Kelley Kid”, or what the prestige of the program really meant, I hope this story helps you understand – there is some influence in this Kelley brand. And for those of you potential students who are reading this blog, and questioning if the prestige is real – take it from me – it’s real. And it has the potential to change your career and your life.

Well, I hope that’s helpful KD! Until next time, I’ll catch you later.

Women In Business

2010-10-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

For the women at Kelley (and men too, if they want to be involved), the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA) is our national affiliation. We have a student chapter, and participation in this group has been a highlight of my MBA experience. Recently I returned from the annual NAWMBA Conference in Louisville, KY, and I have a few reflections that I would like to share:

Connections and community – Through NAWMBA, I have built relationships with MBA students and professionals from all over the country. These relationships go beyond simple networking or connections to a next job. I have become a part of a community, one that is growing and gaining momentum. One of my most memorable conversations from the weekend was with Jessica Berger, NAWMBA National Student Director. She gave me some great advice on a few things, and when I thanked her for the insights, she simply responded with, “Jen, you don’t need to thank me. That is why we are here.” Yes, NAWMBA is indeed a strong community and one that I am so proud to be a part of. Navigating the MBA life and figuring out a career path can be a bit daunting, but I know there is an amazing support system just a call or an email away.

Exposure to inspirational business leaders - The quality of speakers that NAWMBA brings to its events is incredible. I've never left a session disappointed (and I've been to quite a few now). This year, we got to hear from Lynn Tilton, and in 6" stilettos and “liberal” dress, she may challenge everything you think Corporate America should look like, but, wow, can this woman deliver! A banquet room packed full of students and professionals was dead silent as she spoke...everyone was hanging onto every word. And here is one of my favorite points - the further away you get from your passion and natural talents, the greater decrease you will see in your chance for success - in essence, stay true to yourself…a simple message that is too easily forgotten.

Opportunities to give back – Embodying the spirit of women empowering women, NAWMBA has found a meaningful way to reach an underserved population. Through the Shideezhi Project, approximately 30 MBA students from around the country mentor high school girls living on the Navajo Reservation. And the value of this new initiative has not gone unnoticed. At the conference, Sam’s Club/Walmart awarded scholarships to 5 mentors to pay for program-related travel costs, including a trip to the Reservation. The energy around this program and the support we received was incredible!

While my involvement in this group has certainly made my already hectic life a little busier, the professional and personal growth, the fun, and the new friendships are well worth the few missed hours of sleep!

The Importance of Giving Thanks!

2010-10-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD! I hope this blog finds you well. Things are picking up at work and with school, but the pace is manageable.

Today’s blog is actually about a topic that we don’t always get to – saying thanks. It’s funny, I have been meaning to write this blog for a couple of weeks, but much like giving thanks in general, we run out of time – and it gets put on the back burner. In fact, I want to thank a friend (Stacy Oliver) for the idea.

Well, as you take on this experience, there are several other people who are also along for the ride with you. If you have family, or friends, or a job, then you definitely know the strain on them that any academic program can cause. Moreover, while we all know that things will be better at the end, we often forget to say thanks for all of the people that are involved in making the production of getting an MBA happen. Moreover, this doesn’t even begin to include the tons of KD staffers, who are rooting for each of us to do well in our experiences, but often fade into the background over the course of our experience.

Well, for all of those people – I am saying thank you. And since this list is nowhere near comprehensive, I’m also going to say thank you right now to anyone that isn’t on it. But, here are a few people that I need to say thank you to.

Stephenie, my wife – Honey, thank you for taking the kids when I need to study, or do a conference call, and/or take a test or anything else. Thank you for being willing to enjoy this journey with me - about my crazy stories about the Economy, my Business Simulation, Six Sigma, and/or any of the other crazy things that I often love to talk about with the program. But, mostly, thank you for your support. I couldn’t have done this without you.

Erin Kilbride-Vincent – Thank you for your encouragement, information, and help with the program. I can honestly say that without your encouragement, I might not have done the things I needed in order to be in the program. You have made a difference in my life – thank you.

Lindsey Spoonmore – Thank you for your energy and welcoming attitude. I am amazed at times at the number of people that come through the conference center for trainings and in-residences. If you are half as welcoming to them as you were to our group, I’m sure that they are leaving more connected to one another and KD. Thank you.

Sheri Fella – Thank you for your passion, IU spirit, and energy. I, often, will reflect on my experience during the In-Residence program, and find myself humming the IU fight song. Between your great stories, informative classes, and willingness to challenge us, you gave us all the confidence and passion for the KD program. Thank you, and I look forward to our reunion in the Spring.

Lisa Richey-Burgis – Thank you for your patience. I seem to call with the most random requests, at the most random times, and you have always treated me with elegance and grace – even when I haven’t always deserved it. I mean, I registered, withdrew, registered, and withdrew from the same class all within a 2 day period, and you were nothing but helpful and accommodating. Thank you.

Sherry Woosley – Thank you for your confidence in me, when I didn’t have it in myself. In addition, it was your idea for me to start this MBA journey, and I, now, am seriously considering getting a Ph.D. in the field. Thank you for getting me started, and being the best mentor I could ask for.

My Co Workers – I have worked at 2 institutions since I started the program – Indiana University, and now, Southern Illinois University. I want to thank my colleagues, my supervisors, my direct reports, and my students. You all have been bored to tears with stories that start with, “I’m in this MBA program, and …”, and all the while, you have been patient with me, as I learn – the material and about myself in the process. Thank you for your support, your willingness to deal with my kooky ideas, and your encouragement. I don’t say it enough, but it means the world to me.

My Fellow KD Classmates – Since I began the KD experience a year ago, I have had tons of group projects, partners, study buddies, etc. And throughout all of my experiences, I have never been disappointed. We all come from different backgrounds, work and learning experiences, have different goals for the program, and yet – you all have been the most amazing group of academic colleagues I have ever experienced. Thank you for allowing me to learn with and from each of you. I hope that I have been able to give you a small piece of the learning that you have given me.

I hope this blog encourages you to thank those in your life that are right there along for the ride with you in this KD program.

Well, I hope that’s helpful KD! Until next time, I’ll catch you later.

Getting Easier...

2010-09-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

In my blog intro, I promised to reflect on the life of an MBA student and full-time working professional. I think I'm past due for a "how to balance it all"-specific post.

I still remember my first term, and to be completely honest, it was pretty overwhelming. Getting used to new teachers, new subject matter, and a new way of learning - all while keeping up with the day-to-day - was certainly not an easy feat. To make it all work and to push down the feeling of "what have I gotten myself into?!?", I started out with a very disciplined approach. I looked at my work for the entire week and used a planner to record what I wanted to accomplish each day. This tactic of breaking things down into smaller chunks worked very well for me. After a few weeks, I got into a groove and began to see that merging a student and professional life together was indeed very possible.

Now, it is about 1.5 years later, and I am only 4 classes away from completing my MBA and another 4 away from getting my MSSM. I can't pinpoint the exact moment, but somewhere along the way, perhaps in my 2nd term, everything just started to fit together. With each class, it became easier, more natural to find the time to get my assignments done to a high standard while still fitting in socializing time and sleep. Class no longer feels like this extra thing that I have to squeeze in; rather, it is simply a part of my day. With that said, I do believe that strong organization and discipline have remained key components to my success.

