Meet The Class Of 2018 At Kellogg

Ladini Jayaratne

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Sri Lankan-Australian-American trivia fanatic, movie-watching addict, and music lover (the 80’s are the best!). Proud Jayhawk and Obama Campaign alumna

Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m obsessed with Presidential trivia (my job at the White House allowed me to turn my hobby into a ridiculously fun work portfolio).

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Kansas—History and Political Science

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: U.S. Department of Labor—Special Advisor to U.S. Secretary Thomas E. Perez; The White House—Special Projects Staff Assistant in the Visitors Office; Obama for America 2012 Presidential Campaign—National Advance Staff; The White House—Advance Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Creating an educational LGBT display during Pride Month for the public White House tours. The Smithsonian incorporated the exhibit into a permanent LGBT historical display at the Museum of American History.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Make sure to put yourself in a positive environment during the application process. I was told over-and-over again that I was a non-traditional, long shot candidate for business school. I made the mistake of thinking that was true. It took a lot of support from family, friends and mentors to eventually shut out the noise and re-write my application (two nights before the deadline) that was an accurate and honest reflection of who I was. If I didn’t have such a tremendous support system of co-workers, family and friends, I think I would have talked myself out of applying.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Competitive and aggressive co-workers can be found in both the public and private sector. Even though my entire career thus far has been in the public sector, I have had my fair share of experiences of working with competitive colleagues where their success was at my expense. And ultimately I knew I would do better working in a team dynamic. I admire the Kellogg students for being incredibly driven and focused, but also collaborative. At Kellogg, I knew my ambitious drive applied in team settings was the best way to achieve my professional goals.  The feeling really hit home during Newly Admitted Students Weekend, where we simulated group work with future classmates. Everyone is friendly, open-minded and encouraging of one another. Getting along with one another was effortless.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? I’d like to one day be a professor. My entire career thus far has been based on a commitment to civic duty and the learning under amazing mentors. With plans for a social impact concentration at Kellogg and a decade or so of private sector work, I’d like to return to a college campus and pay it forward by teaching and mentoring students in business ethics.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program?   I’d like my peers to say that I was a reliable and supportive colleague – someone that they hoped to stay in touch with after they leave school because they knew I’d go to bat for them and they’d want to go to bat for me – but mostly that I was someone that knew how to take my work seriously, but not take myself seriously.