Madelynn Kuerschner

Indiana University, Kelley School of Business

“I’m driven yet balanced and get lost in conversations around books, mental health and dog-rescue!”

Hometown: Woodridge, Illinois

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I am extremely passionate about animal rescue and have helped over 150 dogs find their forever homes over the past three years!

Undergraduate School and Major: Indiana University Kelley School of Business, majoring in Marketing and Professional Sales

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Abercrombie and Fitch, Merchant

In the second half of the year, you will be completing an Academy devoted to areas like Marketing, Finance, Operations, Digital Enterprises and more. Which Academy interests you the most and why?  After attending the Forte Conference this past June, I became curious about consulting, and I am interested in the Consulting Academy that Kelley has to offer. I believe the consulting industry would allow me to highlight my problem-solving skills and need for collaboration, while still tapping into my retail expertise. As someone who has little experience or a network in this industry, I am excited to lean into the academy Kelley has to offer to help me gain confidence as I make this career switch.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Indiana Kelley’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? One of the main reasons I chose Kelley’s MBA Program was due to the experiential learning that is offered. Kelley provides so many opportunities that allow you to impact the community around you while also learning and growing at the same time. A few programs I am excited to participate in are 1Kelley, a consulting initiative focused on supporting Bloomington businesses, and the Washington Campus, a week-long deep dive into how public policies impact industries and businesses we work in.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Indiana Kelley? It has been amazing to see how Kelley supports women within the MBA Program, and I am excited to join the Association of Women’s MBAs at Kelley this fall. The momentum women are gaining within business is exciting and well-deserved, and I look forward to connecting and supporting my fellow Kelley women as we begin our MBA journeys together!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  My biggest career accomplishment is leading and supporting my team of direct reports. I was able to earn the title of manager and have two direct reports by the age of 24. While the responsibility was overwhelming at first, my passion for mentorship and my “people first” mentality grew me to love the role. Through my dedication to my team and my direct reports’ work ethic and talents, both of my direct reports were promoted within the first two years of reporting to me. Their success and growth paired with my guidance and support is an accomplishment I will carry with me into the next chapter of my career.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general?  As trying as the pandemic has been, I have learned to appreciate the “unexpected.” In the moments of uncertainty from the past year, I learned how to be more resilient and open-minded. COVID-19 allowed me to reflect on my career and where I wanted to go – something I previously would have said I didn’t have “time for.” Through this, I realized that pursuing my MBA was the next step in my career – as unexpected as that sounded to me at the time! Now, after meeting my fellow Kelley peers and beginning my semester at Kelley, I know this is exactly where I am supposed to be in my career journey. By diving into these unexpected moments or opportunities, I have learned more about myself, and I am more confident in my future than ever before.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation?   In my previous role, I realized my passion for high-level thinking and problem solving. I can get lost in a project thinking of endless solutions, and I wanted to channel this curiosity in a more strategic way. I decided to come to Kelley to gain the tools necessary to be on the forefront of a company’s solution process and use my retail background to help other retailers navigate the rapidly-changing retail industry.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? While I researched and spoke with numerous MBA programs, Kelley was the only program that really resonated with me. As someone who went to Kelley for an undergraduate degree, I knew the rigor, support and experiences Kelley would provide me in an MBA. I wanted my MBA experience to be challenging and exciting, and I knew Kelley would offer me both. So, with that, I only applied to Kelley and it was the easiest and best decision I have made during my MBA journey!

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Indiana Kelley’s MBA program?  Ask questions! The Kelley Team is amazing at answering any and all questions about the program – from “what’s life like in Bloomington” to “how can I navigate a career pivot in this program?” The Kelley team’s transparency and authenticity made me feel comfortable and confident as I navigated the admissions process. Lastly, Kelley does a great job of making the admissions experience individualized, so be sure to talk to as many people as possible including second-year students and professors!

DON’T MISS: MEET INDIANA KELLEY’S MBA CLASS OF 2023