Undergraduate Experience

From Kelley Indianapolis' Kyle Hickey, Marketing, Supply Chain and International Studies - Class of 2012

Surprisingly, over the past four years I have never really thought about what the last day of my undergraduate degree would look like. However, the past few months I have had many thoughts about this coming day and what it will most likely look like. One thing I do know is there will be many emotions wrapped up on commencement day.

Putting on my cap and gown the day of commencement will be the beginning to a very special day. I picture commencement day where my family, best friends, and Kelley staff and faculty will be there to celebrate with me. I know there will be many “thank yous” passed out from my side for all the people who have helped me get to where I am now and who I know will help me in the future.

I also look forward to being with my friends and seeing them walk across the stage. These friends have been my closest for the last four years, and it makes me really happy to be graduating with them. When studying got hard, when writing didn’t come, when relaxing was needed, when laughing was a must, and when lecturing got dry – my friends were always there for me.

My family, who I know is so proud of me, also will be there to celebrate with me. It truly humbles me to think of what my parents have sacrificed and done to help me complete these four years. I know that they are really proud, and it means the world that they will be there to congratulate me. Walking across the stage will signify one very important phase of life coming to a close and the beginning of a new, exciting phase of life. Commencement day will be one of the happiest days of my life.

From Kelley Indianapolis' Kyle Hickey, Marketing, Supply Chain and International Studies - Class of 2012

This semester has come to a close as will my undergraduate experience here at Kelley. Thoughts have been racing through my mind such as: registering for classes, buying a parking permit, finding the best deal on books, and seeing which friends are going to be in my classes. However, there is not going to be another semester. I graduate in a couple of days. It is a strange, bizarre, yet exciting realization all at the same time. Reflecting over the past four years has been limited due to taking 17 credit hours, working a part-time job, working as an intern, and juggling friends. Now that it is all over, I want to reflect on some of the most memorable and valuable experiences I have had at Kelley Indianapolis.

Because IUPUI is a commuter school, some students don’t make new friends and connections. Some are satisfied with their existing high school friends. Others simply come to school to get a degree. A degree, to me, is much more than just a sheet of paper saying I have completed something–it has a much deeper and lasting importance.

I-Core was my first Kelley experience about which I was really excited and proud to be a Kelley student. Through this experience I was able to connect with my three group members in a way that is unexplainable. Each of us had a distinct personality, along with special skills, that enabled us to work together and come up with the best possible plan for the organization we worked with. These group members are like family now and I would do anything for them.

Yes, I know all of you have had group members that do not contribute their parts, but for the ones you really do connect with, hold on to and never let them go. You are going to be out in the real world very soon working with a group of people, make the most of it and hear their input and recommendations. If you listen to them, they will listen to you. I have learned so much respect for others throughout my four years at Kelley by being in so many group settings.

As college students, we see Kelley professors and staff as people we can’t relate to. We think they live completely different from us. This is how I saw them for my first year or so. However, I realized they are people who understand college students the best, and they can relate to me in so many ways. Once I was struck by this realization, I began to actually build relationships with my professors and staff by talking and listening to their advice. Now that graduation has come around, I am so thankful for the relationships and connections that have been built with so many Kelley professors and staff. They only want the best for each of you, so take time to talk and relate to them. They will be there for you after your days at Kelley are over.

Finals are over! Although, I am still waiting to see what I recieved on my A311 final; I am pretty happy with the rest. To me, after finals week my brain feels like a bowl of oatmeal. I really don't think it's the test itself that makes it feel that way, but rather the anticipation of it and the week and a half of doing nothing but studying before it. Overall, I'm glad its over and I will not have another final until December. Hooray!

Now, I am one of the lucky ones to have the summer off. Anyone else? What are your plans? For me, I'm working at Brown County State Park for the summer, doing some much needed landscaping, and attending two summer leadership programs that I got accepted to through Kelley Careers.

