Meet Indiana Kelley’s MBA Class Of 2026

WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW…CAN HELP YOU

What qualities and habits are the Class of 2026 bringing to their classmates? In the case of Wales, she is a born organizer. “I love bringing different people together and creating fun, welcoming spaces. Back home, I’ve enjoyed helping to organize book club, cookbook club, and most recently, pickleball club, and I can’t wait to share that same energy and community with my classmates.”

Jesse Correa, most recently a U.S. Army Battalion Operations Officer, believes his gift is being the “voice of reason” – the person who defuses conflict and fosters community. Thanks to his ADHD, Cristian Novoa brings an ability to focus and juggle at “super speed.”  In a contrarian viewpoint, Donovan Dabney touts his youth and inexperience as advantages in a Kelley team.

“At 24, my perspective on life can be divergent from that of some of my classmates. While I may not yet have the same level of experience or wisdom, I bring a fresh, youthful outlook and a distinctly Gen-Z approach to my work. This blend of new perspectives, adaptability, long-term vision, enthusiasm, recent academic insights, and tech-savviness positions me to make valuable contributions to both my individual success and the broader academic community.”

MUSCIAL TALENTS

Outside of work and school, Dabney writes and performs music. He might just find a jam partner in Rayna Strasser-King, a singer and songwriter who just released her first EP album. They could round out the band with Roee Alper, who plays seven different instruments. In the right venue, Jesse Correa would probably join the audience; he has sampled over 1,700 different beers worldwide.

Looking for some good stories? Nick Zumwalde chose Kelley over joining a reality TV show. Himadri Gogoi met her husband over an Instagram poetry page. Sabbir Ahmed competes in Jiu-Jitsu, despite measuring 5’5 and facing off against opponents who stand over six-feet. And if Dylan Michel thought his Kelley schedule was hectic during the core, just wait until after Christmas.

“My spouse and I have one young son and are expecting our second child in early January. So, I will have two kids under two years old to start my second semester of the program!”

A CLASS PROFILE

In total, the Class of 2026 features 103 students, whose ages range from 24-43. Women and American minorities account for 28% and 21% shares of the class respectively. International students hold 46% of the class seats. The class tends to be older and more professionally experienced than similar programs. On average, the class is 30 years old and possesses 6.3 years of work experience.

The class also posted a 683 GMAT average, with 48% of the class scoring 700 or above. The average GRE score came in at 319 – 161 (Quantitative) and 158 (Verbal). As undergrads, the class averaged a 3.40 GPA, including 43% hitting a 3.5 or above. Among the class, 39% of the class earned undergraduate degrees in STEM-related fields. Another 34% majored in Business-related fields, while Social Sciences and Humanities accounted for a 23% share of the class.

THE ACADEMY EXPERIENCE

As the class finishes out their first semester, their attention will quickly turn to the Academies, second semester deep dives into their fields of choice. This year, the Kelley MBA is offering seven academies: Business Marketing, Capital Markets, Consulting, Consumer Marketing, Strategic Finance, Supply Chain and Digital Enterprise, and PLUS Life Sciences. In addition to these choices, MBAs can also design a custom academy, along with holding the option of completing a Leadership or Entrepreneurship Academy during their second year.

Among the Class of 2026, the Consulting Academy figures to be a popular choice next month. The academy is headed by J. Scott Laughler, a 30-year consulting veteran and former managing director at Accenture. The Consulting Academy features a case competition judged by seasoned consultants. However, its centerpiece is a consulting engagement with a real client that enables student teams to experience the process and expectations of a blue-chip firm. The Consulting Academy – no different than other Kelley academies – includes industry-specific coursework, speakers, recruiting and networking events, and site visits – not to mention in-depth looks into leading industry players.

Such features appealed to Sarah Wales. “The Consulting Academy interests me because of the emphasis on real-world projects with clients and the opportunity to collaborate with other Kelley students on cases. It will be an amazing way to gain practical experience and hone my problem-solving abilities.”

Wales’ classmate, Cristian Novoa, finds himself gravitating towards the Business Marketing Academy, calling it the “career jackpot.” “It offers an immersive environment where I can engage directly with industry leaders who have achieved success in roles I aspire to take on,” he adds. “The program’s emphasis on hands-on learning, including working with real clients and addressing contemporary marketing challenges, provides invaluable practical experience. The mentorship from executives with decades of experience is particularly valuable, offering insights that are both time-tested and forward-looking.”

A PERSONALIZED APPROACH

Along with the academies, GLOBASE is another staple of the Kelley MBA. Here, second-year teams head overseas, to locations as different as Argentina and Vietnam, to immerse themselves in international business practices and sharpen their problem-solving skills through a client project.

“While all our learning aims to be applicable beyond the classroom, GLOBASE stands out because it is student-led and focuses on supporting small businesses in foreign countries.,” explains Donovan Dabney. “This initiative embodies Kelley’s commitment to using our education to make a positive impact, allowing students to give back and contribute meaningfully to the global community.”

Listen to class members talk about Kelley and you’ll hear “personalized” come up regularly. For Rayna Strasser-King, it was the personalized attention given by faculty, who know their students’ goals as much as their names. That same ‘personalized’ approach can be found in Kelley’s Graduate Career Services, says Cristian Novoa.

“They excel in helping you deeply understand and articulate your unique story, and they think through every detail of the recruiting process. This thorough approach not only assists with resume-building, but also encourages you to explore roles that truly align with your aspirations and values. This focus on both introspection and practical application is what particularly excited me, as it ensures you’re well-prepared for meaningful career advancements.”

