TMP Student Spotlight: Kelly Behlen, Global Studies Senior

TMP Student Spotlight: Kelly Behlen

Kelly Behlen is graduating from UC Santa Barbara this June 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies and a certificate in Technology Management.

She is from Los Altos, CA and transferred from the University of Arizona to UC Santa Barbara. Kelly is active in student organizations, including UCSB Club Field Hockey, Sprout Up Volunteer, and Team in Training Participant. She enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, and hanging out with friends.

Learning experiences in TMP

You got selected to be this year’s speaker, congrats! How do you feel and can you share any insights into your speech for the TMP Award Ceremony? I am truly honored to be chosen as the speaker for this years TMP ceremony! In my speech, I think it’s a necessity to not only talk about the great classes TMP offers, but the teachers and staff who make these classes so memorable. They are so whole-heartedly involved that it allows students to do the same, which is very influential. 

How did you hear about TMP and why did you decide to join the program? As a transfer, I actually heard about the program from a friend who highly recommended the program.

What are some of your influential learning experiences going through TMP? Any challenging but rewarding TMP courses? TMP 120 was a very challenging, but rewarding class for me. It really forces you outside of your comfort zone in order to learn specific business skills that may not be your strength. Working with our groups on Capstone, I was not only able to learn the criteria, but become comfortable working in groups.

Did you have any key mentors or people who deeply influenced you while you were in TMP? I am blessed to be surrounded by very genuine and influential people during my career with TMP. Dave Adornetto, Jim Gilmore, David Telleen-Lawton, Katie Cabanatuan-Trigg, and Craig Cummings have not only been able to give me advice, but also an overall perspective of how to go about every situation you encounter. These people and more have allowed me to grow as a person and encouraged me as student.

What were the benefits of a program like Technology Management on campus to you, which is a combination of business and management education, and entrepreneurship? The benefits of this program exceed my expectations. I was looking for a community and got family. This is one of the only programs that allows all majors to enroll in the courses. I am able to see a wide variety of people with different backgrounds and interests that want to learn similar things as I do. It’s inspiring being surrounded by proactive people.

Advice to students/parents about UCSB’s TMP

What advice would you give to students about UCSB’s Technology Management certificate program? The UCSB Technology Management program is where business meets technology. Since there is no business major at UCSB, TMP is a great way to get into business and entrepreneurship.

How would you explain to students and parents what you can do with a Technology Management Certificate? This certificate has not only connected me to the right people, but has offered me courses that are very applicable to the real world. Both my internship at RIghtScale and my future job at Oracle have noticed my TMP certificate ultimately giving me an advantage over others who haven’t been exposed to business and entrepreneurship classes.

Goals after UCSB and TMP

Where are you going after graduation and what are your plans? (e.g. job, grad school, etc.) After graduation, I will be working as a Sales and Business Development Representative at Oracle in Redwood Shores.

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far at UCSB and TMP? MY biggest accomplishment at UCSB and TMP was being able to work for TMP as a peer advisor. As a transfer, it allowed me to build roots in an organization and continue my relationships with these special people.

What do you see yourself doing in the next 5-10 years? I see myself moving to San Francisco and exploring the different departments within business, such as marketing, management, and consulting. I hope to eventually move to a startup where I can learn how to approach the growth of a company.

Anything else you want to share?

I started out as an MIS major in pre-business at the University of Arizona. Although there were several opportunities in the desert, I struggled to find my place as a student. Transferring to UCSB, I had no knowledge of any extra curricular activities, or even a stable commitment to my major. When I first enrolled in TMP 120 (Business Strategy), I spoke to Karen Bogart and told her I was unsure if this class was meant for me. She told me to continue coming in to see how the class unfolds. The second day I was sold. I really felt like this class was a perfect fit for my interest in business. I enjoyed this class so much, that I went to Katie Cabanatuan-Trigg and told her that I want to be more involved in this program. Offering to volunteer and just help around, Katie found something that she thought would fit great. Now being a peer advisor, I truly feel like I found myself academically with TMP. The wide variety of majors and passion that exemplifies TMP has given me the identity I was looking for. I could not be more grateful for this experience and I will never forget this incredible program.

Photos courtesy of Kelly Behlen.