The first is this week with BKD. I'm very excited to meet many people from the organization, learn and visit the company, and do a service project at Gleaners food bank the next day. The second one I am attending is through Ernst & Young in June. Truthfully, I am just honored to be accepted to their program no matter what happens. Sometimes, these programs lead to spring internships, which I really am hoping for. However, even if they don't it's still a great experience and an oppurtunity to network. If anyone is interested  in these programs be sure to apply through Kelley Careers in the spring semester. They usually take students in their freshman and sophomore year, but basically your graduation date needs to be two to three years out from their program. It's a great way to get a jump start!

One last thing, I encourage everyone to try something new this summer. I am going to horseback ride. I went once or twice when I was younger, and one weekend when I was 17, but I am hoping to do it a lot more this summer. I went for a little while on Sunday, it was fun, but I need a lot of practice. Luckily, I live so close to a state park that has a lot of horse trails that I'll have plenty of oppurtunities. Whatever you choose to do, make it fun!

From Kelley Indianapolis' Kyle Hickey, Marketing, Supply Chain and International Studies - Class of 2012

Most college students have been hounded by someone asking, “Do you have an internship?” If your answer is no, then keep looking until you find one.  You will learn countless things that are not listed in traditional job descriptions. Before college even began, I knew that I wanted to complete an internship before graduation, and I have. Here are three tips to make your internship experience valuable and productive.

At the beginning of my junior year, I started my internship search. I devoted most of my Christmas break to interviewing and developing a list of 200 working professionals with whom I could network. I also studied for my insurance license because I thought I would be working in that field. I started the second week of January with an entire week of insurance training. The training went great, and I was all pumped up to go sell some insurance. The staff was always excited, and it seemed like the environment was a great fit for me. However, after three weeks, I realized it wasn’t the right fit for me. What I am trying to communicate is you will never know until you try it. Take a chance on something, open the door to new experiences, and determine your place in the company.

Not long after my short-lived internship in insurance, I was told about a different internship opportunity. This internship turned out to be the right one for me. During my interning experience I have come to realize that flexibility is probably one of the most important things I have learned. Throughout my yearlong internship, I dabbled in marketing research, special event coordination, photography, and videography. Working with the professionals in each of these areas has allowed me to gain skills that I never thought possible if I would have solely been a photography intern. No matter where you are, you have the ability to learn new things and try things outside what you are used to.

My last tip: Do not treat your internship like a job, but like an extra class. You are there to learn from those around you and gain an understanding of what it is like to work in a professional job setting. If you develop relationships during your internship, these professionals will help you succeed in the future. They will offer career advice, résumé critique, recommendations, or connections they have. To conclude, be open, friendly, trainable, and excited about the internship you have. It could change your future forever. I know it did mine.

Two years ago I entered the wide hallways of the business building of IUPUI. As a freshman, I was just waiting to see what the future would hold. Wanting to get involved with something I choose Kelley Indianapolis Cares for its great community service oppurtunities and impact on the community.This organization works with Gleaners, Habitat for Humanity, as well as many others. I could not wait to see what else was in store during my ungraduate experience

However, I soon realized that I can't just sit around and wait to see what the future will hold. I need to act upon it now. In order to get an internship my junior year through Kelley Careers, graduate with Accounting Degree and a Finance Degree, and pass the CPA Exam, I need to start preparing myself for the future. As professor Tim Bennett once said, "market your brand". We each have our own brand that defines who we are professional, whether you have a lot of great skills, are a strong leader, or have the ability to organize large scale events. We each have goals, ambitions, and know that in the future there is something that we want. However companies don't hire just a set of skills, they hire people with plans, motivations, and hobbies. They hire people who know who they are.

So here is my brand-My name is Ashley Manuel. I'm an accounting and finance major. I believe serving others can change the world, but most of all it can change how you percieve yourself. I strive to be a great leader, but I believe in order to become a great leader you first must be able to help others with compassion and integrity. I want to become a CPA and work in tax at a public accounting firm after graduation and I'm extremely excited about beginning as a blogger for the Kelley Biz Blog. All in all, just like anyone else, I want to make a footprint in the world and leave college with a bright future ahead of me.

