Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and Menttium Corporation Award Life-changing Scholarship to Allstate’s Kelly Brennan
Founded with missions to help high-performing individuals rise into business leadership positions, LFGSM and Menttium partnered on a unique essay contest for a full-tuition Lake Forest MBA scholarship.
Lake Forest, Ill. (PRWEB) June 18, 2008
Many business professionals know that an MBA can give them a real edge in their career. But fewer know how to get that edge without the burden of tuition costs. Thanks to a scholarship contest sponsored by Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (LFGSM) and Menttium Corporation, Allstate’s Kelly Brennan is now one of the few.
On Kelly Brennan’s desk is a small plaque about the ABC’s of Life. D is for “Dream.” S is for “Seek Wisdom.” When Brennan joined the Menttium 100 mentoring program in 2003, through a partnership between her employer, Allstate Insurance Company, and Menttium Corporation, she did just that--she sought wisdom from her Menttium mentor and she dreamed of becoming a stronger leader.
”Menttium 100 draws from the Fortune 1000’s best and brightest high-potential women and Kelly Brennan was a perfect fit for the program,” said Kimberly Vappie, Chief Operating Officer at Menttium Corporation.
In late 2007, not content with her undisputed success as Allstate’s Director of Marketing, Brennan wrote an essay that would change her life. Her essay explored her desire to be a “better visionary and guide” for Allstate. In it, Brennan identified herself as exactly the type of business professional who excels in the Lake Forest MBA (http://www. lakeforestmba. edu/) program--an experienced functional expert who seeks a broader view of business.
When that essay was judged the winner by officials from LFGSM and Menttium, as well as by executive judges from Chicago-area corporations, Brennan became the first-ever recipient of the “Ready. Set. MBA.” Lake Forest MBA/Menttium Full-tuition Scholarship.
“When I got the phone call telling me I had won, I was speechless!,” she explained. “This is a generous gift that I will treasure. I look forward to taking full advantage of this opportunity.”
Why an MBA? Why now? Brennan says that, two years ago, she “got the bug” to further develop her business background and to enhance the competencies that would make her a better leader. “I wanted more,” she said. “I even put ‘Explore MBA Options’ in my development plan during my annual review at work.”
Brennan’s manager--Tom Evans, Vice President for Regional Marketing at Allstate--shares his perspective on what it means for Brennan to be honored in this way: “Kelly has all the critical success factors that we admire-- ability to drive change, a collaborative spirit, clear vision, and customer focus. Getting her Lake Forest MBA will be an opportunity for her to develop an even broader vision and gain a different lens on the business. What a great way for her to enrich herself with learning! Additionally, it’s gratifying for Lake Forest MBA and Menttium (http://www. menttium. com) to honor Kelly in this way because it acknowledges the kind of professionals we attract to Allstate and our focus on developing them into great leaders.”
In April, Brennan began MBA classes in the on-site Lake Forest MBA program at Allstate; she’s just finishing her first term. “I intend to take a lesson I learned from my Menttium mentor, and apply it to my MBA studies: ‘Be as honest as possible about your goals and what you want to get out of this’,” Brennan says. “I am committed to being truly ‘present’ so that I can take full advantage of the opportunity I’ve been given to earn my MBA through this scholarship.”
This scholarship opportunity is the second such full-tuition contest that LFGSM (http://www. lakeforestmba. edu/) has sponsored in recent years. In 2004, Michael Keblusek--an entrepreneur who spent 16 years running his family’s business and was seeking an MBA as a way to launch a corporate career --wrote a winning essay and received full tuition to the Lake Forest MBA program. Keblusek graduates from the Lake Forest MBA program on June 29th.
“There is nothing more rewarding than making someone’s career dreams come true,” said John Popoli, President & CEO of Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. “And to do so while partnering with Menttium--an organization that is so closely matched to our mission-- was a double delight.”
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About Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
Founded in 1946 and creator of the Leadership Learning™ education model, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management is one of the largest graduate business schools in the Chicago area. Complete MBA programs are available at campuses in downtown Chicago, Schaumburg, and Lake Forest, and on-site at some of the area’s leading corporations.
The Leadership Learning™ model is a key to the School’s continued success. A 100% business leader faculty from top area corporations delivers dynamic, interactive course content to working students who average 13 years of experience. Students combine business theory with proven best practices and hands-on implementation to acquire functional expertise and leadership skills that are immediately relevant to the workplace.
Independent and not-for-profit, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management is singularly focused on creating more effective business leaders through business education. Lake Forest Graduate School of Management is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. Learn more at www. LakeForestMBA. edu.
About Menttium Corporation
The global leader in today’s corporate mentoring (http://www. menttium. com) models, Menttium Corporation offers comprehensive internal, virtual and cross-company mentoring solutions that support the development and advancement of key talent in the workplace. Since 1991, over 50,000 people have participated in Menttium’s mentoring programs. Our strategic approach delivers powerful mentoring experiences that are linked to business objectives to positively impact the performance of individuals and the long-term viability of the organization.
This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www. HRmarketer. com) on behalf of the company listed above.
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