By: Amanda Wahlstrom, Junior, Marketing, Accounting, and Sport Marketing and Management.
Here at Kelley, we think about diversity every day. We’re in classes with students and professors from all over the globe (and some physically across the globe—thanks Zoom!). We could talk about the statistics and how they show our diversity, but what’s more important is how this diversity impacts marketing. We all come from different backgrounds and cultures that create different experiences and paths for ourselves. As part of the Kelley Marketing Department, we not only experience diversity in the classroom, but as different people, places, and moments and we are here to tell you about it.
Geographic
The Kelley community is truly global. Whether it’s studying abroad through one of Kelley’s 59 programs or coming from one of the almost 50 countries outside of the United States represented at Kelley to study here. Nick Bigliano is a senior that lived in Italy during his time at Kelley and will be showcasing how that helped him get where he is today. Jeffrey Yu, a student currently studying abroad in Taiwan, will be taking us through what his life abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic is like. Rashi Sarraf from New Delhi, India found her place in Kelley through a diverse pool of organizations. Alumni Di An will be taking us through us her experiences with international business.
Gender
One thing that makes the Marketing Department unique is the prevalence of women, who represent the majority of the faculty. We will be exploring this further with a piece breaking down what it means to be a woman in this space.
Involvement
The Kelley School of Business has 60+ student organizations all with a diverse set of passions and people represented. With so many to choose from, we will be hearing from students and professors about the organizations and workshops that they are involved in. Riley Deam will be taking us through the ways that she broke out of her comfort zone through different opportunities offered in the Marketing Department. Professor Charles Ragland will be taking us behind the scenes of the Global Sales Workshop and how they ensure diversity within the workshop and how it makes them stronger. Dennis Spahr, a professor in the Professional Sales part of the Marketing Department, will show the diversity of our course offerings and how that can help fuel competition through the National Selling Team Competition. Professor John Talbot leads the Retail Workshop and knows a thing or two about incorporating diversity into their operations and structure.
Research
The Kelley School has nearly 350 faculty conducting research and shaping the way we learn, all in their own diverse ways. Marketing Professor Ashok Lalwani will be exploring how culture affects both behavior and decision making. We’ll be digging deeper with a look at diversity through the faculty’s eyes with Professors Josh Gildea, Beth Fossen, Dennis Spahr, Shanker Krishnan, and Shibo Li. However, professors aren’t our only source of research and experience. The Marketing Department, like all of Kelley, has such great alumni and from that, such great advice and experiences! We will be hearing from Julie Kratz, a specialist in diversity, who works as a consultant for companies that want to increase their diversity and inclusivity.
Our Diverse Stories
These stories are just the tip of the iceberg for diversity within the Marketing Department. Our diversity goes beyond what you may be able to see on paper. Our stories include diversity in geographic location, gender, involvement, and research as well as any other area imaginable. While we all come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, we all come together to find common ground at Kelley and within marketing. We hope you will continue to follow along as our stories are told here as well as on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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