Former Deloitte US Chair Janet Foutty meets inaugural recipients of scholarship established in her honor

Posted on January 31, 2024 by George Vlahakis

Janet Foutty and the Janet Foutty/Deloitte Foundation Leadership Scholarship recipients. From left, Aria Oakley, Ashlee Wahl, Foutty, Syndi Artis and Daniella Hall.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – During her initial visit to the Indiana University Kelley School of Business as Poling Chair of Business and Government, Kelley alumna Janet Foutty, met four women who hope to follow in her footsteps.

Helping them to begin their career path is support in the form of the Janet Foutty/Deloitte Foundation Leadership Scholarship, which was established in Foutty’s honor by the Deloitte Foundation in recognition of Foutty’s outstanding leadership contributions as the former chair of the Deloitte US board.

Foutty, also former chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting, is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion; women in technology; and the need for STEM education. This scholarship is consistent with her lifelong support for these matters.

“I’m honored the Deloitte Foundation established this scholarship in my name in support of building up the next generation of diverse leaders and advancing equity in education,” said Foutty. “The Kelley School opened doors for me, and I believe in holding the door open for others, so nothing makes me prouder than being able to contribute in meaningful ways to the development of future business professionals.”

The Janet Foutty/Deloitte Foundation Leadership Scholarship was established to support academically meritorious students at the Kelley School of Business. In selecting the recipients, the University gives special consideration to students who have financial need and/or students with diverse cultural experiences. It is renewable as long as recipients meet certain academic requirements.

The initial recipients are:

Sydni Artis, a freshman finance major from Lees Summit, Mo., and a graduate of Lees Summit West High School.
Daniella Hall, a freshman marketing major from Oak Lawn, Ill., and a graduate of Mother McAuley High School.
Aria Oakley, a freshman finance major from Houston, Texas and a graduate of Ridge Point High School.
Ashlee Wahl, a sophomore accounting major from Huntingburg, Ind., and a graduate of Southridge High School.

Foutty had a breakfast discussion with the scholarship recipients, who left the experience feeling even more emboldened to be curious, raise their hand for team leader opportunities, hone their communication skills, and most importantly enjoy the journey – some of the practical advice Janet shared with the group from personal experience.

(more…)

2024 off to a great start for Kelley’s Undergraduate Program; Its academic experience ranked No. 2 nationally

Posted on January 25, 2024 by George Vlahakis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – In the first weeks of the 2024 spring semester, the Undergraduate Program at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business has been abuzz with activity and good news.

Before students even had arrived back on campus, Poets & Quants for Undergrads recognized an alumna, Casey Curtis and her startup, Elevate. The 2023 graduate, now an innovation development analyst at JP Morgan, was one of 24 business school students or recent graduates as having one of the “Most Disruptive Business School Startups” in 2023.

Casey Curtis

A week later, while much of the country was being hit by a series of winter storms, the Kelley School successfully hosted nearly 120 students from 30 universities and colleges who came to Kelley to compete in the 13^th National Diversity Case Competition. A team from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas finished first.

On Jan. 22, the program learned that it has moved back into the top 15 programs in Poets & Quants for Undergrads’ ranking of “best undergraduate business schools. Program leaders are especially thrilled about a No. 2 ranking for academic experience.

The academic experience ranking is based on three factors:

Alumni responses to questions about how they feel about their core experiences with professors and career services,
The percentage of alumni who participated in a “significant experience” such as consulting projects and global immersions, and
The percentage of students whose first jobs after graduation were in their desired industries and companies.

Thus, it also shouldn’t be a surprise that the Kelley School ranked high – sixth overall – when alumni of 91 undergraduate degree programs were surveyed were asked would they recommend their business school to others.

The school also ranked in the top 10 in several subcategories – third in terms of the program’s effectiveness at instilling both soft and business skills, fourth in terms of respondents who had a signature experience or global immersion, eighth in career outcomes, ninth in terms of alumni’s perceived return on investment; and 10^th in advising and professional networking and career development.