In addition, I found tools and techniques that worked well for me after a little bit of trial and error. I still use a planner to record all assignment due dates for the entire term during the first week of class. This allows me to see what I'm up against for the next 3 months and even gives me the chance to plan some small trips and other social activities. As far as actually tackling the assignments, I like to get my reading in during my lunch break and do some work each night so I have free time during the weekend. However, I know that other students prefer to do the bulk of their work over the weekends, treating Saturday and/or Sunday like a full workday. The takeaway is that there is definitely more than one way to be successful in this program; it is in the hands of each individual to find the balance that works for his/her lifestyle and priorities.

An introduction and 1st Post

2010-09-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is my first post so I thought it would be best to introduce myself. My name is Leonardo Kim, but you can call me Lenny. I am currently an owner of two small international grocery stores in Bloomington. The first store is the Oriental International Mart and the second store is the Olive Market. The first store mostly sells Arabic products. The second sells mainly Indian and Mexican products. Each store consists between 5 to 8 employees, depending on season and sales, and both are open 7 days a week. My main goal in earning an MBA is to gain strong business knowledge and tools to help build my two stores. My goal is to build my two stores not as a chain or as a supermarket but rather both as unique small specialty stores.

My background, aka other life, was in classical music. I studied at the Jacob School of Music at Indiana University in which I earned a Bachelor's in Music in violin, piano, and composition. Some of my music accomplishments was performing at the La Roque Music Festival in the South of France and studying with Jacque Israelievitch, former Concert Master of the Montreal Symphony in Canada.

My main hobbies are playing the violin, piano, and composing. I also teach violin and piano when time permits. Teaching is something I really enjoy! Other hobbies are cooking, exercising, and traveling. I have traveled several times to Japan, Korea, China, and HK.

My stress relief hobbies, which I use quite often, consist of writing in my diary, dining at nice restaurants, watching Anime, and most importantly playing games on a Playstation (i.e. Splinter Cell and Metal Gear) or a computer (i.e. Starcraft and Warcraft).

I am currently starting my 2nd year at Kelley. I cannot believe a whole year has gone by. It feels like I just started by first In-Residence. By the way, the second In-Residence is a lot less stressful than the first. For you 1st year students, you can always post questions or comments about challenges you are facing in balancing school, work, and some time for family. I will try to provide some valuable insight from my KD experience.

I have found my KD experience to be wonderful so far!!! The faculty are experts in their fields, the students are intelligent and accomplished, and the staff really try to help. Everyone and I mean everyone at Kelley wants you to succeed and wants to be there to help out in any way possible during your long challenging journey in earning an MBA. If you are considering an online program, I strongly recommend you look into Kelley Direct!!!!!

Looking forward to writing more posts!

Our Greatest Fear

2010-09-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD? I hope this blog finds you well. Life is going well, life is finally starting to calm down a little – well, at least the non-academic portion. Today is the first day of school for the KD program for the fall semester; and while I am not getting on a yellow school bus, all of the same emotions are there.

Today’s blog is actually going to deal with one of the emotions that you feel during the first day of school – fear.

One of my favorite quotes is the following quote by Nelson Mandela, by way of Marianne Williamson:

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,

but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,

gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking

so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.

It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine,

we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear,

our presence automatically liberates others.

The reason that I love this quote is because it deals with one of the major issues for people – fear of a new situation. With the start of a new school year, especially if you are coming back to school after being away for a while, it is easy to fear this upcoming semester. Furthermore, during the course of the year, as your academics get more challenging, you may begin to doubt whether or not you can actually complete the coursework.

It is during these times that I encourage you to review this poem. The Kelley Direct program only admits the best of the best applicants from all over the world. Moreover, they would not have admitted you if they did not believe that you could complete the assignments and the work.

It is also during these times that I would encourage you to lean on those people within your support network – your family, friends, fellow classmates, etc. They may not understand your respective challenges, but hopefully their belief in you will fuel your to move forward. And for those of you without that support network, you can lean on me. While I may not know you personally, as a fellow KD student, I believe in and support you. You can make it through this tough time. You can and will do great things.

Well, I hope that’s helpful and uplifting KD! Until next time, I’ll catch you later.

The Kelley Direct In-Residence Experience

2010-07-31T12:24:00.000-07:00

I'm in the airport waiting to fly back to Indiana for my second Kelley Direct In-Residence. I can't believe it has been a year since I was on the Indiana University campus for my first in-residence. My first year in the Kelley Direct MBA program has gone by fast. It has been challenging, inspiring, rewarding, and fun. As I reflect on all my experiences from my first year, I have to say my favorite part of the program was the first in-residence in Bloomington. I thought I would share some of my experiences from that in-residence in this post.

It all started with a reception dinner in the Indiana Memorial Union Hotel. We heard from leaders and professors of the program, and it was our first opportunity to meet other students.

I was so excited for the program to begin, I was the first to arrive at the classroom on the first day of classes. I knew I was surrounded by greatness when the first two students to sit next to me had each previously earned their Ph.D. in different fields. I never knew any of the people in this photo before the program, but I became friends with all of them. Three of the four people in this photo were later in groups of mine in different classes.

The professors at the Kelley Direct In-Residence were awesome. Clockwise from top left: Professor Linda Dunn-Jensen, Professor Sheri Fella, Professor Sarah "Intelligirl" Robbins, Usha Venkat, Professor Steve Hayford, and Professor Tatiana Kolovou.

The lunch breaks were a good place to enjoy some delicious food and meet other students in the program. My advice to everyone planning to attend an in-residence: take advantage of every opportunity to network.

Our cohort was broken up into teams of six. We did all case analysis, assignments, and presentations with our team. Meeting and working with my team was the highlight of the week for me. They are some of the brightest, most talented people I have had the pleasure to work with. I hope that we will all be friends the rest of our lives.

The in-residence culminated with a case competition. Here we are preparing for our presentation for the competition. It was a long night, but we stayed on schedule and did some of our best work. Most nights we were up until 1 or 2 a.m. finishing our assignments. This night was no exception.

Despite our busy schedule, we were able to get out and enjoy some of Bloomington's finer eating establishments. This night we were in the mood for Thai food.

Here's my team working on a simulation. The goal of the simulation was to get 60% buy in from the employees regarding a shift in strategy. We had to choose which tasks to perform in what order. Each task would affect the employee buy in either up or down. We got up to about 56% buy in before we ran out of time and money.

One of the funnest evenings of the week was the Kelley Direct social at Nick's English Hut. My team and I arrived in matching Kelley School of Business t-shirts. It was fun to relax and hang out with new friends without having to worry about assignments or deadlines.

Here my team is working on our assignment for a social media module. Our assignment was craft a social media policy for our fictitious company. When the company I work for posted their first social media policy earlier this year, I had to pull out my team's policy form the in-residence and see how it compared.

I am looking forward to the second in-residence. It will be different than the first because I have a better idea o f what to expect. I know many of the faculty and students who will be there. I have a year of MBA training under my belt. On the other hand, I am currently enrolled in two other courses and will I have to balance completing assignments for those classes while focusing on the workload for the in-residence. In the words of professor Kolovou, I'll have to be a "total and excellent juggler." I'm sure I'll be fine. My first year in the program has taught me that I can do it all.

