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Kelley School of Business Indiana University Bloomington
MS in Information Systems

The ‘power of diverse learning’ aided business analyst career path

Posted on by Tracy James

Gabby Leier, MSIS’24, has combined her undergraduate degree in psychology with the Kelley School’s innovative MS in Information Systems to launch a career at the intersection of business and technology. 

Kelley School of Business graduate student Gabby Leier

Gabby Leier, MSIS’24, interned as an Engineering Business Analyst at Grainger, in Chicago, and will return full-time after graduation.

Gabby completed a summer internship as an Engineering Business Analyst at Grainger in Chicago and will return for a full-time position after graduating. During her internship, she focused on streamlining order processing systems, serving as a vital link between developers and six different business units.  

“I feel that what set me apart at work was my ability to fluently speak both technical and business languages. This skill not only saved time but also enhanced efficiency, fostering seamless communication between these critical spheres. My success in this role was deeply rooted in my experiences with the MSIS program.”

Business and technology courses prepared her to succeed in workplace

Gabby said courses like Agile Processes and Automation, Enterprise Platforms, and Business Transformation Strategy equipped her with the essential skills to tackle workplace challenges.  

“The MSIS program constantly challenged me, preparing me for the real world. I walked out of the classroom every day having learned something new, giving me the confidence to continue learning in my work environment. In fact, I worked on 8 completely different technologies and tools during my internship including SAP ECC, Simplified Order Entry Systems, Apache Kafka, JIRA, Confluence!”
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Harpist Cindy Lee discusses her path to an MS in Information Systems (MSIS) and consulting career

Posted on by Tracy James

Classical musician Cindy Lee discovered something unexpected when she earned a minor in business from the Kelley School along with her Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Jacobs School of Music. Business was new to her and she thought Kelley courses might benefit her in managing freelance work as a professional harpist. It turned out that the strong work ethic she developed as a musician enabled her to pick up valuable business skills, such as using data analytics software. And that was just the beginning.

Portrait of Cindy Lee, Masters in Information systems and Jacobs School alumni

Cindy Lee

Lee completed her MS in Information Systems from the Kelley School in May 2022 and moved to Dallas to begin working as a cybersecurity consultant for the Big Four firm EY. She took her passion for music with her.

Note: Undergraduate students can learn more about MSIS at weekly in-person and virtual info sessions.

What kind of experience did you have in business and technology when you applied for the MSIS program at the Kelley School?

I had none, except for my minor in business. Initially I was uneasy with tasks like downloading software. I realized during my minor, however, that the discipline I developed while learning to play different instruments enabled me to learn how to use application software such as Microsoft Excel and Access, too. I practiced over and over. The harp program at the Jacobs School of Music is one of the best in the world, and I immersed myself in the program, ensembles, and teaching in my studio. I can’t overstate how the work ethic I developed as a musician helped me succeed in the master’s in information systems program. The communication skills and project management skills I leaned on when I participated in and led ensembles also benefits my work on team projects.

Did you feel at a disadvantage because other MSIS students had business or IT undergraduate degrees?

Many of my classmates had degrees in fields outside of business and technology. The program prepared us well during the summer to start in step with our colleagues with undergraduate business degrees from Kelley. The MSIS program offers three concentrated summer bootcamps that incoming MSIS students can take to gain the fundamentals they need to succeed. I took two of the three bootcamps, which also include classes with Graduate Career Services to prepare for fall recruiting. The MSIS program required me to secure an internship, because my undergraduate degree was not in business. Because of this, I gained invaluable experience during an eight-month internship with Anthem. By the time I graduated, I felt well-prepared to begin my career because of the combination of MSIS coursework and real-world experience from my internship.

You began playing the piano at age 4 and then learned how to play violin and flute. You took up the harp as a teenager and attended an arts high school in Seoul. You performed at Carnegie Hall as the principal harpist for the IU Wind Ensemble. How did a business career appear on your horizon? (more…)

Alumni Q&A: Joy Martin, MSIS’11

Posted on by Tracy James

MSIS alum Joy Martin stands in her office at Robot Morning.

 

Joy Martin doesn’t consider herself entrepreneurial, but there she is, one of three managing partners of a young company embedded in the supply chains of one of the country’s busiest aerospace corridors.

How did Martin, with an undergraduate degree in marketing, begin solving supply chain puzzles for suppliers of the likes of GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney? A growing interest in analytics led her to forgo the job market after graduation so she could pursue her MS in Information Systems at the Kelley School. The decision paid off, particularly with her second career move. When Martin reached out to a friend whose new company had begun making waves in the Cincinnati area, she was interested in working for Robot Morning. To her surprise, she was offered ownership in the company, which develops supply chain automation software for aerospace manufacturing.

You said you were surprised to be offered ownership in the company—but also ready for the challenge. How did the MSIS program prepare you for this leadership role?

