Sam Yoder, MBA’22
Student Body President * | Forté Fellow*
When I was deciding to go back to school, a few knowledge gaps ultimately clinched the decision: I knew I needed better financial understanding as well as data analysis skills. Three-fourths of the way through my first year, Kelley is more than delivering on both of those things. However, what I didn’t know I would be getting was a crash course in leadership.
About a month ago, my classmates elected me and a group of eight other students to our MBA Association’s leadership team, putting me at the head as Student Body President. I’m about 10 days into my term, and I cannot begin to tell you everything I’ve already learned. I’m making mistakes most days but I’m also figuring out how to lead with the support of my team. I can feel myself growing and learning to take on the challenges set before me.
A few days after my team and I were elected, the student body elected 25 club presidents—other students who decided to step up and create great programming for the next year. MBA programs often have great professors and incredible alumni connections, but so much of the programming is run by students or come about because a student advocated for something they believed was important. If you want it to, your MBA program can give you the opportunity to own something, figure out how to make it happen, and benefit your friends and classmates almost immediately. Giving students leadership opportunities isn’t by accident – it’s a fundamental part of the MBA experience, but one that I apparently kind of glossed over in my initial decision-making process.
Growth is uncomfortable – this is not a new revelation by any means, but one I’m learning most days while getting my MBA. Whether that growth is in Spreadsheet Modeling or during a leadership meeting, I’m reveling in the opportunity to try things I’ve never done before and figure out how to actually do them along the way. My classmates at Kelley are going to lead the world, and all of our leadership journeys will include a chapter at Kelley. I couldn’t be more excited to see what comes in the next year.
