Kelley Wright

University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business

“Lover of learning, sports enthusiast, good listener, compassionate friend, proud townie!”

Hometown: South Bend, Indiana

Fun Fact About Yourself: I ran my first half marathon this year!

Undergraduate School and Major: Saint Mary’s College, Accounting Major

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Bank of America, Senior Analyst

When you think of Notre Dame, what are the first things that come to mind? How have your experiences with the Mendoza program thus far reinforced or upended these early impressions? Having grown up in South Bend, I’ve been around Notre Dame my whole life – when I think of Notre Dame, I think of home. Since officially joining the Notre Dame family as an MBA student, the feeling of being at home has never felt more true.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Mendoza MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Mendoza has several experiential learning programs and opportunities that really appealed to me. It was important for me to attend a school where I’d be given the opportunity to learn in a very hands-on and impactful way.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Mendoza? I’ve really enjoyed the Business Problem Solving course, a unique curriculum course to Mendoza. While it’s a very demanding class, it has challenged me in new ways, and I know that I’ll be able to apply the lessons learned throughout my time in the MBA and my professional career.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Getting accepted into Notre Dame’s MBA program!

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? I’ve never been a good public speaker but I’m proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone in some of my classes – finally starting to feel more confident in my public speaking skills!

Mendoza is known as a purpose-driven MBA program that asks students to “Grow the good in business.” What is your mission and how has Mendoza been helping you realize it? My personal career mission is to develop myself as a business leader within the finance industry. Working to realize this mission as a Mendoza student in conjunction with “growing the good in business” means recognizing how my knowledge gained and talents developed can ultimately be of service to others in the finance industry and beyond.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? My best memories are spending time with and getting to know my classmates. Between late-night studying, happy hours, football games, you name it – I’ll forever remember and be grateful for the wonderful people in my cohort!

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Mendoza MBA program? Connect with current students! One of the best things I did when applying was reach out to the students and chat with them about their experiences – it’s a great way to gain insights into the classes, activities, and student culture.

DON’T MISS: MEET NOTRE DAME MENDOZA’S MBA CLASS OF 2024