Kelsey Michele MBA 2017
Tell me a little bit about yourself:
My name is Kelsey Michele and I am 22 years old from Upstate New York. I recently finished my undergraduate degree in accounting from Binghamton University where I also played on the women’s lacrosse team. At CofC I plan to complement my accounting background with some additional creativity by focusing in Marketing. Outside of the classroom I am passionate about many things including the wine industry. My summer job consisted of managing a winery in upstate New York where I fell in love with the wine culture. My dream is to eventually own my own vineyard! I am also very passionate about sustainability, and making a difference in the community. I am involved with the American Cancer Society and the InPact program, on campus where people learn how to make a profit while making a difference. Outside of the classroom you can probably find me at the beach, riding around town enjoying Charleston on my bicycle, or planning my next big adventure. I also really enjoy practicing yoga, cooking, and learning different languages.
What is your favorite place on campus?
My favorite part on campus is walking through “College Way”. I absolutely love the historic architecture surrounded by the beautiful trees and enchanting Spanish moss. The palm trees are an additional perk, being from New York I never thought I could have palm tree’s outside of vacation. A light walk through campus and you feel like you’re in a fairytale.
What does diversity mean to you?
When I was asked this question I googled the definition of diversity, and what I found was intriguing. My findings showed me that the frequency of use of the word diversity in the english language has increased 300% from 1950-2000. Diversity is so important to the development of society and only recently have we come to understand that.
Diversity is almost a paradox that involves using differences to become united. Diversity is not limited to race, gender, and age. It is every little quirk, every cell in ones body, every experience, that makes someone who they are. The world is an awfully big place but diversity makes it more reachable. Diversity allows people to learn from others with different backgrounds, challenge assumptions, foster creativity, and many more possibilities. Without diversity everyone would be the same, and how boring would that be!
Advice for prospective graduate students
#1. Tackle the GMAT/GRE like a NFL Football player. Just get it done!
#2. Do your research about the program, including the background of professors, alumni, and the Charleston area. The more you know, the more you can take advantage of.
#3. Get into good habits of creating a healthy lifestyle. Grad school is no joke no matter where you go and it can be easy to skip out on those healthy habits. Building healthy habits into your life before hand will set you up for success rather then trying to build them throughout. While its certainly not impossible, its good to be proactive.
#4. Get ready for an experience of a lifetime and to have a lot of fun! Hard work, friendships, challenges, diversity, and more learning then you could ever imagine makes for a great experience in a great city.
To learn more about our MBA program, please check out our website for more information: http://www.mbacharleston.com/