“Having that experience of both the business and technical sides of the technology sector, and having that introduction to software that helps almost everything run anymore, has had a very direct impact on what I did during my first job after graduation and what I’m doing now.”

“I built on my undergraduate degree and my coding skills—I took technical courses on such topics as disaster recovery and enterprise resource planning (ERP). The overarching idea was that business and IT were like a Venn diagram. The benefit of the MSIS curriculum was the management side of it, how you manage a team in a tech environment. That’s what I’m doing now. I manage a team of developers at Robot Morning, as well as being a developer myself. I help manage the projects that we have going with our customers and the other departments within our company.” (more…)

Alumni Q&A: Yongky Kristando, MSIS’18

Posted on by Tracy James

In March 2018, Yongky Kristando was in India for his BUS-X577 class, asking insightful questions during a meeting with the global CIO of UK-based RB. At the time, Yongky didn’t realize how his MS in Information Systems and that meeting would impact his life. His questions and enthusiasm made an impression on the CIO. So, when Yongky was close to graduation and seeking opportunities in Southeast Asia, he reached out to RB, and the global fast-moving consumer goods company (FMCG) developed a rotational training position just for Yongky.

Yongky Kristando became RB’s Country IT Manager for Indonesia because of hard work, curiosity, and his MS in Information Systems from Kelley.

With his MS in Information Systems degree and experience in hand, Yongky moved to Malaysia later that year to begin his trainee position with RB—some of the company’s more well-known US brands include Lysol, Clearasil, and Air Wick. As in most organizations, RB trainees are entry-level positions. But just as the shelf life of FMCG packaged goods is brief, so was Yongky’s tenure as a trainee. Three months into what should have been an 18-month program, he began earning a series of promotions across southeast Asia that brought him to his current position as RB’s Country IT Manager for Indonesia. His role is integral to making sure shoppers can find the company’s products on store shelves across the world’s fourth most populous country.

“I moved into a company that I did not know of; I moved into a country that I was not familiar with. I got into an industry that I had no background in whatsoever (laughing), and here I am. It’s all about hard work. It’s all about picking things up quickly and being personable.”

It’s about being well prepared

Yongky had no IT experience before beginning the MSIS program, yet he was able to gain advanced skills and learn about different frameworks for using technology to drive business growth. His communication skills were enhanced by the many presentations he prepared and delivered in the program. He now uses these skills on a regular basis.

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Alumni Q&A: Mihir Borkar, MSIS’18

Posted on by Tracy James

Mihir Borkar pursued an MSIS because he wanted to complement the technical knowledge he gained in his undergraduate degree in computer engineering with a broader perspective of the business side of IT.

Mihir Borkar

Mihir Borkar

“The MSIS program at Kelley had the perfect set of coursework for me to advance my education,” said Mihir, who graduated in 2018 and now works for Google Cloud as a technical solutions engineer (TSE). “The courses enable students to look at IT from a strategic mindset, viewing it as a business enabler, while retaining the technical complexity required of a graduate-level program.”

He said the experiential learning opportunities with the Kelley School’s MSIS made it the right choice for him and differentiated it from other academic programs.

“The coursework was designed with learning opportunities—case competitions and capstone projects—that enabled me to work on real-world IT problems with major companies,” he said. “As a part of the internship option, I worked with Cook Medical as a business analyst for almost a year. This was exactly the kind of practical experience I was seeking.”

What Mihir does as a technical solutions engineer at Google Cloud

As a TSE for Google Cloud, Mihir is part of a globally distributed team that provides 24×7 support to help customers seamlessly run their workloads on Google Cloud. He provides solutions by running an accurate diagnosis, troubleshooting problems and identifying the root cause to ensure the problems never crop up again.

His role also involves serving as a subject matter expert for internal stakeholders to improve supportability and resiliency of the company’s products.

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Alumni Q&A: Bryan Sacks, MSIS’11

Posted on by Tracy James

(MSIS Alumnus Bryan Sacks

 

Bryan Sacks, MSIS’11, knew pretty quickly that he’d made the right decision to pursue an MS in Information Systems at Indiana University. He landed a fantastic internship the first semester—a stark contrast to the bleak employment scene when he finished his undergraduate degree from another university during an economic downturn.

Interested in applying?

“I went from not being able to get an interview with consulting firms to accepting a highly coveted internship,” he said. “The MSIS program provides opportunity, something that the student then needs to make the most of.”

Bryan’s performance in his internship lead to a full-time position after graduation, working in the cyber risk practice at Deloitte. Now, seven years after completing his MSIS, he’s chief information security officer for the State of Indiana. Bryan is responsible for establishing the vision and strategy for the state’s cybersecurity efforts. His responsibilities span the state’s Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IN-ISAC), the Security Operations Center (SOC), Security Operations and Engineering, as well as Risk & Compliance teams.