Overall, Kelley ranked 14^th in the new ranking, having moved up from 16^th last year.

Last fall, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Undergraduate Program eighth overall and No. 1 in the state of Indiana. Eight specialty programs are ranked in the top 10 and nine are in the top 15.

Among those recent graduates who are happy with their Kelley experience is Curtis.

Curtis describes her venture as an automated “building management platform” that uses analytics to help residents call for an elevator – saving energy and cost in the process. Among the support she received while at IU and Kelley was being able to test her concept in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“This test was four years in the making, and seeing as we had an incredible number of barriers to entry with actually getting the product implemented at IU, having that full test was an incredible feat,” she told Poets & Quants for Undergrads. “Little did I know that when I started school at Indiana University that Bloomington, Indiana was going to be the most amazing entrepreneurial eco-system that I could have been a part of in college.

“My education and time at the Kelley School of Business was nothing short of the best four years of my life and taught me an unbelievable amount about myself and business both inside and outside the classroom,” Curtis said upon being honored. “To every professor I had, class I took, and club I was part of, thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to shape me and my company.”

Kappa Alpha Psi partners with the Indiana University Kelley School of Business to increase diversity in corporate leadership

Posted on January 16, 2024 by George Vlahakis

Kappa Alpha Psi crest

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., one of the oldest historically Black fraternities in the country, has partnered with the Indiana University Kelley School of Business with the goal of increasing diversity in corporate leadership.

Through the partnership, college graduates from around the world who are Kappa Alpha Psi members are invited to apply for a fellowship program to attend the Kelley School’s nationally ranked in-residence Full-Time MBA Program. Successful candidates will be known as Kappa Alpha Psi Fellows.

The fraternity, open to all men regardless of color, religion, or national origin, has 642 active chapters with more than 250,000 initiated members worldwide.

Kappa Alpha Psi was founded 113 years ago by Black students at IU seeking camaraderie and support.

Jimmy McMikle

“This partnership creates an exciting opportunity for Kappa men to share in the MBA experience at our birthplace and deepen the special bond that Kappa Alpha Psi and Indiana University share,” said its international president, Jimmy McMikle, the 35^th grand polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi, a 1991 initiate of the Alpha Chapter, and a 1992 IU graduate.

Ash Soni, dean of the Kelley School and The Sungkyunkwan Professor, said the new partnership continues Kelley’s history of leading the way toward a more diverse classroom and workplace experience.

“Six decades ago, Kelley was one of three founders of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, which has helped more than 100,000 people of color earn a graduate business degree,” Soni said. “Today, we celebrate this partnership with another impactful organization to offer even more leadership opportunities and promote greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in corporate America.”

The Kelley School was also one of the first participants of the Forté Foundation, which supports the advancement of women in business.

In addition to student and alumni chapters in nearly every state across the country, Kappa Alpha Psi has chapters in the Bahamas, United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Japan, Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Nigeria, Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, Dominican Republic and South Africa.

Jeremy A. Morris

Other noted alumni initiated through the Alpha Chapter at IU include Elbert Frank Cox, the first Black person to receive a PhD in mathematics; Booker T. Jones, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer; the late George Taliaferro, a leader of desegregation at IU and the first African American to be drafted by an NFL team; and Jeremy A. Morris, an IU Trustee and three-time graduate.

“The Kelley School of Business stands as a global leader in business education, and I am immensely proud of our collaboration. Together, Kappa Alpha Psi and the Kelley School of Business are committed to elevating the business landscape and fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout the professional journey,” said Morris, also an Indianapolis-based trial attorney who was a 2002 initiate through the Alpha Chapter.

Kappa Alpha Psi and the Kelley School will work together to support members who want to develop as leaders through an MBA. In addition to receiving financial support, Kappa Alpha Psi Fellows will benefit from the school’s one-of-a-kind professional development workshop, Me, Inc., and become part of a global alumni network of more than 130,000.

