Kyle Sorensen

University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business

“An ex-college baseball player turned driver assist technology engineer looking to make an impact!”

Hometown: Pickerington, OH

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a co-inventor of two patents submitted by Ford Global Technologies to the United States Patent and Trademark office that are currently patent pending.

Undergraduate School and Major: Purdue University, Fort Wayne – Mechanical Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Ford Motor Company – Advanced Driver Assist Systems Applications Engineer

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the school’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Mendoza’s mission to grow the good in business was something that separated Notre Dame and is woven into every aspect of the program. I also liked Notre Dame’s emphasis on experiential learning with the interterm intensive and all of the different opportunities outside of the classroom. This was extremely important to me in pursuing a full time MBA to take full advantage of those unique growth opportunities.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates and why? My fellow classmates that I have met thus far have been incredibly welcoming, which is consistent with the entire University. Everyone truly cares about helping each other grow as people and leaders during this MBA journey.

What club or activity excites you most at this school? I am extremely excited to participate in the Meyer Business on the Frontlines program at Mendoza. I am looking forward to participating in this program because it provides real world consulting opportunities to address issues that affect those around the world that are most in need.

Mendoza is known as a purpose-driven MBA program that asks students to “Ask More of Business.” What is your mission and how will Mendoza help you realize it?  My most fundamental mission is to have a positive impact on those around me. I strive to be a servant leader and this aligns with the mission at Mendoza and the University of Notre Dame to produce leaders that will be a force for good in the world.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest professional accomplishment thus far is contributing to the design of iconic Ford vehicles such as the F-150, Explorer, and Expedition. It was incredibly rewarding to work with such a talented team and produce something that will eventually be seen on every street corner in America.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I saw an MBA as an opportunity to grow as a leader and a person while supplementing my engineering education with a formal business learning environment. I felt that I had a good foundation of Product Development experience to pivot to a more strategy-focused role. I also want to maximize the impact that I have in my career and an MBA will allow me to pursue that to the fullest.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “Tell me about a time you failed”. This is an incredibly common interview questions but goes against everything else in the application process of trying to present your best self.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? The best insight that I received for fit with various schools was the interactions that I had with current students. I also consumed any and all information available on school websites and other business school forums.

What was your defining moment and how did it prepare you for business school? My defining moment professionally was when I stepped into my previous position with Ford Motor Company as the youngest and least experienced person within my department. I had a steep learning curve working with all new driver assist technology while continuing to learn the incredibly expansive automotive product development process. This role challenged me and ultimately prepared me to take this next step of pursuing an MBA.

What is your favorite company and what could business students learn from them? A company that I greatly admire is Patagonia because they truly live out their mission statement. I think they are a great example of a company practicing their stated values.

DON’T MISS: MEET NOTRE DAME MENDOA’S CLASS OF 2022