By: Allie Weber || 11/4/2016
Pursuing a career in accounting, consulting, or marketing is nothing short of noble; in fact, it’s what a majority of graduates from the number four ranked Kelley School of Business do. That being said, the traditional paths aren’t the only ones being taken by Women in Business members. From pursuing alternative or additional degrees outside of the business school to forging new trails within it, members are breaking the Kelley mold to pursue their passions.
Senior member Caroline Wallace hopes to apply the business acumen that she’s acquired at Kelley to the nonprofit sector, with the goal of working in education, affordable housing, or civic engagement. She was able to gain experience in affordable housing by interning at the National Housing Project Foundation’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. after her sophomore year. After working on a variety of projects while interning, including grant writing and creating a social media strategy, Caroline still works for the NHP Foundation as their social media manager.
Molly Connor, a sophomore member, plans to attend law school after graduation, eventually focusing her career on corporate litigation. Instead of pursuing a major within Kelley, Molly is working towards a degree in public management in the school of environmental affairs, accompanied by a certificate in business law and a minor in Spanish. With this mixture of courses, Molly believes that she has found “the perfect happy medium between the competitiveness of Kelley and SPEA’s heavy focus on being a public servant and global citizen.
While many members find their niche in existing majors both within and outside of the business school, sophomore Keirsten White found herself with a passion that didn’t quite fit one major, or even a combination thereof. With a vision of global impact in mind, she took matters into her own hands and created her own major in medical social entrepreneurship. Her bachelor’s degree will consist of a pre-med curriculum and independent studies in social entrepreneurship; she plans to follow this with a medical degree. Kiersten plans on starting her own organization or practice one day, but is unsure of the details; she’s eager to embrace the opportunities to come.
If there’s a single attribute that every member of Women in Business shares, it is passion. Every member finds their passion in different places, and pursues it accordingly. There’s no wrong way to tailor your academic experience, and countless right ways to do so. With the support of Women in Business behind them, members are finding their place at Indiana University and making remarkable strides towards their future goals.