Jordan Q. Smith

“As a proud student at the Kelley School of Business, I am extremely honored to be a part of this extraordinary partnership,” said Jordan Q. Smith, an operations management major at Kelley and a junior grand vice polemarch for the fraternity’s national Grand Chapter. “Kelley School of Business and Kappa Alpha Psi are paving the way for the next generation of business leaders, including myself.”

At least three full-tuition fellowships will be provided annually to successful applicants meeting the program’s admissions requirements. This will include applicants referred by the international headquarters of Kappa Alpha Psi or one of its regional chapters.

The school also may support fellowship recipients to attend Kappa Alpha Psi conferences and provide applicants with application fee waivers. Kelley also will develop webinars and other opportunities for Kappa Alpha Psi undergraduates to learn more about careers in business.

Kelley will continue to pursue similar opportunities with other “Divine 9” historically Black fraternities and sororities through outreach via the National Pan Hellenic Council.

Thirty business schools competing in the 2024 National Diversity Case Competition, presented by the IU Kelley School of Business

Posted on January 11, 2024 by George Vlahakis

Members of a team from Texas A&M celebrate on learning that they won the 2023 National Diversity Case Competition.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include information about the winner and finalists. Scroll down to the bottom of the article for more information.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Teams of students from 30 colleges and universities are coming this weekend to the Indiana University Kelley School of Business to compete at the 2024 National Diversity Case Competition.

The competition, which is held the weekend before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, will bring together 118 students who represent some of the best and most diverse talent in undergraduate education from across the nation.

Among the participating teams are four from historically Black institutions Claflin University, Delaware State University, Howard University and Xavier University of Louisiana.

Students are challenged to solve diversity-related business issues and share ideas while benefiting from workshops and networking with companies that value inclusion. This year, the competition will focus on a case provided by AbbVie that focuses on improving the level of diversity participation in clinical trials.

The company is looking for solutions to de-stigmatize clinical trials and help increase participation, particularly among underrepresented groups.

Many students find that participating in this event leads to leadership opportunities, internships and jobs after graduation. They will compete for $22,000 in prize money.

(more…)

Kelley School honors 10 accounting graduates for their professional and community contributions

Posted on December 14, 2023 by George Vlahakis

Kelley alumna Tricia Mulcare received the Community Service Award from Brian Miller, the Sam Frumer Professor of Accounting.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Ten accounting alumni of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business were honored recently, recognizing them for their professional achievements and contributions to the field and their communities.

This year’s award recipients represented a broad cross section of firms and professionals and included John Hassell, an accounting professor at Kelley Indianapolis (who is profiled in a separate article).

“We are very proud of our alumni. I know we graduate hard workers with keen insight and innovative problem-solving,” said Patrick Hopkins, vice dean of the Kelley School in Bloomington, where he also a Conrad Prebys Professor in accounting. “We graduate professionals who understand the importance of teamwork and being of service, not just in your companies, but in your communities.

“Our alumni are the perfect role models for our current students and vital to the continued excellence of our accounting programs,” Hopkins added. “We appreciate your support and involvement with our accounting programs, and we celebrate your hard work and innovative practices as you continue to create momentum.”

The awards were presented at the annual Accounting Alumni & Friends Recognition Banquet on Nov. 2 at Presidents Hall. Here’s more information about those honored:

(more…)

Long-time accounting professor at Kelley Indianapolis and a two-time Kelley alumnus honored by his peers

Posted on December 14, 2023 by George Vlahakis

From left, Tod Perry, associate dean of faculty at Kelley Indianapolis; Patrick Hopkins, vice dean at Kelley Bloomington; John Hassell, professor of accounting at Kelley Indianapolis; and Eric Holzman, assistant professor of accounting at Kelley Bloomington.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – John Hassell, an accounting professor at Indiana University Kelley School of Business Indianapolis and two-time alumnus of the Kelley School, was honored by his peers at Bloomington for his impact on teaching, service and research for more than a quarter century.