 Apparently, most Americans don’t think they are living up to their creative potential – according to new research from Adobe only 39% of Americans say they are. If you want to see the data from Adobe for yourself, click here. At the same time, I am sure that most marketers would say being creative is an important characteristic to have. Okay, so what’s the definition of being creative?

Creativity has a wide variety of definitions. According to Wikipedia, there are over 100 definitions of creativity and being creative. But, there are some common themes – being able to see something new, unusual, and/or novel that is of some value or is useful in some way.

In Kelley Indianapolis' undergraduate marketing degree program, students have to develop a complete marketing plan for an existing, local brand. One of the reasons that these local companies work with Kelley students is because they are hoping the students will help them figure out something new and different they could be doing to be more successful. So, it makes sense that we might do some exercises to expand or highlight students’ creativity. Here’s one assignment. At the beginning of the semester, students are given the page below and told to come up with the most creative way to use these patterns.

This semester, I also encouraged them to not feel restricted to two dimensions – they could use these patterns in any creative manner that occurred to them. Over the next 10 weeks, I reminded them about the assignment and gave them the opportunity to pick up additional copies or patterns. Well, I was totally amazed at how creative some of our students are. I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the most novel ways these patterns were used:

• How about a diorama of a foreign community or village?

• Anyone interested in a flower? Or, a pinwheel?

• Or a hanging twirlie?

• A caterpillar? Or, a set of coasters?

• 3D versions of the pattern?

• A story depiction of Fat Tire beer, a brand we’ve been analyzing all semester?

• Or substituting your face for one of the patterns?

• And even creating a fractal?

Bottomline – our students found a wide variety of novel ways to use these patterns several of which would also be quite useful. Which do you think is most creative?

Commencement Celebration Week by Carly Griffin, Class of 2012

Commencement Celebration Week is upon us. For me, that means there is literally only one week left before I am a proud graduate of the Kelley School of Business. This week of celebration is a time to show seniors appreciation for all of their hard work and dedication. I personally know that the faculty and staff are equally as proud to see the graduating seniors walk across the stage at commencement to their future success. So this week is truly a time for celebration all around.

Yesterday, Kelley provided breakfast and coffee to students who were working hard to prepare for finals. Pizza will be available to those evening MBA students who come to campus after a hard day’s work.  Students will also be celebrating the end of the semester in the courtyard with Kelley’s annual “Backyard Bash”, as well as applauding achievement at the Scholarship and Awards Breakfast for outstanding students.

The overall idea of this week is centered on the idea of leaving a legacy. What are the things that you want to be remembered for during your time at Kelley? I know for a fact that I want my legacy to be making sure that students in the Kelley School get the most out of their education, especially on the Indianapolis campus. We have an entire city’s worth of resources at our fingertips, and it is vital for students to be connected in a way that they are able to tap into such valuable resources. I also want my fellow students to understand the full meaning of the Kelley brand. Other than a graduate of the school we attend who ran Steak-N-Shake, who exactly was Ed Kelley? Why was he so significant to the business world, and how did he manage to impact the business world on such a large scale? Ed Kelley not only contributed multitudes of work to the food industry, but went forward to give back to the school that gave him his foundational business education.

This is the kind of legacy that I want to leave. I want to be well respected and trusted in my community. IUPUI and the Kelley School of Business have helped me to get started.

As a marketing professor, I am always keeping my eyes open for examples of strong marketing. At the same time, I try to think of ways to help my marketing degree students experience these examples for themselves rather than having me just tell them about it.

For the last several years, I’ve kept track of TOMS Shoes. Actually, one of my students first shared the story of this company with me. He was one of those students who cared both about business and doing good. His team did a presentation about TOMS’ dual focus of making a profit and giving back to the community. In case you don’t know TOMS story, here’s the elevator pitch: With every shoe you purchase, TOMS gives one to a child in need. As part of his Amazing Race experience, Blake Mycoskie (TOMS’ founder) discovered a lot of children without shoes. He set up his company to help change that.

