Tosin Bowale, Kelley MBA Class of 2024
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Anglia Ruskin University UK, Business Marketing
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 10 years’ experience as a Marketing professional in the financial sector in Nigeria.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
The COVID-19 pandemic gave me a lot of time for reflection. Its unprecedented nature created a shift in the way I used to know the world. It created new preferences in all aspects of my life; a new normal way of living, working, communicating, and making decisions, and in general, changed the world. With increasing changes in consumer preferences, it was apparent that organizations must reinvent themselves to remain relevant. One such way is to lean on data and marketing intelligence. The need for marketing professionals who can help make sense of this new and challenging market is crucial to reposition organizations to continue to meet market and consumer demands. This is a challenge I am eager to take on. Exploring an MBA with a concentration in Marketing and Business Analytics is therefore exigent to me now.
Why did you choose Indiana Kelley? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
While still working (during my pre-MBA experience), I was identified as one of the staff with high potential, and high leadership capability and selected for the Accelerated Leadership Program at my organization. That experience influenced some of the qualities I wanted in a potential university for my MBA. I wanted a program that would enable me to horn my leadership skill and achieve my postgraduate MBA goals. The Kelley School of Business MBA program addresses these needs.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2024?
I had a rare form of high-risk, higher-order multiple pregnancy and gave birth to healthy babies. After this experience, my approach to life, in general, has been to embrace the unknown with confidence that I am equipped to dabble into uncharted territory and be successful. I believe this unique perspective is invaluable to my class (especially my core team) in how we approach and solve problems.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I love sunrise and sunset, and I collect pictures of them. The unique interplay of the sun’s rays (colors), the clouds, the atmosphere, and the location make each sunrise and sunset different and captivating. When I need to de-stress, I either watch the sunrise or sunset or dig into my collections of it.
Post-MBA career interests:
To become a marketing manager focusing on data-driven insight to create demand for products and increase conversion, or a product manager focusing on developing innovative solutions for businesses.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Be you, be authentic. Own your unique story and let your personality show in that how you tell it.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Networking. I would have loved to connect with lots of Kelley students and alumni early on in my application process as it would have helped me to realize on time that Kelley is the place for me.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Reflecting on this, I would not have changed a thing. Although it was a rigorous process, it prepared me for my time here.
What is your initial impression of the Indiana Kelley students/culture/community?
From my interactions with students, admissions, and faculty, my impression of Kelley has always been that of a close-knit, and collaborative culture.
What is one thing you have learned about Indiana Kelley that has surprised you?
Everybody is interested in seeing you succeed, both students and faculty. It is a highly collaborative environment, and everybody is nice and helpful.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Finding the right balance with juggling coursework, assignments, projects, competitions, Academy Fridays, networking, clubs, volunteering, recruiting, and managing the home front. As anxious I am about this, I am also eager to see how it plays out. To help me understand what ‘balance’ means to me, I diarize my daily activities and reflect on it weekly.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Recruitment for an internship. Within a few weeks at Kelley, I have been opportune to meet employers from various organizations and industries (thanks to the Kelley Graduate Career Services Team). It has been a rewarding experience leveraging this unique platform to improve my networking skills and connect with potential employers.