Hassell, who earned an MBA and a Ph.D. in accounting in 1983 from the Kelley School at Bloomington, received the Academic Excellence Award and was one of 10 honored at the annual Accounting Alumni & Friends Recognition Banquet on Nov. 2. He has taught at Kelley Indianapolis since 1996.

“Suffice to say, I was honored, grateful,” Hassell said. “Since 1950, 185 people have earned doctorates from the business school with a focus on accounting and I am proud to be among them. These graduates have made significant contributions to the accounting profession, particularly through their research. To be chosen for this award by my accounting faculty peers was a tremendous honor.”

John Hassell

Hassell noted that IU and the Kelley School have affected every aspect of his career.

“When my wife Barb (a clinical professor of management) and I were asked to come back to teach at IUPUI, it was a quick yes,” Hassell said. “We are committed to urban education, and we saw it as an opportunity to continue the Kelley School’s commitment to excellent research, teaching, and service.

“As an alum, I am proud of the evolution of the Accounting Department into one of the premier research faculties in the U.S,” added Hassell, who will join his wife in retiring from teaching this spring.

(more…)

Kelley School’s new Master of Science in Management degree offers practical skills in leadership and strategy

Posted on December 1, 2023 by George Vlahakis

Associate Professor Erik Gonzalez-Mulé met with students to discuss the new Master of Science in Management MSM program on November 1, 2023

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Indiana University Kelley School of Business is offering a new residential master’s degree for recent college graduates who want to add management skills to their undergraduate education.

Kelley’s new Master of Science in Management degree is designed to enable any student — including those who studied the humanities, sciences, music, the arts, public health or other business-adjacent fields — to build upon their undergraduate degree knowledge through courses which emphasize business acumen and tangible business experience needed to advance in their career.

Richard Ash

“This new degree harnesses the diversity of career paths of students in the program, creating dynamic classroom environments where they will build on that knowledge and benefit from a multitude of perspectives. Students will learn from distinguished Kelley faculty about a range of industries,” said Richard Ash, clinical associate professor of management and entrepreneurship and program chair.

“Graduates will emerge from the program equipped with the skills and versatility needed to be successful in a wide range of roles and industries throughout their careers,” Ash added.

The degree at IU Bloomington can be completed in less than a year. Graduates gain a competitive advantage in the job market, accelerated progression to jumpstart their careers, and access to one of the world’s largest business school alumni networks.

“The Master of Science in Management degree opens up opportunities for students who have pursued both business or non-business undergraduate degrees, and now, want to add management, leadership, communications, and business strategy to their resume,” said Ash Soni, dean of the Kelley School and Sungkyunkwan Professor.

“We have created a degree that offers students a career path that is unique, competitive, and takes advantage of the best that Kelley has to offer,” Soni said. “Through this degree students will also gain connections to mentors, business leaders, and expert faculty who can support and guide them in their careers.”

(more…)

Poets&Quants ranks Kelley Direct Online MBA Program No. 1 for the third time

Posted on November 27, 2023 by George Vlahakis

Celebrating a No. 1 ranking is a tradition for students in the Kelley Direct Online MBA Program.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — For the second straight year, the Kelley Direct Online MBA program at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business is ranked No. 1 by Poets&Quants, a leading news site about business education.

Kelley Direct has held the No. 1 position three times since Poets&Quants launched their ranking seven years ago and has always placed in the top five. That consistent record of quality also was highlighted in Poets&Quants’ decision to name Kelley Direct the MBA Program of the Year two years ago.

Created in 1999, Kelley Direct is the original online MBA program from a top-tier business school. The program is uniquely designed in how it serves the needs of working professionals. Earlier this year, Kelley Direct was ranked No.1 by U.S. News & World Report – for a second straight year – as well as No. 1 by the Princeton Review for the sixth consecutive year.

