An Open Letter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?