There are many things from a marketing perspective that TOMS does right:

• Product – the basic shoe is comfortable and interesting. They constantly change up the designs to keep customer interest. They work with designers to add extra cachet. They even have seasonal offerings. But, the basic shoe is great. Product also includes packaging, which again is a hit for TOMS. Check out the photo below from Savannah Smiled’s Tumblr(http://savannahsmiled.tumblr.com/). The box reminds you of the cause and TOMS story. Inside, there’s a shoe bag, a logo sticker and a letter from Blake.

• Price – these are definitely not the cheapest shoes around. But, that’s not really the point is it? Instead, the price point is acceptable (basic shoes are $44 - $58) especially when you realize that you are really buying two pairs – one for you and one for another. TOMS does little discounting; the most frequent is free shipping.

• Place – TOMS is primarily sold in their own online store. But, they can also be found online at Amazon and in select bricks & mortar stores including Nordstrom’s and independent specialty boutiques.

• Promotion – this is where TOMS excels. Great website. Having received TOMS emails for about 2 years, great email marketing strategy. TOMS also does all of the social media – twitter, Facebook, Pinterest. This year, they’ve direct mailed one catalog (which I know got my mom to buy another pair after seeing all her choices). And, the blog is very engaging. TOMS doesn’t rank in organic search for shoes, but that’s a highly competitive category. The cause marketing initiative “One Day Without Shoes" is where TOMS’ efforts are unparalleled. One April Tuesday every year, One Day Without Shoes asks people all over the world to take off their shoes to see what those without experience every day. This initiative has its own website, highly linked to TOMS of course. The website itself has a lot to offer – a robust story; an event locator and ability to register your own event; a national challenge to get organizations to register their members with a Blake party for the winner; downloadable event materials including rally signs, street stencils, DIY shirts, pocket cards, stickers, banners, displays and toolkits; an iPhone event locator app; videos; a photowall; even a way to do it virtually via Sims and all of the social sharing integrations you could want.

So, this year I asked my undergraduates to participate in this event for extra credit. Although they thought it was a way to earn bonus points, I hoped they would experience the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Lucky for me, my class meets on Tuesday so they could come to class without their shoes. Naturally, I too went without shoes for the day – yep, those blue toenails are mine.

Afterwards, they have to reflect on the day and share their thoughts with me. Their reflections covered a couple of key themes:

1. You become a champion of a cause and play a key role informing others:

“Fortunately, right before my M450, while walking through the hallway between the library and the business building, a student stopped me and thanked me for participating, claiming she did not have the courage to do so. It made me feel amazing. It’s funny how one person can make that big of a difference.”

 “Also, I realized that very few people are aware of this issue. With many people unaware of TOMS or the event, I found enjoyment in explaining my slightly kooky appearance in the middle of the library. I felt like I was an insider with great information about a good movement/cause.”

“I love being able to explain to people why I am walking around looking like a crazy person, it brings a spirit of humility upon me.”

“One thing that I learned during my experience of “One Day Without Shoes” was how much awareness that simply one person can make by going barefoot. I never believed it until I did it on April 10. More and more people kept on asking me about why I wasn’t wearing shoes and just like the website had mentioned raising awareness can be achieved by drawing attention to certain things.”

“It was cool how people would ask you the reasoning behind being barefoot, because I was able to spread the word about one day without shoes.”

2. Without shoes, you spend more of the day looking down to try and protect your feet:

“Before this experience, I didn’t realize how much I took shoes for granted. Every step I took was calculated and not one went without me looking down to see the next. I think it was a good experience to essentially walk a mile in someone else’s shoes... Only walking that mile barefoot. When I was walking barefoot outside, it was the thing on the top of my mind. Whereas when I have shoes on, I think about what I’m about to do next, what I have to do later that day, etc. I never think about the next step I’m going to take.”