Ash Soni

This latest recognition for Kelley Direct is yet another affirmation of its faculty and staff’s constant efforts to innovate and put students first, said Ash Soni, dean of the Kelley School and The SungKyunKwan Professor.

“Nearly 25 years after we set the standard in online MBA education, we’re still leading the way,” Soni said. “Our faculty and staff are 100 percent invested in creating momentum for our students and continue to push the boundaries of what an online MBA should be. We are very proud of Kelley Direct’s legacy of excellence.”

This year, 51 business schools worldwide participated in the rankings, which are based on three equally weighted factors: the quality of incoming students, an assessment of the MBA experience by graduates and career outcomes of alumni.

In addition to the top overall ranking, Kelley Direct ranked No. 1 in the admissions category for the third straight year. It also placed second in academic experience and 10th in career outcomes. The program is focused on providing the best overall MBA experience, offering an online MBA experience that doesn’t feel like an online program.

Will Geoghegan

“Kelley Direct offers personal touches more common to full-time, residential MBA programs. We are always looking for ways students can connect with one another and with our faculty and staff, as if they were here on campus, learning in person full-time,” said Will Geoghegan, chair of Kelley Direct and clinical associate professor of management and entrepreneurship.

“For example, we offer weekly virtual live class sessions, global and domestic immersions tailored to online MBA students, and career services and coaching specifically for advanced career professionals – program elements many other online MBA programs can’t or don’t replicate,” Geoghegan said.

In its article accompanying the rankings, Poets&Quants’ editors noted several features that differentiated Kelley Direct from its competitors, including affordability, its facilities such as the $10 million Jellison Studios, and that the program is taught entirely by full-time Kelley faculty who work with the Kelley instructional design team to deliver coursework.

(more…)

IU Kelley School conference to focus on inequities in health and wellness

Posted on November 13, 2023 by George Vlahakis

Black female pediatrician hold stethoscope exam child boy patient visit doctor with mother (stock photo)

The conference will examine ongoing efforts to improve both the delivery of healthcare and health-related social factors like access to healthy foods. (Getty Image)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana University Kelley School of Business is hosting a conference on Dec. 1 focusing on widespread inequities in health and wellness among different populations and ongoing efforts in the state to address them.

Dr. Paul K. Halverson, founding dean of the Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, who has served as senior health advisor for the state health commissioners as well as the governor’s office, will open the conference as keynote speaker.

The conference, “Closing the Gap of Health Inequalities,” will take place at Roche Diagnostics, 9115 Hague Rd, on the northeast side of Indianapolis. It is part of the Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration Series, presented by the Kelley School’s Center for the Business of Life Sciences.

“Addressing the persistent disparities in health and wellness is an issue that can’t be ignored. While the healthcare cost implications are significant, the societal and economic implications are even more so,” said George Telthorst, the center’s director.

“This conference will examine ongoing efforts to improve both the delivery of healthcare and health-related social factors like access to healthy foods, access to transportation and safe neighborhoods, which influence health outcomes.”

Paul Halverson

Halverson will present the conference’s opening keynote, “Defining Health Inequities,” at 9:15 am.

Other presenters will include Paige Bingham, director of Close the Gap, a health equity initiative supported by Boston Scientific; Ariana McGee, founder and CEO of Navigate Maternity, a Fort Wayne-based company that produces a wearable intuitive monitoring system that collects data and notifies providers when there are significant or alarming patient changes, and Holly Wood, senior director of Purdue University’s Equity Health Initiative.

Participating on a panel discussion about provider perspective and initiatives will be Edmond Davis, senior director for health equity at Zimmer Biomet; Dr. Brownsyne Tucker Edmonds, associate professor of obstetrics & gynecology and associate dean for health equity research at the IU School of Medicine and vice president and chief health equity officer at IU Health; and Tedd Grain, vice president of social determinants of health at Eskenazi Health Foundation and Eskenazi Health. Marsha Weiner, director, project management office at Boston Scientific, will moderate.

