Kyle Bender

Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business

“A native Hoosier who loves to travel and has experience in education, policy, and technology.”

Hometown: Delphi, Indiana

Fun Fact About Yourself: 80 percent of my immediate family is left-handed, yet no MLB contracts were signed.

Undergraduate School and Major: Wabash College, A.B. in Political Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Managing Director of Development at Teach For America

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In 2016, I walked away from an impending promotion in corporate America to build out a fundraising team for an organization that had a consequential impact on my early career – Teach For America. Although I had no fundraising experience, I felt called to contribute during a period of transition for the organization. During my tenure, we raised $16 million and built a healthy reserve to support Teach For America’s work in Indianapolis.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? In just a short amount of time, I have found my MBA classmates to be genuine and people I’ve known for much longer than a few weeks. The Kelley admissions team has built a diverse class with backgrounds that challenge and support one another. It will be a fun and competitive two-year experience that creates lifelong relationships. I can’t wait to get started.

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 Kelley network is one of the largest and strongest in the world. I am seeking first to deepen my analytical skills and foundational business acumen and then have a global reach through my expanded network. During my research, not only did I find Kelleys in high-impact leadership roles at the companies I admire, but they were also active and engaged members of their community. For example, over half of the board of directors that I managed at Teach For America had a direct tie to Kelley – either they were an alumnus or their kids went through the program.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am really looking forward to getting involved with the Real Estate Club. I have always been intrigued by the industry and hope that the club’s activities will provide exposure to an investment vehicle and avenue to reimagine communities. I also plan to prioritize self-care during my time at Kelley and plan to join the Golf Club in the hopes of finding a solution to a swing that has long prevented any type of success for me on the course.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? How would you accomplish the career goals you’ve just discussed without pursuing an MBA?

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Time spent working with civic and business leaders to address educational inequity affirmed my belief in the collective good that business can accomplish. These leaders were able to inspire those around them to drive toward a collective goal, while not losing sight of their company priorities and commitment to investors. I believe further developing competence and confidence through an immerse MBA experience will make me a better leader in the years ahead.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Purdue

How did you determine your fit at various schools? It was really important for me to find a full-time MBA program that would provide an immersive and defining experience. The culture was of paramount importance so I visited several schools and analyzed how people interacted with one another. At Kelley, there is a culture in which students and faculty alike form a unique community. They recognize each other’s passions and pursuits through traditions like the annual faculty auction, which I heard about during my campus visit. They also welcome prospective students in ways that can only be described as “Hoosier Hospitality,” exemplified by the student-led Hoosier Hosts Committee. I mentioned to a Kelley professor that I wanted to improve my Excel skills before attending business school. He offered to share a tutorial for the Jumpstart and Modeling Spreadsheet courses he taught at the time and followed up several days later with the resource. Interactions like these confirmed Kelley was the right fit for me.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? In the week prior to my first semester in the classroom as a Teach For America teacher, I was asked to switch content areas and instead of teaching social studies (a familiar passion of mine) and start a technology program for 150 middle and high school students – 95 percent of whom had never used a computer before. What I didn’t know at the time was that I would not have computers in the classroom until week nine. The challenge led to levels of frustration and failure I had yet to experience in my young career. It also taught me the importance of humility, resourcefulness, and how to ask for help. We eventually received those computers and had a lot of fun along the way. I’m proud of the growth we made that semester, but more importantly, proud of the productive citizens my students went on to become.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Over the summer, I was fortunate to read The Second Mountain – The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks and found it to be highly applicable for anyone about to begin their business school journey. Brooks defines people on their second mountain as those who have transcended the traditional pursuits of prominence, pleasure, and success. They radiate joy because they have found their purpose in life and exhibit a deep commitment to their vocation, family, faith, and community. I am confident the Kelley community will help prepare me for my second mountain climb, where I hope to be in ten years!