“Today, I was without shoes. I spent a great deal of my time looking down in order to make sure I didn't step on anything sharp or jagged. Walking without shoes also made me walk a little slower than normal.”

3. Without shoes, your feet get dirty and they hurt:

“At times it was painful and agonizing to think about how dirty my feet were getting.”

“At the end of the day, my feet hurt in spots that don’t usually hurt!”

“My feet became very dirty and they were starting to ache after awhile.  I also realized that you use different muscles in your feet when you walk without shoes.”

4. We take our shoes for granted, worrying about which ones to buy rather than being glad we have them

“Sometimes I spend so much time shopping for the 'perfect' shoe when in all actuality I should be grateful to have shoes period. It is important at times to step back and be thankful for the basic needs of life.”

“We as Americans don’t realize how good we have it in our country. We take for granted the fact that the many people in the world do not have one pair of shoes while we all tend to have several pairs of shoes for different occasions.”

Dear TOMS Shoes –

Kelley School of Business Indianapolis undergraduate marketing students and I want to thank you for giving us an opportunity to undertake a worthy experiential education activity. 

We vow to go “One Day Without Shoes” again next year!

(FYI – in case you didn’t know, IUPUI won The Challenge in 2011 and Blake will be visiting our campus on April 30, 2012 to celebrate our efforts and share his story)

As many of you know an undergraduate internship is a vital experience to do when in college. I know in many classes students often say, "When am I ever going to use this", and "Why am I learning this." I used to be this person as well. I have learned, having two internships, many of the things we learn in class are actually used on the job. A job is different than the classroom, but much of the subjects learned in the classroom do apply to the job setting. 

I now sit in class and I understand what the teacher is talking about and I am able to apply the lesson to what I would do at work. I feel as if I can participate more and really interact in the classroom. Students need to take part in this experience to see if this is the path they really want to take. Kelley Careers Online is an extremely helpful resource when looking for an internship. It is how I obtained both of mine. I encourage all students with an internship or not to take a look and see if you can find a internship, because it is the best experience to take a part in at college.

Do you know that Kelley School of Business Indianapolis is sitting square in the middle of the startup revolution?

Thousands of people are getting in on the startup love by pitching ideas, sharing feedback, and connecting with others at startup events that are drawing crowds of hundreds of passionate start-uppers. 

Unbeknownst to the man on the bench, this place will soon be a place for change. Our community will come together to acknowledge those who go to bed night after night, feeling forgotten. 

This grown man, like so many others, has no other option but lying down on a metal bench for the night. Wrapping his arms around himself with his knit cap pulled down securely as he sleeps. Eyes shut tightly, deep lines engrained in his face, revealing the many struggles he has faced. This low point in his life is all observed and captured by someone through a lens.

One can only imagine the various scenarios leading to this last resort. Has this man lost his job, his home, his loved ones? Maybe this man is mentally ill, an addict, or a forgotten vet. Maybe all three? Was he unable to find a warm bed? Were the homeless shelters full?    

The sign high above his temporary bedroom read two words, Market District – acting as a spotlight illuminating the irony of his position, unfamiliar with its promise of prosperity. Those two words reiterated the detachment between the two worlds creating a sleeping contradiction of the message portrayed. Those words indicative of success, within his own community, he no longer belonged.

Unfortunately this man is only one of many walking in these shoes. Our hope is that by highlighting this prevalent issue, we will raise awareness of homelessness and take steps to put an end to it. We’re beginning with the Homeward Bound 2011 Walk to Prevent Homelessness. Together businesses, the community, students and families will make strides to initiate this change.        

Is homelessness a rarity, as several individuals portray it to be? Or part of our everyday life and simply goes unnoticed? Have we become so used to homelessness that it has become part of the Indianapolis landscape? 

