Touchdowns seem to come naturally to Elijah Green. A running back for the Indiana University football team, Elijah brings fans to their feet at Indiana Memorial Stadium. As a student in the MS in Management Program at the Kelley School of Business, he takes his disciplined approach and teamwork mentality into the classroom. He’s maximizing opportunities to launch a flexible career plan—and offering tips for anyone who wants to score career wins in their future.
Strive for your priority goals simultaneously
“I have both a passion for entrepreneurship and a dream to make it to the NFL. For me, education comes first. The combination of world-class academics and the best athletics brought me to IU. Coach Cignetti connected me with master’s programs at Kelley where I discovered my career goals would align best with the MS in Management. I’ve got two ‘Plan A’s’ at this point—to play in the NFL and to start my own nonprofit organization targeting athletes’ mental health.”
Put your career plans into action now, not later
“I’m taking a course in new venture business planning. My MSM team and I took a business idea for a nonprofit and developed a value proposition, identified the problem, and defined the venture aim we wanted to solve. We broke it down into specifics—what’s the competition like? Who are the key stakeholders going to be? How will we get funding? Do we need volunteers and donors? Step by step, we built a plan from the ground up. Now I basically have a whole blueprint for how I want my nonprofit business to look.”
Practice a disciplined approach
“The demands on an athlete in a graduate program are real—it requires a lot of time management. I structure my day so that every time slot is allotted. My day begins with weightlifting, then classes at 11 a.m., football practice in the afternoon, study in the evening, and I’m in bed by 10 p.m. It requires being intentional about by my schedule—there’s little leeway. Structure ensures I’m able to do everything I need to do and excel academically. When I’m traveling all weekend, the faculty work with me and support me to be in the best position for success.”
Tap into the Kelley network for real-world career perspective
“The MSM program connected me with Micah Pellerin, MBA’19, who recently retired from the NFL. It’s been a supportive connection for me. I asked him what he took advantage of at Kelley, what helped him the most, and what he would do differently. We talked about how to make the transition from college to the NFL to the workplace. He advised me to always follow up with those I meet in the program because they’re some of the most important connections I’ll make.”
Lean into mutual motivation
“The MSM Program is a tight-knit group who brings a lot of strengths to the classroom. My classmates come from different undergraduate backgrounds—not just business, but art and English. We find ways to bring out each other’s strengths. Some of us are analytical, some innovative, and some look at business from outside the box. We feel like there’s nothing that we can’t accomplish, nothing can hold us back, and it’s good to be in a room with people like that.”
The MS in Management is a 12-month, in-residence program open to all undergraduate majors who want to gain a competitive career advantage. Want to learn if the MSM is the right fit for your career goals? Fill out our interest form to receive more information about the application process, career opportunities in management, and upcoming events.
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