A Year in Review

2010-07-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD!! I hope this blog finds you well. I am writing to finish up our double feature, as promised. Life is still busy, we have moved, and are about to move again – due to some challenging living conditions. But, we are still up beat and excited about life!

Today’s blog is some tips from my first year in the KD program. I just registered for classes for this coming fall, and it seems nuts that a year has gone by already. But, alas, it has, and with that idea, I figured that I would give you some tips as you prepare for your first year in the KD program.

Do the in-residence early!

Due to my career in education, I could not do the in-residence in August, but I really wish that I could have. I wound up doing the in-residence in February, which was great, but some of the information from the in-residence would have been handy during those first couple of quarters.

During the in-residence, you are welcomed to the Kelley Direct program, and meet many of your peers in the program. But, more importantly, you learn about ANGEL, the program your classes are in. You will also get a chance to meet a number of your professors and the other staff in the program. It was invaluable to have faces to go with names in this program – especially with everything being already distance, due to the nature of the program.

Figure out your study style.

Whether you are a person who groups assignments around certain days, or like me, someone that does a little every day, you need to figure out your study style and stick to it. I know people in the program who are successful a number of different ways, but I would advocate for doing a little every day. It makes the load more palatable, and is more manageable with a life. I have a family with two small children, so that was the only way that this was going to work for us.

If you are not sure, I would talk to colleagues in the program to see what they do. It might be a little bit of a transition moving back into school, especially if you have been out for a long time. Sometimes, getting advice can be helpful.

Understand your plan of study.

Whether you are a dual-degree student, like me, or just going for one degree, you need to make sure that you understand your class schedule. You need to especially understand what classes are offered at which times. If you don’t change your class schedule, you will be fine – but you may determine that you want to take different classes at different times.

Moreover, if you are a dual degree student, you really need to understand the plan of study, because it will allow you to take your dual degree classes to meet electives in your primary program. This is what I am doing with the MBA/MSSM degree.

Connect your class work to your everyday job.

This is the tip that is the most valuable on this entire list. Even if it is not the easiest fit, connecting your current job with your class work will make the class work much, much more interesting. I can understand if you have to strain a little to make it work, much like I had to with my job and operations management this past quarter, but you have to do your best.

If you are successful, not only will the class work seem more relative, you will be in much better position to work with other departments or individuals, as you will be able to speak their language. The best example I have of this is my experience in the finance/accounting course. My ability to get and apply those concepts made my conversations with the finance people in our department much different. They began to understand that they could not “talk over my head”. So, we greatly improved our communication – and it worked wonders.

Well, I hope that’s helpful KD! Until next time, I’ll catch you later.

The Process and Beauty of Employment

2010-07-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD!! It’s been a while since I have been able to write you. There has been a lot going on in the life. So much that – you are getting a double feature this time around! I’m going to write this blog – and am I’m going to work to get a 2nd one out to you this month.

This blog is about my job search. I just finished searching for a job in the field of Education, as I work in Housing in the University setting. My new position is an Assistant Director of Residence Life for Southern Illinois University Carbondale. In this role, I am responsible for supervising an environment that houses 1600 students. It’s going to be a great fit – I have already enjoyed my first week here.

For those of you that are looking for a new position, or a position in general, here are a few tips that I gathered during my experience that were really helpful .

Looking for a new job is a job!

Between interviewing, looking for positions, networking, following up on leads, and travelling – looking for a job became my 2nd job. It took a lot of time, dedication, and follow up to make it happen. Furthermore, you need to have multiple plans for finding a position. I have degrees in education, business, and computer science, and created plans for finding positions all three areas. If you want to move up, in, or on, you need to put time and effort into finding a position. If you are not spending 15-20 hours a week looking, then you are not really trying.

Use your contacts and networks

This is often a repeated mantra in KD, but it is so true. I got my current position, in part, because I knew the people that I was interviewing with. It helped that I’m competent, and have a great attitude, but it started because I knew the people well. If you are not looking for a job, spend the time investing in meeting and getting to know others in your field. If you are looking for a job, use those contacts that you have gathered over time to figure out how to get information about positions that might be coming open soon.

Make sure your personal brand is strong!

This is a term from my marketing course – but it means that you need to make sure that you have a good reputation throughout the interview process. You need to make sure that you look good in all forms – paper, speech, and in-person. It is a great idea to have others review your resume and/or do a mock interview with you. For this, the KD Graduate Career Services is a great help. Dave Thompson, and his staff, did a great job in helping me get ready for my search.

Be patient

It is widely believed that when you are looking for a promotion, you need to give 3-6 months to find a position. This is an extremely long time. My job search process started last November, when I concretely decided to find a new position, and finished in June when I accepted the position that I just started. That is 8 months!! Therefore, you have to understand that this is a process, which will take time to happen.

Well, I hope that’s helpful KD! Until next time, I’ll catch you later!!

A Global Network

2010-06-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from a vacation to Europe, and who did I meet while hiking through the tiny Italian coastal town of Corniglia? A fellow Kelley MBA student, of course! What luck - my boyfriend happened to be wearing the IU shirt I had bought him during my first year in-residence. As we were walking through the town, a stranger noticed the IU crimson and introduced himself. After a couple seconds of talking, we discovered we were both current Kelley MBA students. He is in the full-time program and just finished up an internship in Milan. Not a bad way to spend the summer - I'm only slightly jealous...

During my first year in-residence, I remember hearing repeatedly from the faculty and staff that Kelley has a vast alumni network. I guess they weren't kidding. We are everywhere! And I guess it also pays to stock up on as much IU gear as possible - you never know when or where you'll run into a Kelley alum!

My Love for Reading...

2010-05-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD? I hope that this blog finds you well…

Life right now is a little in limbo; I’m in the middle of a job search. But, the school year is over, so things are quiet, and after a long year – that’s a good thing.

For today’s blog, I figured that I would talk about something that’s really passionate for me – reading!! I’m a pretty voracious reader; and normally, I am reading business management books. My favorite authors are Chip and Dan Heath, Patrick Lencioni, and John Maxwell – not necessarily in that order. I figured I would share why I got into reading, how I get it done with a full time job and family, and my top 5 business management books.

I have always had a love for reading in general. It started when I was growing up with the Book IT! program at our local library. With this program, kids could read books and get credit towards a free personal pan pizza from a local Pizza Hut. This was a great program – and what little kid doesn’t love pizza?

Well, that’s what got me started reading, and after graduate school I picked up business management books. After completing my first Master’s degree, I really wanted a greater understanding of how to develop myself as an administrator and lead within an organization. I stumbled upon John Maxwell’s 21 Laws of Leadership – and a passion was set ablaze. Since then, about 10 years ago, I have read somewhere around 300-400 books on leadership and business management. In fact, I’m so addicted that I actually listen to them in the car on my way to work.

When I talk with friends, both new and old – they ask me how I get so much reading done. I’m an MBA/MSSM student, husband, father of 2 toddlers, and I work full time. Well, I leave the books in my bathroom. I commit myself to reading a chapter a day, and that’s how I get it done. I have found that the bathroom is one of the few places that people will not bother you, so I am able to really get some major reading done in that space. So, there’s my secret, lol…

As for the selection of my top 5 books, I have to admit that I have read so many that it’s hard to pick 5. However, I will give it a shot. Most of my top 5 are books that I use in my work. I have found that by using the knowledge that I gain from each of these books in some small area makes me more likely to actually remember what I read.

