Business freshmen explore possibilities in Cincinnati

KOKOMO, Ind. - First-year students at Indiana University Kokomo experienced career possibilities within their field during a Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) trip to Cincinnati.

Ashley Leicht, lecturer in business, and Sarah Byrd, visiting lecturer in business, led the excursion as part of the freshman seminar in business, required for all incoming business majors. It included a behind-the-scenes tour of the Great American Ball Park, a visit to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Musuem, free time to explore downtown, and a Cincinnati Reds baseball game.

Leicht said the cohort represents a wide variety of business majors, including finance, marketing, management, human resources, and sport tourism and hospitality management, so Cincinnati was a destination that would resonate with students across all fields of study.

"Cincinnati offers a dynamic business environment paired with rich cultural and historical experiences, making it an ideal setting for meaningful, real-world learning," she said. "Our hope is that students leave the trip with a clearer understanding of how their chosen major can translate into future career paths while also gaining a deeper appreciation for the history and culture of the region."

It also provides an opportunity for new students to form new friendships, and for them to see their faculty as people willing to support them.

"Each year we see the positive effect this trip has on relationships between faculty and students, as well as the connections they build with one another," she said. "Ultimately, we hope the experience inspires lasting friendships while opening doors to new professional possibilities."

Zaiden Butler, an accounting and finance student from Peru, enjoyed making connections with people at the ballpark and the museum, as well as among his classmates.

"We got to talk to people about internships," he said. "It helps with networking and making connections with peers for study groups and stuff like that."

He found the underground railroad museum, which tells stories of slavery and escape, with a focus on human rights, to be an eye-opening experience, as did his classmate Natalia Bazan.

"I got a little emotional in the museum because it's stories I hadn't heard before," said Bazan, from Frankfort. "It was mind-boggling that this is our history. It gives me hope, because we've come so far that I hope we can improve and do better for humanity."

The day was full of new experiences for the business management major.

"I've met more people in my area of the business major, and to have new experiences," she said. "I've never been to a baseball stadium before, so it was nice to see what it looks like and how it's run. As a business major, I'm just trying to get out and fulfill as many opportunities as possible because it's going to help me in the long run."

Malachi Kenner, Lafayette, made new friends while considering avenues for a career in sport and recreation management.

"I got to talk more to people in my class, and we're better friends now," he said. "We learned about new ways we can branch off in our careers, and what we want to do with our lives."

Travel - near and far - has been a hallmark of the KEY program since it was founded. The goal is to provide students with real-world experiences, connect them with people, and offer a travel experience within their major, for free or at low cost. Destinations have included sites significant to World War II in Germany, France, and England; a business incubator in Nashville, Google headquarters in California, Indiana Dunes National Park, ESPN in North Carolina, behind-the-scenes in security at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and much more.

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