Through the Consumer Marketing Academy (CMA) at the Kelley School of Business, she was able to pursue her passion for marketing and find a career she loved.
Pippa was introduced to the Kelley School by her aunt and uncle, who are professors at Indiana University. A little unsure at first about transitioning from New York to Indiana, Pippa visited Kelley, and it was love at first sight. “Kelley was the only school I actually applied to because I was so into it. I thought, ‘If I don’t get in, I’m just going to keep applying until I do.'"
She only had to apply once.
When she started at Kelley, Pippa was nervous about her new path. “I was really insecure coming in,” she said,“because I knew that I was a career switcher, so I second-guessed a lot of the things I was thinking.” But in working with former CMA Director Jonlee Andrews, Pippa gained both confidence and marketing know-how.
“Jonlee does a terrific job managing from day one what we are supposed to do, what we are supposed to learn, and who we are supposed to meet. She challenges us every single minute,” said Pippa. “She goes above and beyond in tying what you learn in academics to the real world, so you’re sure that everything you take away is directly applicable to your job."
In addition to training, Pippa gained access to a huge network of Kelley graduates and proud CMA alumni. Through this network, she was able to secure an internship with E. & J. Gallo Winery after her first year, and she will return in a full-time position as an associate brand manager.
“I’m so excited about starting at E. & J. Gallo that I pushed up my start date. A lot of Kelleys work there, especially CMA alumni, so culturally it felt like an extension of the Kelley family,” she said.“I love the idea of getting a product to master, a product that I can be passionate about that offers continuous learning, and wine is almost impossible to master. I know that I have so much to learn, and that’s great!”
If someone is interested in brand management or consumer marketing, Pippa is more than happy to recommend Kelley and the CMA. “Kelley has an incredible program, and the CMA is a standout academy. When you go to a company and say, ‘I’m a Kelley,’ they ask, ‘Oh, are you a CMA?’ It creates an even stronger bond.”