History of Kelley Direct
Indiana University's Kelley School of Business started its highly regarded online program in 1999 under the guidance of faculty program chair, Dr. Richard Magjuka. The program was launched at the request of the Kelley Executive Partners, who wanted to create a way for their managers to obtain an MBA from the Kelley School, while offering the flexibility they needed to maintain current job responsibilities.
A second impetus for the program came about after students and faculty in the Evening MBA Program expressed an interest in pursuing their education online. At the time, work and travel demands were making it difficult for students to attend courses twice weekly. Kelley Direct started developing online elective options to meet this need.
The pilot program enrolled 15 students, including managers from BAA, Federal Express, Rolls Royce-Allison, Kimball International and Cinergy. Since that time, the program has enjoyed 100 percent growth. Today, Kelley Direct's public and corporate enrollment tops 800 students. The program provides students from all over the world a flexible opportunity to pursue their degree without diverting from their career paths.
