Kelley launches program to aid students' professional development

On Tuesday, the Kelley School of Business launched Kelley Compass, a program to assist students in professional development.

It was started in response to evolving employer needs, according to a press release.
“The rules of the game for today’s global business world are fluid,” Tom Lenz, chair of the business undergraduate program, said in the release. “So students and schools must approach professional development as rigorously and thoughtfully as we do our bedrock academics programs.”

The program will assist students during their freshman, sophomore and junior years.
Students will be assigned a career advisor in addition to an academic advisor, according to the release.

During students’ freshmen years, they will focus on personal goals and development.

Sophomore year will allow students to concentrate on teamwork development, and junior year will consist of a focus on professional development.

Kelley Compass will be accompanied by an addition to the school’s core curriculum, called “Global Foundations Core” or “G-Core,” classes, intended to teach students skills to make them competitive in international job markets.

Students will complete G-Core during their sophomore years and continue with Integrative Core, or I-Core, during their junior years.

Ethics course offerings will also be expanded.

“Pursuit of learning, in all its levels and forms, should always be a goal, but a college degree is not enough to land a ‘dream job,’” business Dean Daniel Smith said in the press release. “We believe that our deliberate approach to career planning will give graduates a surer start and the skills to flourish in global job markets that may be equal parts uncertain and exciting.”

— Kirsten Clark