So, here’s my top 5:

Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath

4 Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive by Patrick Lencioni

Switch by Chip and Dan Heath

5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell

Well, there you go. I hope that you are able to get some reading done on your own!! Until next time, catch you later KD!!

Dinner With Prospective Students

2010-05-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

Terrill Cosgray, Executive Director of Kelley Direct, visited Seattle last week to host a dinner for prospective students. When asked if I would be interested in attending the dinner, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I have had a great experience working on my MBA in the Kelley Direct program so far, and I wanted to share my insights and experience with the prospective students.

The dinner was held at the Canlis Restaurant. The food was delicious, the service was phenomenal, but the best part of the evening was the great discussion we had with everyone in attendance. In addition to the prospective students, there were other current Kelley Direct students as well as alumni. It was fun to share experiences and get everyone’s perspective on the program. I really appreciated hearing the alumni speak about how the MBA they earned through Kelley Direct has helped them progress in their careers. One talked about how his degree helped him get a great promotion at Microsoft. Another other talked about how Kelley Direct Career Services helped him get a new job at Amazon.com.

I chose the Kelley School of Business because it is a highly rated business school, and the Kelley Direct program is, in my opinion, the best distance MBA program. I have been very pleased with my decision, which is good considering the significant investment I have made in the program both in terms of time and money. I am receiving an excellent education and I have already been able to apply things I have learned in my classes to my present job.

I was asked by one of the prospective students about work-life balance in the program. He wanted to know if it was really possible to take 6 credits per quarter while working full time. I told him that it can be challenging, but it is possible. Anything of value requires sacrifice. That is true of getting a quality MBA education. I have had to sacrifice sleep more than anything else. Luckily, I have the support of my family at home and my boss at work. That makes a big difference. The flexibility of the online MBA format provided by Kelley Direct fits my lifestyle and makes it easier to keep everything in balance.

I look forward to staying in touch with the people I met at the dinner. They are all a lot of fun to hang out with. I hope the information I gave the prospective students was helpful. It would be fun to see them in one of my classes in the near future.

Staying Involved, Even From a Distance

2010-04-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

When I got into Kelley, I made a promise to myself - I was going to get involved outside the classroom, build my network, and take full advantage of the fact that I was going to a top 20 business school.

This determination led me to take on the role of president for the Kelley Direct Women in Business group (KDWMBA). Through this group, I have worked closely with KD staff, collaborated with fellow students on new initiatives, and even traveled a bit. I went to Indiana in the fall of 2009 to meet the new first years and talk about my KD experiences, attended an MBA conference in California last October, and participated in the NAWMBA leadership retreat in Utah this past weekend. NAWMBA, a not-for profit dedicated to "empowering women MBAs in order to propel more women into leadership positions in corporate America and to enhance the diversity of the nation's workforce", is KDWMBA’s national affiliation and an organization I am proud to be a part of (bit.ly/NAWMBA).

The retreat last weekend was an incredible experience! I spent three days at a resort & spa surrounded by snow-capped mountain with some truly inspirational MBA students and professional women from around the country (yes, that picture to the left is of the view from my room!). We attended numerous workshops, learned about leadership and how to leverage our strengths, and participated in networking events that allowed us to build strong connections with one another.

I am so happy that I kept that promise to myself, as my experience at Kelley has been so enriched by my involvement with KDWMBA and NAWMBA. Of course, at the time, I didn't know that "being involved" would mean getting a facial at a spa in Utah, but who am I to question the small surprises in life?

Teamwork

2010-04-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

Working in teams is an important part of most MBA programs. This is certainly true in the Kelley Direct distance MBA program. One of the things that I have enjoyed most about the Kelley Direct experience so far is the interaction I have had with fellow students and especially the team members I have worked with in each class.

Teamwork starts in the first in-residence on campus where everyone is assigned a team with whom they do all of the class work, presentations, etc. My team at the in-residence (pictured above) was awesome. They are all very intelligent and brought unique perspectives from their diverse professional backgrounds. We worked hard, but we also had a lot of fun together. I learned a lot from each of them.

For students who are new to the Kelley Direct distance MBA program, here are a few suggestions for forming teams:

Networking

Take advantage of every opportunity to network. Get to know as many people in the program as possible. That way you will know who you would want to work with in future classes. The best place to start this is during the in-residences. I made an effort to meet as many people as possible at my first in-residence in Bloomington. Most of the people I have chosen for my teams are people I met at the in-residence.

When I was deciding between MBA programs last year, I sought input from a current Kelley Direct student. He gave me really good insight into the program and great advice on how to be successful. He highlighted the importance of networking at the in-residences:

“As you move forward, you have friends in the program (which is good because there tends to be a lot of group work interaction) who have each others' back and that comes in very important! Through email and Skype calls, cell phones and Facebook pages, I am in constant contact with my classmates. The interaction, support, and camaraderie are wonderful.”

Time Zones

Consider the impact of time zones. Coordinating schedules can be difficult because everyone in the program has a full-time job as well as other responsibilities. Finding a time when everyone is available for a team meeting poses a unique challenge in an online MBA program because the students can reside all over the world.

In my Economics class, I choose teammates who live on the west coast like I do. Since we were all in the Pacific Time Zone, coordinating schedules was a little easier. My Marketing professor put us in teams based on our time zone too. Same-time-zone teams can be helpful for scheduling, but time zone should not be the only criteria in forming a team. Some of the strongest teams I have had were with teammates who live on the other side of the country.

Diversity

Choose teammates with complimentary skills. Some of my most effective groups were with teammates whose strengths complimented my weaknesses or lack of experience. If you have less experience in a particular subject, it can help to have someone on the team whose area of expertise is that subject. My team in my Finance class was very successful, in part because we had someone who worked in the financial industry. The Kelley Direct student body is very diverse, both culturally as well as professionally. Utilize that diversity in your teams.

MBA for the Family Man/Woman

2010-04-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Many people want to get an MBA but come up with lots of reasons not to go after it. Some say it’s not worth the money; the ROI doesn’t make any sense! Others know they want to get it because they desire the knowledge but find it difficult to justify for that reason alone. The majority those who are nearing 30+ years old find it difficult to tackle because they feel they are on a particular path already and aren’t committed to getting another degree. They are too busy with life and, for many people, the family they have begun to build. I delayed my MBA for all of these reasons. I began by getting a masters in engineering but knew my ultimate goal was to complete my MBA. I finished my MSE and was not very motivated to continue my education from a time perspective. I had a new daughter and didn’t see how I could fit it all into my life. I decided to give it a year or so and see what my thoughts were at that time. As time went on, I realized my original goal of obtaining my MBA was even more important to me. So I decided to apply to Kelley Direct and was accepted. During my 3rd quarter of the program, my 2nd child was born. It was amazing to be able to continue my education while having a new child and really not miss out on any of my schooling. With the flexibility of the classes offered by Kelley Direct, you can manage major life changes while keeping up with your studies. It was not uncommon for me to be awake at random hours of the night taking care of kids or taking care of class work. It may sound like a lot but anyone can accomplish this. For me, there was no better way to continue to enhance my learning and progress my career while balancing life events. Kelley Direct provides an outstanding education from one of the best business schools in the country with the flexibility needed for a family oriented professional.