HIGH ALUMNI SATISFACTION

Alas, personalized support isn’t the only area where Kelley excels. The program ranks among the ten-best for the quality and scope of its faculty research according to studies conducted by The Financial Times and the University of Texas at Dallas. The school is home to over 14,000 undergraduate and graduate business students, consistently ranking among the best online and undergraduate business programs. Academically, according to business school deans and MBA directors surveyed by U.S. News, Kelley ranked among the 10-best programs for Entrepreneurship and Accounting. At the same time, a Princeton Review survey of alumni resulted in Kelley generating the 2nd-highest score for its Marketing programming (and 10th-best for Consulting). And Kelley alums were equally satisfied with the MBA experience at Kelley; the school posted Top 10 scores for Faculty Quality, Classroom Experience, Administration, and Family Friendliness according to the same Princeton Review survey.

Some consider Kelley to be a “Midwest” school. In reality, just 29% of the first-year class hails from the region. Even more, the school has a national profile, with 2024 alum Olivia Ramos noting that her classmates found internships in places like Seattle, Atlanta, and New York City. In fact, Bloomington’s Midwest college town atmosphere has proven to be one of Kelley’s biggest selling points. Think of a slower pace and shorter commute – all within a 4-5-hour drive of Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Columbus, and Louisville. And Indianapolis is less than an hour north too. On campus, there are the picturesque limestone buildings, complemented by four seasons weather and affordable housing. More than that, Bloomington is far more cosmopolitan than incoming students might expect, adds Ramos.

“I got a bridesmaid dress altered by a local drag king, get my bagel order taken by a shop owner who imports water from New York City for his bagels, and complete my schoolwork at a nearby co-working and entrepreneurship support space. The amount of passion these business owners all show for their products and services is truly inspiring, and the population and small business community is very supportive of minority-owned businesses too.”

And then there are the Kelley traditions. Rita Korkor Agyei, a 2024 grad, points to Third Thursday After Class (TTAC), a wine-and-dine party where students can relax or network with classmates and faculty. For Chang-Min Song, the Kelley Clap remains one of the most memorable parts of his MBA journey.

“In 2007, Walt Blacconiere passed away from pancreatic cancer. A beloved professor at Kelley, he was known for ending his classes with a round of applause to show an appreciation for the learning that had taken place, a tradition that has become adopted in every classroom as the Kelley Clap. After learning of the origins of the clap and the meaning behind it, the Kelley Clap became my favorite tradition, giving me an opportunity to demonstrate my thanks for the exchange of knowledge and growth that I am a part of in the classroom at Kelley.”

A DISRUPTIVE NEW SETUP

2024 has been a busy year for the Kelley MBA. This fall, the school struck a partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Association, one that corresponds with its existing deal with the NFL Player’s Union. At the same time,  the school unveiled its groundbreaking Kelley Full-Time +Flex MBA program, where residential students can opt to take their second-year online. It is a wrinkle that can potentially save students up to $77,000.

“The single biggest binding constraint is the opportunity cost of leaving a job for two years,” says Patrick E. Hopkins, vice dean at Kelley, in a 2024 interview with P&Q. “We know we have potential students who span the horizon of needs. We are saying no two students are alike. Some will benefit from a fully immersive two-year experience on campus, but on the other end, we have students who want to lean in on the flexibility of the online program. There is a middle there.”

The coming year promises to be equally newsworthy, as the school is currently in the process of selecting a new dean. What else is on the horizon at Kelley? Earlier this fall, P&Q reached out to John D. Hill, faculty chair of the Full-Time MBA Program, clinical professor of operations and decision technologies and Grant Thornton Scholar at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Here are his thoughts on what to expect in 2025 at the Kelley School.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FACULTY CHAIR

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Hill: “The most significant development in our MBA program in the last year has been the redesign of our Integrated Core. The Core, which introduces first-year MBA students to the fundamental aspects of finance, marketing, operations, strategy, communication, and other topics, was restructured to include additional topics in accounting and ethics. Additionally, the Integrated Core now extends for a semester-and-a-half.  This still allows students to take elective courses in the spring before their internships, but provides additional course time to make sure that students are established in the fundamentals.

Secondly, we have leveraged our already close relationship with our graduate career services unit to provide even more support in placing students in internships and full-time roles. Our career coaching team has always had very close interactions with our students through our Academies, but by bringing our employer relations team into that conversation, we are able to respond even more quickly to the needs of our students. This has been particularly helpful in maintaining our high student placement levels even as the job market shifts. Each new class brings a new set of professional goals, and it is important that we can respond to that in real time.”

P&Q: Every January, P&Q publishes a “10 Business Schools to Watch” feature that highlights how schools are raising the bar and enhancing the student experience through innovation or expansion in programming or resources. What is one innovation that sets your school apart from your peer programs and makes you a business school to watch? Why is it so groundbreaking?

Hill: “The Kelley Full Time MBA program has a long history of innovation. We compete on innovation.  This goes back 30 years to the introduction of the first Integrated Core class. That was followed by the development of our Academies, which still are a differentiator for us. After that was the creation of Me, Inc, which is still a unique approach to developing the personal brands of our students from day one.

More recently, we have begun utilizing flexible courses to respond to current trends in business. This course structure allows us, with the help of our students and alumni, to identify contemporary topics which will benefit the students as they are wrapping up the final year of the MBA.

In the last couple of years, we have been able to offer courses in “Turnaround Management,” “Gender Equity in Business,” “Marketing of AI,” and “Business Development and State Government.”  Each of the topics have been motivated by current events and business trends and leverage the expertise of our alumni and faculty.”

Next Page: Profles of 12 Members of the MBA Class of 2026

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