Kelly Kennedy

New York University, Stern School of Business

“I am a self-motivated problem solver who enjoys learning new things and meeting new people.”

Hometown: Valparaiso, Indiana

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a twin sister, and I did three years of competitive ballroom dance.

Undergraduate School and Major: Purdue University, B.S. Mathematics-Computer Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Salesforce, Partner Account Coordinator Intern

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Although I have just graduated from Purdue University, the biggest accomplishment in my career so far is that I was able to have the opportunity to work with senior leadership on both the projects I was working on and in meetings that I attended, through all three of my internships at Salesforce.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The Stern classmates that I have met so far are very open and collaborative.  People are always willing to share their experiences and show a genuine interest in understanding others.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The key factor the led me to choose NYU Stern for my MBA was the flexible curriculum and expanding focus on tech.  Being able to take courses that will give me a strong business foundation, as well as courses that explore the way different business scenarios exist within the technology industry, was something that really drew my attention to Stern. Also, I was impressed by the wide variety of tech-focused extracurricular opportunities that have been growing or recently created such as the W. R. Berkley Innovation Labs, the Fubon Center for Technology, Business and Innovation, and the Stern Technology Association.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? The club that I am most looking forward to is the Stern Technology Association.  Coming from a tech background, I think it will be very interesting to also understand the tech industry from a business perspective.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I chose to pursue an MBA directly from undergrad to expand my business knowledge and leadership skills.  I am interested in pursuing a career that allows me to solve key business challenges while also leveraging my technical background, and the knowledge and experience that I will gain as a MBA student will be essential.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? For me, there was no question of whether pursuing my MBA would be worth the investment, as I received NYU Stern’s William R. Berkley Scholarship, which supports college seniors or recent college graduates who wish to pursue their MBA full time. Investing my time into Stern’s MBA program is an incredibly valuable experience and will set me up for great success in my career.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? University of Chicago Booth, MIT Sloan, UCLA Anderson, Carnegie Mellon Tepper

How did you determine your fit at various schools? When determining fit at different schools, I focused on the flexibility of the curriculum as well as the culture.  For me, it was important to be in a program where I could tailor my courses to best prepare me for my professional interests.  I found tours and interviews to be very useful when determining if a school was a culture fit for me. Being able to see what key qualities each program valued as well as meeting potential future classmates were both invaluable in my decision process.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I don’t have any one defining moment in my life that has had a huge impact on who I am.  Rather, it is the collection of all of the small moments that have shaped me. I focus on constant growth and improvement of my knowledge and skills to push me forward in both my professional and personal endeavors.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? At this point I am keeping an open mind, but I am strongly leaning towards staying in tech. I would like to be in a role that allows me to combine both my technical and business knowledge while working on key opportunities or challenges that the business is facing. Being able to gain leadership experience and having substantial accountability in my role are two key factors that I will consider when recruiting.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years, I would like to be in a role where I feel challenged and am gaining valuable experiences and connections.  I hope to be leading a team or company that performs well and is known for solving critical problems.