KD and Financial Aid

2010-04-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

What’s up KD? I hope that this message finds you well.

It’s been a month – so I figured I’d drop in, and say hello. Things for me are going okay, just busy. I’m in the middle of looking for a new job, working my old job, being a parent, and being a KD student. So, as you can imagine – I have really appreciated the flexibility of KD this past month.

As for this blog, I figure that I would give you some advice on financial aid – since it’s that time of the year. Right now, I pay for KD with a combination of employee contributions and federal loans. It is a good package – not the best, but I am definitely grateful for all of the support that I get.

I know that if any of you are like me, you wondered how you would be able to pay for an MBA – especially if your company doesn’t pay for it. Here are a couple of things to know that have been helpful for me.

Fill out a FAFSA.

I know that some people are nervous about the debt that can come from 2 years of college loans. But, it’s a really good investment. I’m only one year into my program – and I have learned about million things that have made me more marketable for promotions and given me other career options.

To fill out a FAFSA, go to fafsa.gov. They have all the information there. It can be done all online, takes about 20 minutes, and can take a lot of the financial burden of your MBA.

Talk to your Human Resources Department.

A lot of people do not talk to Human Resources for a number of reasons – but remember, they are there for you. There may be a number of programs that your company has that will pay for all or a portion of your MBA (or other degree).

The other thing to know is that their contributions to your MBA could be viewed as taxable income. Make sure that you get all the information about the contribution plan before you sign up.

Understand your financial award.

You may wind up being award more money per quarter than you actually need for your costs per quarter. This money will come back to you as a refund. I know that for me, I need that refund amount to get my books and other school costs.

If you can afford it, it would suggest that you reduce your award to make it stretch further. Once you run out of loans for the year, you have to pay the rest, which may mean that you are not able to take classes for a quarter.

Well, those are just my tips. I hope that you find them helpful. Until next time, I’ll catch you later KD.

Not Just an Online MBA

2010-04-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

When I started the Kelley Direct distance learning MBA program, I had no doubt that I would be getting a high quality education. Kelley is, after all, a top-tier business school. Even so, the KD program has surpassed all my expectations. The classes are very engaging, challenging, require lots of teamwork, and are structured to emphasize real-world application of the material. Add to this the in-residence weeks, and "online MBA" doesn't even come close to describing the experience I've had so far.

There are two in-residences built into the Kelley Direct program, and each is a week-long, 1.5 credit class held on the beautiful IU campus in Bloomington, IN. I recently returned from my second in-residence, the one that marked the start to my final year as an MBA student, provided valuable face-to-face time with fellow classmates, and deepened my connection with Kelley and IU.

My 2nd year in-residence week was packed full of lectures, team projects, and networking events. The days were long and exhausting, but Kelley's "work hard/play hard" culture consistently shined through. Each morning began with a group breakfast followed by a day full of lectures. Now, I realize that eight hours of lectures may not sound even remotely appealing, but each class session was so engaging and entertaining that I had no trouble staying focused. Over the course of the week, we were taught by four professors and every single one had a terrific sense of humor, practical knowledge that made us eager to learn, and a remarkable ability to capture and keep our attention. I can say, without any hesitation, that I absolutely loved the lectures and interactions with my professors and classmates. Eight hours go by quickly when you're laughing (and learning) the whole time.

Teamwork is a big part of the KD program, and the in-residence is no exception. So, after a day of lectures, we typically had a team assignment due by the next morning. However, unlike in the 1st year in-residence, we were now experienced MBA students. We had an entire year of classes under our belts, were equipped with new skills, and were able to tackle assignments confidently and efficiently. Case studies - no problem! It was very rewarding to see how much I had learned since the start of the MBA program and to know that, just one year later, I was so much more effective at completing these difficult assignments.

We also had quite a bit more time to socialize and network than during the 1st year in-residence. After all, we had survived an entire year of classes, and our reward, the chance to explore Bloomington and strengthen relationships with one another, was well-deserved! Our evenings included a dinner at Assembly Hall, a formal dinner with faculty and staff, a social night at Nick's, and multiple team dinners at some of the local restaurants. One day we even had a special guest speaker, Marshall Goldsmith, a former Kelley alumnus who was in town to be honored at the IU Business Conference (bit.ly/99Ouq9). A New York Times best-selling author, Marshall shared some of the lessons he teaches to executives around the world, gave us a copy of two of his books, and even stayed late to do a book signing. This was an added bonus to an already fantastic week!

The in-residence weeks are such an invaluable part of the KD program. Yes, it is hard to take off work and leave family and friends for a solid week of class. Yes, the week is incredibly demanding and exhausting, requiring an intense amount of focus and creativity. The ability to balance personal, professional, and student life is undeniably a challenge. However, it is possible, and it is very much worth it.

Networking Reception with Louis Jordan & Wayne Winston

2010-03-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Kelley Direct students always talk about the sense of community they feel in the program. I have found that it extends beyond just the distance MBA program. I have enjoyed being part of the Kelley School of Business community. I try to attend any Indiana University or Kelley School of Business activity that is held in my home town of Seattle.

I had the opportunity to attend a Kelley School of Business alumni networking event last week hosted by Louis Jordan and featuring Wayne Winston. Mr. Jordan earned an MBA in finance from the Kelley School in 1980 and has had a distinguished career in finance. He currently serves as Senior Vice President – Finance for Starbucks Coffee Company. Dr. Winston is a professor of Operations and Decision Technologies at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

I enjoyed the event. It was fun to see how many Kelley School alumni currently live in the Seattle area. It was also inspiring to hear Mr. Jordan speak. The highlight of the evening was Professor Winston. I had followed him on Twitter and I occasionally check out his web site, WayneWinston.com to see how he uses math and metrics to predict the winner of sporting events.

Several of the people in attendance at the event had attended Professor Winston's MBA classes as students. It was interesting to see how beloved he is by his former students.

As if the evening wasn't exciting enough, I won a copy of Professor Winston's book, Mathletics: How Gamblers, Managers, and Sports Enthusiasts Use Mathematics in Baseball, Basketball, and Football. Professor Winston even signed the book for me. I look forward to reading it, but I won't have time until the current quarter ends. I have more than enough to read right now for my Marketing, Operations, and Supply-Chain Management classes.

The Decision

2010-03-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say that I love the path I am on right now. For me, getting my MBA and MSSM while working full-time just makes sense. It is so rewarding to know that I am gaining marketable and practical skills on an almost daily basis and that I can apply these skills immediately to my current position. However, I have to admit that up until about 1.5 years ago, getting an MBA was never one of my goals. In fact, I never even considered it. The thought never crossed my mind. And then one day it did.

Now that I am in this distance learning MBA program, the decision seems so obvious. But this wasn't always the case. It took me awhile and quite a few different experiences to fully realize my passion for managing projects and cross-functional teams, developing new products, and working with intelligent people to solve difficult problems. I also realized that while I didn’t want my lack of a business degree to limit my career (I have a B.S. in biology), I didn’t want to become a full-time student again. When I found out that flexible MBA programs exist and that I could earn my degree from a top university without having to quit my job or move, I was sold.

