Meet the Indiana Kelley MBA Class of 2018

Leah Koch

Indiana University Kelley School of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I’m a theme park owner developing my management and roller coaster critiquing skills.

Hometown: Santa Claus, IN

Fun Fact About Yourself: I grew up in my family’s theme park and was terrified of roller coasters for years.

Undergraduate School and Major: Indiana University Bloomington – Journalism

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari (Owner, Board of Directors, and Director of Research & Development) (2013-2016)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I became an owner of the family business much earlier than I had anticipated when my father unexpectedly passed away. Together, my siblings, my mom, and I decided to honor my father’s memory by building Thunderbird, a $22 million steel roller coaster that drew national attention.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? The best advice I got came from my coach at work (through a connection in an MBA admissions department): “Nobody ever becomes particularly excellent at applying for MBAs because—for the most part—you only do it once.” So take a deep breath and remember that nobody’s application or interview will be perfect. Just do your best to tell your story.

Other than that, plan the timing of your application! Don’t rush the GMAT, and apply for the first deadline if you can (even if it means you have to wait a little longer). I applied for the first deadline, and knowing that my chances were at their best gave me a confidence boost.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? While Kelley’s academics and rankings motivated me to apply, my visit for my interview really solidified the choice—I wasn’t interested in a cut-throat atmosphere and Kelley’s message of collaboration and friendly competition really appealed to me.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? The amusement park and attractions industry gets in your blood—once you’ve held an amusement park job, it’s hard to leave. It’s even harder when you grew up in the industry.

Since my love for the industry runs so deeply, my plan is to return to the family business and take on more responsibility. I hope to develop my leadership and creative problem-solving skills so that I can become president of Holiday World.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I hope they all get to visit—and that they love Holiday World! On a more serious note, when my father ran our theme park, he was always recognized as a visionary and an excellent leader, and it would be an honor if my peers recognized those same attributes in me.

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