Personal Information 
Name: Kerri Kopp  
Undergraduate institution: Pennsylvania State University 
Business School & graduation year: UNC, Kenan-Flagler Business School, 2008
Hometown: Lancaster, PA 
Current Residence: Chapel Hill, NC

Work Experience 
Where did you work prior to business school?
News America Marketing

MBA Experience
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
I always thought I would pursue a graduate degree, and after several years of excellent sales experience in the consumer packaged goods industry I knew it was time to go back to school. I wanted to complement my advertising, marketing and sales skills with operations, finance, economics, etc. the skills required to round out my professional experience and build a general management foundation. I plan on going into brand marketing. Product management requires an MBA and the general management orientation and great teamwork and leadership skills that come with a top business school program. Already in my internship at the Coca-Cola Company my Kenan-Flagler base is serving me well!

What advice would you give prospective students about applying and attending business school?
Visit all of the schools you are considering! Business school is a big commitment, from both time and financial perspectives. Making sure you find the school that best fits you is critical; visiting campus, talking with administrators, faculty, alumni and most important current students is essential to making the best decision. Get involved! Through the internship recruiting process I did not have a single employer ask me about grades, but every interviewer did ask about activities and involvement, and leadership and teamwork experiences at school. My greatest moments in my first year of business school took place outside of the classroom.

What activities are you involved both inside and outside of business school?
I am the Executive Vice President of the Kenan-Flagler MBA student body; a class of 2008 Section Representative; Co-Chair of Experience Weekend 2007 (Kenan-Flagler’s admitted students’ weekend); a Career Peer Counselor; I am an active member of the Admissions Advisory Committee, Carolina Women in Business, the Marketing Club and the General Management Club; I play on the women’s flag football team and on co-ed intramural basketball and softball teams. Outside of school I enjoy playing golf and am an avid reader.

What’s the most surprising or unexpected thing you’ve learned about business school?
I am continually amazed and impressed by my classmates and their pre-business school experiences. Everyone brings something unique and interesting to the table. Getting to know as many people as possible international and domestic students, and people with a huge variety of backgrounds and career experiences is one of the best things I did this year.

Did you feel prepared for business school? Explain why or why not.
I am not sure you can ever be fully prepared for business school. I went back to school to fill in gaps in my educational and professional experiences, which often put me outside of my comfort zone. In many areas I felt I hit the ground running; in some others, I had to rely on my friends, classmates, teammates and the faculty and administration of my MBA program for advice and assistance. Having several years of work experience was certainly an asset, as was an open mind to try new things and tap others’ talents.

Forté Experience
Please share something about your experience with Forté and its events. 
I attended the Forte Conference in New York City last summer. This was a great start to my MBA experience. I not only met great women from schools around the country but also got the chance to bond with two of my UNC classmates for the first time.