Strolling down New York Street enjoying the crisp autumn air and the familiar city scape, you come upon a man, a man pushing a shopping cart. This would be mundane and uninteresting if you were in a grocery store parking lot but in the middle of downtown Indianapolis you begin to wonder where does this man belong? Instead of stopping to help him or even to shoot the breeze, you continue on your way as he blends into the landscape. A miniscule part of your day, already fading into the past. But had you stopped to talk with him, what would you have learned? Would you have found out that he loves the Colts and wishes he had a TV to watch them on? Would he have told you his favorite food is chicken and dumplings? His grandmother used to make them every Sunday. You may have heard part of his story. That he had a family once, a job, a home, and a car but one small moment, one huge tragedy ripped all that away from him, leaving him where he is now. 

So, the question now switches to, how can I help this man regain control of his life, restoring his happiness? The answer to several remains a mystery, but to some it may be an obvious answer but lack the support of the community. Although you, personally, may not possess the ideas to change the world, but you, as an individual can support those who do and, therefore, can change the world through your actions. 

The photo represents the power of a diverse body of individuals collaborating to achieve optimum social outcomes. The strength that comes from wide varieties of backgrounds, personalities, and skillsets is the core theme of this photograph. Instead of highlighting a unique social issue, we instead chose to focus on the “bigger picture” – the effectiveness of true collaboration that goes beyond mere “teamwork” in the traditional sense. It’s true that individuals can – and do – change the world. But sweeping social change stands a much greater chance of realization if the talent, resources, and skills of individuals are organized and directed toward a common goal. The photo represents the people of a tightly woven segment of society that have made conscious choices to be the agents of change across the globe. They have sacrificed pieces of themselves to further the common cause. Individually, they could be effective. But together, each change agent forms part of a cohesive whole. Each hand is a necessary part of the photograph. And without each one, the picture would be incomplete.

This post is a little late, but I have been catching up from Fall Break. After being so heavily involved with a few things during the beginning of the semester I decided I would take a vacation during Fall Break. While many classmates went to their hometowns during Fall break I decided I travel to Phoenix, Arizona with my parents. It has also been a dream of mine to move to Phoenix so everytime I visit it just gets better. My vacation in Arizona consisted of laying out, shopping, and horseback riding none of which included school work. I maybe should have done some school work because when I returned from vacation I found myself behind in many of my classes.

Once I returned from vacation I was working on readings and classwork that were due the next day. This is where I found my procrastination at it's best. Why did I not do this work before I left for vacation? After I finished my work for my regular classes it was onto the third I-core Deliverable. We had heard back on our grades for the first two, and to say the least we HAD to do better. After days of working we had finally finished our Deliverable with 3 hours to spare, which is great for us! I can now take a quick break before I start preparing for my three tests next week one of is a final. Everyone remember to take a DEEP BREATH!!

One aspect of Kelley that makes being faculty here so great is the network of Kelley Alums. Turns out that great students make great alumni.

As I shared earlier, this semester's M450 class is working on a huge project - organizing and running the Homeward Bound Central Indiana walk to support agencies that work to end homelessness. This project has a lot of challenges:

• The walk takes place on Monday, December 19th at 6pm from the City Market
• It will be cold and the week before Christmas
• A lot of people don't understand the real face of homelessness

The class has a goal of raising $100,000 to help Indy's homeless neighbors. Given the size of this task, we reached out to our alums for help and guidance. And, boy did they volunteer! Nine jumped in to mentor the various students teams - thanks

Lauren Russel, Jaime Lira, Chrissy Vasquez, Mary Chappell, Justin Sternberg, Tara Smith, Caleb Reynolds, Peter Hunter, David Nguyen!

And, one of our more famous local Kelley alums stepped up to record a PSA and lend his support to the cause: Jarod Fogle, shown below with current student Jesse Kilgore.

Thanks Jarod!

·         Federal, State and Local funding for homeless services have been drastically reduced

·         16% of Indiana’s population lives in poverty. Poverty is the biggest predictor of homelessness

·         The Average age of a homeless person in Indianapolis is 9 years old. On any given night, over 3,000 children are homeless in Indianapolis

·         40% of the homeless are families with the average family including a single mother and two children under 10 years