Introduction To Erika: Kelley Direct Student And Gamer Extraordinaire

Hello! Let’s start with intros! My name is Erika Martinez, a current student at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in the Kelley Direct Online MBA Program. (Go Hoosiers!) 

I’m thrilled to be a part of one of the most highly ranked online MBA programs in the nation and I’m happy to say my experience thus far has been fantastic. Aside from the awesome rankings, one of the many reasons I chose the Kelley Direct Online MBA program is that it has immersive classroom experiences online AND in person, and because of its infrastructure that is built to help students and professors succeed. When my job shifted to a working-from-home model during the COVID-19 pandemic, it showed me what kind of tools were important for me to have available to be able to communicate and deliver on results, all while online. Additionally, the KD program has its unique Kelley On Campus experience, which stood out to me as a great way to see the university and meet other classmates. While I have appreciated working from home as of late, I miss the magic of collaboration in person, and I cannot wait for my first Kelley On Campus experience this summer!

As I write this, I’m in week two of the Spring quarter (my third quarter) where my cohort and I are on what we call “Core 2” of our foundational classes. The class I’m currently enrolled in is Financial Management, Operations Management, and Marketing Management. We’re already digging into group assignments and it’s so refreshing to work with classmates who come from different industries to my own. I primarily have a background in the gaming industry but some of my peers work in food, energy, and aviation. With regards to my background, my current occupation is as a Producer at Microsoft (Xbox) – my goal in simplest terms is to drive the development of the product I’m currently working on. I’ve been at Microsoft for over five years and I’m looking to apply business fundamentals to my day-to-day job. I’m also up for exploring becoming a Studio Head or Leader that runs part of a game studio that creates diverse and inclusive experiences for customers and players. Outside of work, my hobbies include travel, playing video games, and occasional video editing. 

Please stay tuned for the next blog in which I hope to shed some light on more experiences in the KD program and planning for future career goals. It’s going to be an exciting next year to see where my MBA experience and career take me!