How did he get there so quickly? He points to Kelley’s MSIS program, where he thrived even though his undergrad was not IT-focused. Bryan came to Kelley as an out-of-state student but was confident that the MSIS program “would pay dividends for my career”—and it did so faster than he anticipated.

“It’s a progression,” he said. “The MSIS program prepared me to be a top tier consultant with a Big Four Firm. Without the coursework, case studies, business analysis, etcetera, I wouldn’t have achieved that level of success. One success births another.”

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Alumni Q&A: Kasie Kyle, MSIS’15

Posted on by Hannah Carroll

Kasie Kyle, MSIS'15

 

“I never thought of myself as techie,” said Kasie Kyle. “But I wanted to excel in businesses that focus on technology. I needed to understand that world and how to speak their language.”

For Kasie, the MS in Information Systems degree at the Kelley School of Business provided the technical, business, and managerial expertise to achieve her goals. Since graduating in 2015, she’s worked at top tech companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. She’s currently leading a team of 20 as Head of Content COP at PayPal.

It was an unlikely path for Kasie, who worked as a part-time event planner during her senior year as an entrepreneurship major at the Kelley School. When a staff member suggested she’d be a great fit for the Kelley MSIS program, she initially brushed it off.

“I loved business, but I wasn’t interested in engineering or development,” Kasie said. “But the more I learned about the program, the more it excited me. I thought, ‘this could propel my career.’ So I jumped in.”

Though many MSIS students bring technical experience, it’s not required. The program gives students from all backgrounds a strong technical foundation while developing skills in analysis, design, IT management, and strategy.

Without technical know-how, Kasie questioned she her ability to succeed in the MSIS program. Could she understand and keep up with coursework? Would she enjoy it?

“I found my classes intriguing, and I started to excel. I enjoyed figuring out solutions to problems,” Kasie said.

After 10 months, Kasie earned her MSIS degree and launched her career. She quickly realized the value of her experience and continues to credit the program with jump-starting her success.

“The Kelley MSIS experience is so hands-on and foundational that you will be ready to go to work on day one. I learned critical functional skills, and also soft skills that set me apart. I can speak confidently with executives, engineers, product managers, architects—anyone. It’s been beneficial to my credibility,” Kasie said.

“The Kelley MSIS program opened doors that I didn’t know existed.”

Alumni Q&A: Jacob Bailey, MSIS’18

Posted on by Jennifer Pacenza

 

As an alumnus of the Indiana University football team, Jacob Bailey, MSIS’18, knows the power of teamwork. That power—and his MS in Information Systems (MSIS) degree from the Kelley School of Business—has taken him from the gridiron to Grant Thornton.

Jacob was set to graduate with a four-year degree from Kelley, but his football commitment required an additional year at IU. Jacob seized the extra time to further his education: “I saw a big opportunity to get an MSIS degree on top of the technology management foundation I gained as an undergraduate.”

The MSIS program demonstrated to Jacob the value of teamwork in the business world. “I was part of a team from day one. I sat in every class with my team, and I worked with my team for at least half of the assignments. As a whole, it was a great learning experience that closely mimics the real world of business.”

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Alumni Q&A: Archana Subramanian, MSIS’09

Posted on by Kelley School

As Vice President of Operations at Salesforce, the world’s largest Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software company, Archana Subramanian navigates the realm where technology and business meet. Earning her MS in Information Systems from the Kelley School of Business provided the stepping stone she needed to launch her career.

“My MSIS degree completely changed my life,” Archana said. “I went from my best job prospects being a software engineer in India to VP of Operations at Salesforce.”

As an undergraduate student in India, she earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. She enjoyed working with technology but realized she was not passionate about working behind the scenes as an engineer. During her final year of school, she made the decision to pursue a master’s degree. “I wanted to put technology in a business context and learn how it applies to business,” she said.

The MSIS program at Kelley was the perfect fit for her goals. “It was exactly what I was looking for to get to the next step in my career,” said Archana. “It had the right balance of technology and business.” (more…)

Alumni Q&A: Ashley Hillman, MSIS’15

Posted on by Kelley School

Kelley School of Business alumna Ashley Hillman, MSIS’15 is an eager advocate for the MS in Information Systems Program, convincing friends and strangers alike of its value. “It opens doors you didn’t even realize you wanted to walk through,” says Hillman. For Hillman, the unexpected twists and turns that rerouted her career opened up a whole new world of career opportunities.

As an undergraduate at Indiana University, Hillman pursued a major in psychology and a business minor. “Originally, I had planned on pursuing a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, which is essentially psychology of the business.”

One day after one of her minor classes in the Kelley School of Business, the professor called Hillman aside and told her to look into Kelley’s MS in Information Systems.
“I always had an interest in technology, but I had not heard of the MSIS program before,” explained Hillman. “But after talking to Bipin Prabhakar (Chair of the Information Systems Graduate Program), other faculty, and current MSIS students, I fell in love with MSIS.” (more…)

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