Within a 3 month period, I decided that I was going to get my MBA, took the GMAT, researched schools, applied, and got accepted. During this whole process, I knew that if I was going to make the investment (time and money), I wanted to go to the best school possible. So, when I got into Kelley, there was nothing left to decide. I had the chance to attend a top business school without putting my career on hold, and I was going to take it. I was going to become a Hoosier.

Now it's one year later. My time as an MBA student has flown by. So far the experience has been challenging, fun, frustrating, rewarding, exhausting, inspiring, and more - all the things that you would except to feel when you do something worthwhile. And this most certainly is worthwhile.

Hey, Kelley Direct!!

2010-03-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hey Kelley Direct!!

I hope this blog finds you well. My name is Emery Jordan, and I am a first year student in the Master of Business Administration/Masters of Strategy Management program. I, actually, also work at Indiana University in the department of Residential Programs and Services as a Residence Manager. In this role, I directly and/or indirectly supervisor close to 40 people, a budget of $4 million, and creating a positive healthy living environment for the residents of my area.

I actually already have Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. I decided to go back to get my MBA at Kelley for a few reasons. First, I had always dreamed of getting an MBA – but my career path dictated a different initial Master’s degree. Since I worked at one of the best MBA granting institution in the country – I figured it was a no brainer to try to get on from here.

Second, the online KD program is really convenient for my lifestyle. I am also married with two wonderful children – Jalen (2 years old) and Gabriella (11 months old). So, having the flexibility to do work at my own pace during a week was extremely important. Moreover, my job is very time demanding at different times of the year for long stretches – so the added flexibility was a necessity.

Finally, I really believe that getting an MBA would help me in any career that I was interested in. Working in higher education now, it gives me a great foundation for understanding how to apply business principles in this field. While the natural ties between the business world and higher education are hidden, we are work with millions of dollars, plan for the long term future of an organization, and/or deal with supervision of several people and groups of people, among other things – all business issues. Moreover, I really loved the options that it gave me for working outside of the field of higher education. I am really starting to understand myself and my interests much better through the lens of this experience.

Outside of MBA stuff, I am an avid reader and athlete. I especially love weightlifting and basketball – they do a good job of helping me work off some of the desserts that I love to eat. As for reading, I love business management texts – and I’m sure that I talk about them a lot in the blog, I’m always reading something.

Well, this is my first ever blog and it was fun. I look forward to sharing my experience with you all out there in internet land…

Catch you later, KD.

The First Bill

2010-03-12T13:51:00.000-08:00

Nothing can really prepare you for the first bill you get when finally start your MBA program. It is a time of thoughtful reflection for sure as you work through the loan paperwork or dip into hard earned savings. However, as I was recently paying that first bill of mine, I realized that my experience in Kelley Direct was already starting to pay off.

After a very long, but engaging week at my first in-residence (C511 Organizational Development and Change), I returned to work to find a number of projects and assignments in a state of disarray, including a very large project where I am the technical adviser and a key stakeholder. Initially dismayed at missing a week and seeing such an important project fall even further behind, I met with some other members of the steering committee to see what needed to be done to get things back on track. As we began to discuss the issues, it was quite an exciting feeling to realize that the tactics and strategies I had just learned about from Prof. Sheri Fella were very applicable to my current dilemma. And, instead of continuing down what would very likely have been a path of failure, I was able to apply the techniques Prof. Fella had shared with us to the change process this project was trying to manage. Long story short, instead of weeks, even months, of fruitless work, mounting frustrations, and loss of interest, I was able to diagnose and recommend actions that have immediately put the project back on track, renewed interest and energized the project team, saving us a significant amount of time and money.

Why was I able to have this impact? At Kelley Direct, you learn from the best faculty of any business university online. Not only do they really know the academic side of business, but they have amazing real world experience. Sure, I could have chosen another part time MBA college at a fraction of the cost and likely have covered the same theories and subject matter. But world-class faculty make a difference, and that is where Kelley Direct has really distinguished themselves from other online MBA colleges. Prof. Fella was not only one of the most engaging instructors I have ever had, she was excellent at making sure we all understood how to take the material she was presenting and turn it into something concrete and actionable. Being able to immediately act on what you are learning is definitely key to making it pay, and is why I am glad I chose Kelley Direct. Plus, paying that first bill was a lot easier knowing that I had already used what I had learned to save my organization time and money, earning some much valued career credits along the way.

The Workload at Kelley Direct

2010-03-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

My grandfather recently posed a question to me in an email. He wrote:

I would like to hear about the program for your Master Business Administration degree. My experience in grad school was that many of the professors felt that their course was the only one we took so they seemed to load us up on things to do outside class. This is not a problem for you? What do you experience?

I don't know about other Online MBA Universities, but I would say that the faculty completely respects our time. As a distance learning program, 100 percent of the students in my cohort have full-time jobs (in addition to spouses, children, pets, hobbies, etc). The faculty seems to understand the competing demands in our lives. Through the technology we use, the professors routinely poll us as to the best time to conduct virtual office hours or conduct live lectures.

So do they ‘load up’ on us? Only to the point where we learn the material. Many of the classes have group assignments so we can ‘divide and conquer’ and rely on each other’s skill sets to enhance our learning. For example, I just got off of a video conference call with my Econ C530 group and one of my team members is a financial analyst. He led the discussion on net present value and answered many the group’s questions. I believe the three of us would have struggled had it not been for the fourth’s subject matter expertise.

The professors themselves are available anytime through email (with a response time between two and 24 hours). My econ professor offered to meet with me in person (as I am local to Indianapolis) should I have trouble with some of the concepts (and by concepts I mean calculus … what is a derivative of a function, you ask? Me, too).

So far, I have been completely satisfied with the workload in my first two classes. I am feel that I will be able to earn my business degree online without sacrificing my family or work.

Yes, Your GMAT Score Matters

2010-02-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

The Kelley Direct Online MBA program (unlike many other Distance MBA Programs) requires applicants to take the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test). It is a critical portion of your application for a couple of reasons.

The first is that it is one of the few portions of your application that you can control. You cannot change your undergraduate transcripts (unless you have deep pockets, know the registrar and have no morals - if this is you, please apply elsewhere; the Kelley School doesn't need you). You can't change your work history or your accomplishments. Your GMAT score is something you can control.

The second is that it your score is important. I lost count of how many times the faculty mentioned our cohort's GMAT average (it climbed 10 points from the previous year). Your score is not everything, but it is something. The GMAT is an objective measure about how you perform against your peers. Don't get me wrong, I have yet to be asked in any of my MBA classes a standard GMAT work rate question. But, it shows that you have the motivation to learn (re-learn?) skills and apply them in a time-constrained environment. Further, it demonstrates to the admissions staff that you have the ability to operate autonomously (which is what an Online Masters in Business requires).

So what do you do? Buy a book. Get on Amazon.com and buy ONE study guide (I used the official GMAT book, but I think any would do). Start going through the practice problems. Identify ones you are struggling with (work problems, for example). If your book doesn't do a good job of explaining how to solve them, search for additional resources online. There are (literally) hundreds of free sites with additional practice problems, tricks on how to solve different types of problems, and strategies for the exam itself. Once you are confident, take one of the two practice tests that the GMAC (the folks that run the GMAT) provides when you sign up for the test. This will give you a good judge of how you are progressing.