A second panel looking at the payer’s perspective will feature Antoniette Holt, division director of the Office of Minority Health at the Indiana Department of Health; Darryl Lockett, health equity director at Anthem Indiana Medicaid; Andy Vetor, president of benefits consulting and chief growth officer at MJ Insurance. Jenn Kowalski, vice president of the Public Policy Institute at Elevance Health, will moderate.

Halverson joined the Fairbanks School of Public Health in 2013 as the first dean of a newly established school. The school was created in September 2012 through a $20 million endowment from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and a $1 million feasibility study from Eli Lilly and Company. In his role, he has served as a senior health advisor for the state health commissioners as well as the governor’s office, and led the Indiana Health Systems Review, which led to a role in the Governor’s Public Health Commission. In addition, Halverson led the creation of an academic health department within the Marion County Public Health Department, led by Dr. Virginia Caine.

He recently was appointed as dean and professor at the School of Public Health at the Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State University, and this conference will be one of his last public appearances in Indiana. Earlier this month, he was awarded one of the highest distinctions in the state of Indiana, the Sagamore of the Wabash. The award is the highest bestowed by the governor of Indiana and is a personal tribute given to those who have rendered distinguished service to the state.

The Center for the Business of Life Sciences brings together key players from industry, academia, government, and economic development communities to share ideas and expertise. It drives the Kelley School’s life sciences agenda and provides connections to its outreach and research activity and its academic programs.

(more…)

IU and Kelley students, faculty and staff build Habitat home for Bloomington family

Posted on October 9, 2023 by George Vlahakis

Group of people on the field waving to the camera, after Maria Magno-Perez and her three children accepted the keys to their new home.

The IU Kelley School of Business has worked with Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County, Habitat for Humanity International, and Whirlpool Corporation to participate in a community home build. Students, staff, and faculty are invited each fall to volunteer with us to build a home and community together. Last year, Maria Magno-Perez and her three children accepted the keys to their new home on the field at IU’s Homecoming game.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Among the thousands of fans flowing into Memorial Stadium for Indiana University’s football game, the word “homecoming” will have special meaning for one Bloomington family.

While homecoming is a tradition of welcoming back alumni and friends, for Cherri Morris and her four grandchildren, it will be remembered as the day they received the keys to a home of their own. As part of Homecoming Weekend, they will join leaders from the IU Kelley School of Business, Habitat for Humanity and sponsor Whirlpool Corp. at the official groundbreaking for their new home.

An official groundbreaking and celebration will take place at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 21 at the building site in Osage Place, Habitat’s third neighborhood in Monroe County. The public is welcome to attend. The day before, students, faculty and staff from IU and the Kelley School along with Whirlpool employees will begin building the home through Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County.

This will be the 13th house constructed since the collaboration with Whirlpool Corp. began in 2010. Nearly 3,000 IU students, staff, faculty, and alumni have come together to build the previous homes alongside Monroe County families. About 245 people are expected to volunteer this year. Morris’s new home will be one of 250 climate-resilient and energy efficient homes built through the BuildBetter with Whirlpool initiative.

Local and national Habitat representatives will be joined at the build and groundbreaking event by volunteers, campus leaders and several current and retired Whirlpool Corp. executives. The executives include those with strong ties to Kelley, such as retired CEO Jeff Fettig, who earned a bachelor’s degree and MBA from IU before joining the company in 1981.

Morris and her grandchildren will symbolically receive keys to her home after the event, on the field at Memorial Stadium before IU’s homecoming football game against Rutgers University.

Cherri Morris and her four grandchildren in a family portrait

This year’s homeowner, Cherri Morris, and her grandchildren

(more…)

Social media