Katelyn Kirby

Kelley School of Business at Indiana University

“Coach, Violinist, Cat Mom, Hard-Working, Scientist, Leader, Kind, Sincere, Loyal, Self-Starter, Problem Solver, Puzzle Enthusiast.”

Hometown: Santa Cruz, California

Fun Fact About Yourself: I coached Girls’ Lacrosse and Flag Football at my former high school.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of California, Davis – Majored in Genetics & Genomics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Claret Bioscience, Production Manager

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? The Consumer Marketing Academy piqued my interest after learning more about the academy and meeting with students to learn about their experiences. Personally, I debated between remaining in supply chain and operations or pivoting into marketing. I was inspired to pivot after hearing from Professor Keith Niedermeier about the Consumer Marketing Academy and independently researching potential careers in marketing. I am excited to hear from industry leaders during Academy Fridays and explore further during Academy Week.

At the beginning of the school year, you will be completing Me, Inc., where you will engage in reflections and exercises to build your personal brand? In one sentence, describe your personal brand and how will it add value to the classmates and future employers? I am a self-starter and leader who strives to inspire and guide others both inside and outside of work by utilizing my background in STEM to bring a unique perspective to challenges and new opportunities.

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? Kelley’s MBA program offers various opportunities that helped me decide to pursue this program. One of the primary reasons I chose Kelley was the professional development opportunities along with coaching from Graduate Career Services. Because I am pivoting in my career, it is paramount for me to feel supported to aid in accomplishing my goals. I believe that Me, Inc and First Year Academies provide great professional development opportunities for me to further explore career opportunities and help with my professional goals.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Indiana Kelley? I am most excited for Academy Week. I am thrilled for the opportunity to meet with different businesses and professionals in the field and learn firsthand how topics in the classroom are applied in industry. My background is in biotechnology, so I have a limited view of how businesses operate. The best way to learn is to leave the classroom and experience the lessons firsthand.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized Indiana Kelley was the right program for you? Why? I knew Kelley was the right fit for me when I visited in the fall for Kelley’s Diversity Insights and Preview Weekend. Both faculty and current students were welcoming and genuinely interested in my career goals and aspirations. Without hesitation, faculty and students helped connect me with others who helped me answer specific and personal questions I had about Kelley. During my visit, I was surrounded by very bright and intelligent individuals without feeling an air of poshness or intimidation. I easily imagined myself as a Kelley MBA student sitting in the classrooms, collaborating on group projects, and networking with confidence. By the end of the trip, I was convinced that Kelley was the perfect fit for me.

What has been your biggest achievement in your career? My biggest career achievement so far has been earning a promotion to production manager. I started at the company as a production lab technician, and I eventually managed the entire department. The previous two production managers held higher education degrees (PhD & a masters), and I only completed a bachelors. Before the position opened, I made a conscious effort to contribute during company meetings by sharing ideas to streamline and improve processes. I expressed my career interests to the Chief Scientific Officer and proved my leadership abilities and strong work ethic. The promotion to production manager opened my eyes to the world of business beyond the sciences, and I became inspired to pursue an MBA.

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