Then, keep practicing. I say that because I was reviewing practice questions the morning of the exam and one that I reviewed was almost identical to a problem on the actual test.

So, study up. Remember that no one cares that you will can figure out the amount of water in a cylinder that is 4 feet high, has a diameter of 2 feet and is 60 percent full. What they do care about is that you are motivated enough to a) prove that you are smart enough to learn it b) demonstrate that you can learn it on your own and c) prove that you have learned it in the form of a standardized test. It is these characteristics that separate Kelley Direct students from those enrolled at other online distance MBA programs.

As soon as you are accepted, your score no longer matters to anyone. But until that point, it matters a whole lot.

Doug Huber is a first-year MBA student enrolled in the Kelley Direct program at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. You can read more about Doug here.

The Online Classroom Experience

2010-01-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

Before starting the Kelley Direct Distance MBA program, I was curious about how the online classroom experience would compare to a traditional classroom experience. I was hoping to be able to have a high level of interaction with my professors and fellow students despite the distance MBA school format.

The Kelley Direct program offers a unique way to attend online MBA classes. The instructors utilize software to broadcast the class to the students via the internet. This way, students from all over the world can hear the professor's voice as he or she presents the material, and students can ask questions and provide input either using a microphone or the online chat feature.

What I found is that not only is this format very convenient to my busy schedule, allowing me to attend lectures anytime from anywhere, it also mirrors the way we do business. In my current job, I am always collaborating with employees in remote offices across the country. In fact, I rarely attend a meeting that doesn't have either a conference line or some sort of Adobe Connect/WebEx/Live Meeting component to allow collaboration with remote employees. I'm sure that the trend to use remote communication solutions rather than in-person meetings will continue as corporate budgets tighten and travel costs increase. It's nice to be a part of an MBA program that reflects the way business is done in the technical age.

I have my computer set up with dual monitors. That way I can view the class broadcast on one screen while I follow along with another application (such as Excel) on the other screen. This was particularly effective in my C520 Quantitative Analysis class, which I took fall semester. We used Excel extensively for regression analysis, forecasting, simulation modeling, and linear programming.

One of the great things about the lecture broadcasts is that they are recorded so they can be viewed any time if students are unable to attend the live lecture. I usually go back and review the lecture recordings to make sure I haven’t missed any important concepts.

Here is a screenshot of a broadcast of my C520 class:

Winter Break

2009-12-27T13:15:00.000-08:00

On "winter break" from my one class this semester, C521 - Managing Accounting Information for Decision Making with Prof. Eric Johnson. This gives me a chance to catch my breath, as I feel with work, school, and family (and oh yeah, studying for the CPA), I've been going full throttle for the past few months.

I'm well into my third Kelley Direct class, and thus far everything is going great. Fall semester, Quantitative Analysis (C520) was an amazing class. Profs. Venkat, Cutshall, and Soni did a great job, and exceeded my expectations going into the class. In fact, going into it I thought "hey, I'm an excel expert and if I have one strength, it's my analytical ability, so this class should be a breeze". I was dead wrong, not only did I find myself rethinking how I view excel, I even found the class more challenging that some math and stats classes I had while in engineering school. I did well in the class in the end, and consider myself changed in the way I view excel and the way I think about certain problems.

I'm going to use this break from class to try to get caught up on work, get a good head start on studying for the next part of the CPA (2 of 4 done), and try to get ahead on C521 readings.

Insight - Keys to a Successful Application

2009-11-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

Whenever I speak with prospective students I get the question, "What are you looking for in a successful application?" I always appreciate this question as it allows me to have a dialog with the prospective student about what the Kelley School of Business expects from it's students and just as important, what they should expect from the Kelley School of Business. Selecting an online MBA/MS program is a two way street and we understand it is just as important for you to evaluate us as it is for us to evaluate you. With that being said, here is insight into the Admissions Review Committee's expectations from our future online MBA/MS students:

We review the transcripts from your degree programs. We look at the courses you took and how you performed in your upper level courses. You are not disadvantaged if you haven't taken any business courses in your previous degrees. We look at overall quality and improvement in performance. We do encourage our students who have not had an accounting or statistics course within the last 5 years with a B or higher to take our accounting and statistics Primers. These two foundation courses will help you achieve success in your courses.

We review your years of work experience, types of positions you have held and look for upward mobility within your resume. If you haven't been promoted, you can strengthen your application by taking on additional responsibilities within your current position. With this, we read your letters of reference to add value to experiences and help us understand what value you will add to our incoming cohort.

We review your complete GMAT score. We look at quantitative and verbal scores as well as when you took the GMAT and how often. Our average GMAT is usually around 630. Although the GMAT is not the only aspect of the application we evaluate, it is an important component. Please study and prepare before you take the GMAT. We find too many students go into the test without preparation and are disappointed with their scores. This is the part of your application you have the most control over, please take it seriously. It is not unusual for us to see a strong application but a weak GMAT. Often times, we may ask an applicant to retake the GMAT for further consideration.

Finally, we review the application itself, including your personal statement. This is where you get to sell yourself to the committee. We want you to tell us what we don't know about you from reading the rest of your application. Why do you want your MBA/MS degree and how will earning it online assist you in reaching your goals? This is also an opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills, so please proof read before submitting.

Again, you are not alone during this process. Our staff are here to assist you through the application process. We believe the Kelley School of Business offers the best distance MBA and MS programs and want you to be prepared to enter into this new stage in your life. Earning your MBA/MS online will require time management, commitment to studying, and putting your best foot forward. Your application should be no different.

If you have any other questions about any of our online MBA/MS requirements, please feel free to contact us at http://www.blogger.com/kdirect@indiana.edu

Living the Dream

2009-11-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

What does it mean to “live the dream”? It means to achieve your goals, to accomplish everything you have set out to accomplish. It means to have it all and do it all. Living the dream can be a challenge for most of us because we have conflicting goals. For example, my major life goals include raising a family, having a successful career, and earning a master of business administration degree. Why are those goals conflicting? They are all competing for my time, the scarcest resource I have. I have a beautiful wife and two young sons. I love to spend time with them, but I have missed many meals and important family activities because of my hectic work schedule.

Earning an MBA has always been one of my biggest goals, but as I have progressed in my career and my family responsibilities have increased, I began to think that I had missed the window of opportunity. I finally decided that 2009 was the year to get into business school and make my dream a reality. The challenge was to find a business school that met all of my criteria. I wanted to attend a highly ranked university that would provide a top-notch education. I also wanted a program that would give me the flexibility to meet the obligations of my current job and not become a stranger to my family.

A friend of mine at work clued me in to the fact that there are several top universities across the country that offer distance MBA programs. This opened a whole new realm of possibilities for me. I became obsessed with finding the best online MBA program. I learned that there are several online business colleges, but I was only interested in an AACSB accredited online MBA program. Ultimately one program stood head and shoulders above the rest—the Kelley Direct program from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

I am now in my first year in the Kelley Direct program, and I'm living the dream. I'm getting a great education at one of the best business schools in the nation, and I haven't had to put the rest of my life on hold. I didn’t have to leave my job to attend business school, and I have the flexibility to work on my studies at my convenience so I don’t have to become a stranger to my family.

