KGSA Presidential Prelude: Ramsey Bradke

Monday, March 27, 2017

As I enter the fourth module of my first year in the MBA program at Purdue, it is hard to put into words the magnitude of gratitude I have for the Krannert Master’s program. Whether it be the various opportunities to engage with Fortune 100 companies, exposure to academically rigorous coursework, or chances to work on business planning in case competitions, Krannert has fired up my entrepreneurial spirit, increased the scope of my intellectual curiosity, and enhanced my personal agency.

I am a creature of habit and continuous learning. While I still maintain the same routines, Krannert has changed the way these play out. Instead of starting my day by reading the Politics section of the Wall Street Journal, I find myself starting with the Technology section. Instead of reading biographies of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, I am reading Zero to One by angel investor Peter Theil and the Annual Letters to Shareholders by Warren Buffet.

Instead of working for government officials in Indiana during the summer, I am working for the upstream division of Shell Oil and Gas in Houston.

Krannert has widened my world view, and reshaped and restructured my short and long-term goals. My time in business school has also reaffirmed my passion for people and given me a better understanding of what motivates different people with different interests from different experiences and world views.

"Instead of working for government officials in Indiana during the summer, I am working for the upstream division of Shell Oil and Gas."

The intimate community and team-based outcomes Krannert fosters internally are a few of the strengths I believe the school must continue to build on and utilize to its advantage. I have engaged almost every one of my classmates on a personal, academic, and professional level. While this program has certainly solidified my notion of the importance of technical expertise in business, I still regard excellence in business and entrepreneurship to be derived from one’s relational prowess. Developing the ability to identify, organize, leverage, and motivate talented individuals has become a cornerstone of my experience at Krannert so far.

The Purdue MBA program has provided an environment for me to be able to continue building personal and professional relationships, while also giving me the opportunity to put into practice the ability to provide a service to others through working relationships. Joining KGSA in the fall as First Year Rep and now serving as President for the 2017-18 academic year has allowed me to do just that.

I am a firm believer in the power of teamwork and gratitude. Anywhere I go, I try to surround myself with talented individuals who share my intrinsic motivations and have skill sets that I can learn from. Krannert has been no different. Nikita Atal, 2016-2017 President of KGSA, has had an immense impact on me this year. She has taught me the importance of listening first, centering myself around what students want out of the program, and complementing an intense drive for excellence with a kind and gentle heart. Andrea Puterbaugh, my 2nd year academic team mentor, has been a mainstay of energy for me throughout the year. She has taught me to take risks, ask for help, be a friend, and find ways to not take myself too seriously.

Jerry Jana, fellow first year and member of my academic team, has been instrumental to my success at Purdue. He has deepened my respect for critical thinking, mentored me through rigorous academic content, and simply been a great friend. Pankaja Lakshman, another fellow first year in the MSHRM program, was one of my first friends. Few are as intrinsically content and happy but also fearlessly driven as her. She has reminded me to be grateful of the people and privileges we have in this program, the importance of friendship, and the power of something as simple as a smile. Working and learning from people, this is where I have found the most value in our program.

While there are many outcomes we will aim for as a KGSA board in the next year, I know we will be successful and bring out the best in ourselves and our classmates if we can practice and project great teamwork and gratitude. If I can look back next year and confidently say we did that then maybe, just maybe, I can say I’ve given back to Krannert and it students as much as they’ve given to me.

Ramsey Bradke

2017/2018 KGSA President