--Kelly

505 Miles from Bloomington

2009-11-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

It's a Tuesday morning in early November, the day before Veterans Day in the US, about 10am in the morning, I'm in Richmond, VA, and I'm attending class for an MBA program that is in the Top 15.

Now while Richmond, VA certainly has some fine schools, Virginia Commonwealth University (my undergraduate Alma Mater) and University of Richmond, they are not top 15 MBA programs, at least according to the latest Business Week rankings. Just a decade or so ago, if I wanted to attend a top MBA program, living full-time in Richmond, VA would have been physically impossible. I would have had to quit work, uproot my family, and leave the city I love, to move somewhere else for a few years of my life. Quite honestly, I don't know if it would have happened.

Fast forward to 2009, and the concept of online education has taken off, most notably by the "for profit" schools that we always see advertising on TV (which please do not confuse with prestigious schools that are venturing into online education. And while a lot of lower tier business schools have started rolling out an online curriculum, the top 15 to 20 or so MBA programs have been very slow, except the Kelley school at Indiana. Last year about this time I started looking at options for an MBA, trying to find a program that would allow me to work full-time, stay in Richmond, and at the same time feel that I was getting the best education I could. There were some local choices (UR, VCU, and even Virginia Tech who does a remote site MBA here in Richmond), and some online choices (Penn State, Arizona State, Indiana). However, no matter how I analyzed the programs (reputation, price, flexibility), Indiana was my top choice (and I'm a very analytical person). I applied to Indiana first, with all others as possible seconds. I was accepted, and began the program in August of 2009.

Now, at this point I am only a few months into the program, and I can honestly say that there has been no regrets. In fact, I have been blown away by the quality of the program. I have spent literally the past decade in college (working full-time while getting my undergraduate, and a masters in accounting also), so I have taken my fair share of college courses, and the 2 classes I have taken so far in the Kelley Direct program, even though I am attending class from 505 miles away, easily rank in the top 5 of all classes I've taken.

I admit, I was skeptical at first of exactly how the "online thing" would work. But it works incredibly well, and without a lot of the noise and distractions of a typical classroom.

Hopefully this blog, and the other Kelley Direct student blogs, will help to distinguish the Kelley Direct program from others. I will continue to write of my experiences in the program in hopes that it will help future students determine if the KD program is the right choice for them.

Kelley Direct Online MBA: Kelley Faculty

2009-11-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

In a previous post I talked about the quality of a Kelley degree and why I consider Kelley Direct one of the best online mba programs. I want to spend a little more time talking about our faculty and why learning from these industry thought leaders will help you in your career.

It would probably be best to start with the awards the Kelley faculty has won. Our Kelley faculty has consistently been ranked among the elite teaching faculty in the world. Here is a list of some their achievements:

Ranked 7th in the nation on faculty scholarship by The Chronicle of Higher Education

Ranked 4th among public universities and 18th in the nation for having the most frequently downloaded research publications, according to a recent Social Science Research Network (SSRN) study

Served on more than 30 corporate boards

Published more than 2,000 articles in more than 300 leading business journals and 200 books

Won more than 150 research awards and 300 teaching awards

Received three Faculty Fulbright Scholarships

The instructors that teach in Kelley Direct are dedicated to taking their teaching excellence and applying it to our online MBA program. Students who are looking to earn a MBA online will find that the quality of the faculty is extremely important to their success in an online mba program. Our faculty are assigned instructional designers and course consultants to ensure that their course use the latest technology to help deliver the content.

Many people who are considering a distance MBA program or online mba program often have some concern about the exposure that they will have with their professors; KD faculty pride themselves on their interaction with their students.

Here is video about student and professor interaction in KD:

Insight- Not all Online MBA and MS degrees Are Equal

2009-11-04T12:52:00.000-08:00

Not all MBA and MS degrees are equal and online graduate business education is no exception. You need to do your homework and decide how you want to invest in your future. If you are considering online degree programs, I have two questions every prospective student should ask when considering an online MBA or MS degree.

1. Is the Business School AACSB accredited? This is the largest difference between all of the online schools offering virtual degrees (University of Phoenix and Devry) and those that are given by established 'bricks and mortar' institutions such as Indiana University and Duke University. Only about 30% of business schools are AACSB accredited and even fewer of that 30% offer an online MBA or MS degree program. AACSB accredited schools also require the GMAT.

2. Who is doing the teaching online? I get this question from a number of prospective students and I encourage you to ask this question to any online business degree program you are considering. Who is teaching? Having courses taught by the same faculty who teach in the business school's residential program is essential to a high-caliber and rigorous degree program and more attractive to top companies and executive recruiters.

Remember, you are investing in your future! Choose wisely!

Distance Education MBA Program with Connections: In-Residence Experience

2009-10-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

I often get questions from prospective online mba students about our in-residence requirement. I want to take a moment to talk about the in-residence and its importance to a student's learning experience.

All of our degree programs require an in-residence experience. The Kelley Direct in-residence takes place over the span of one week (5 days) on the Bloomington, Indiana campus. During this week students are oriented into Kelley Direct and Indiana University, learn about our course delivery technology and meet with other students.

The in-residence is the students’ opportunity to connect with Indiana University as a whole. Although students are usually pursuing a distance MBA program this week allows them the chance to visit the campus and attend on campus events. All students receive IU identification cards and have full access to the IU bookstore.

This week is not just a week-long orientation; students take a 1.5 credit course toward their degree. The basis of the course is about organizational change, and students are put into groups to complete assignments and compete in a case competition. In actuality, the week is pretty intense and many students stay up into the early morning hours working on course work.

I think the in-residence is a great benefit for individuals considering their local part time MBA program. The in-residence helps to bridge the gap between those two experiences.

The biggest advantage of in-residence is the networking opportunities. Each evening students are provided an opportunity to network with the entire incoming class. Many strong relationships have been built during in-residence and many students team up with other students to take classes together throughout their MBA/MS experience.

Overall, the in-residence is a way to bring people together who are considering distance MBA programs or an online MBA school.

Learn more about In-residence here: http://kd.iu.edu/aboutkd/inresidence.htm

The World-Renowned Kelley Online MBA Degree through Kelley Direct

2009-10-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome my first Kelley Direct blog post. I thought it would be best to talk about our world-renowned degree and a little bit about our history.

Kelley Direct's distance MBA programs began in 1999 as an innovative way to provide the opportunity to earn a Kelley graduate degree for high-caliber working professionals no matter where they work or live.
As one of the top online MBA programs, Kelley Direct offers the highest quality AACSB accredited online MBA available today. In fact, Kelley Direct is the only top 20 business school that offers an online MBA, online degree in finance, and online degree in global supply chain management.

I will talk about our faculty in more depth in a future post but one of the things that makes the Kelley School of Business so highly ranked in our top flight and award winning faculty. Kelley Direct courses are taught by Kelley faculty; the same faculty that teach in the Full-Time and Evening MBA programs.

We consider ourselves to be leaders in business education online, and over 800 students have already earned a Kelley degree through Kelley Direct. Check out this video if you want to learn more.