Top business student aims for the world

Top business student aims for the world

AUT University top business student Kelly Lee has always set her sights high so don’t be surprised if you see her heading a global advertising agency in future. She’s already on the path to success tonight she will collect four awards at the AUT Business School Annual Award ceremony.

These include the Carat New Zealand Award for Most Promising Student in Media, the Carat New Zealand Award for Top Student in Media Planning, the DB Breweries for Top Student in Strategic Brand Management and Total Media Award for Media Student of the Year.

Kelly completes her studies later this year and will graduate in March 2008. She says after that her sights are firmly fixed on working for a global advertising agency and says she “won’t settle for less”.

The Mt Albert resident is already lining up work at one of New Zealand’s leading agencies but she can’t say which company just yet.

Although the third-year degree student balances a busy schedule of work and study she works up to 40 hours a week part-time. Kelly says her approach is not all work and no play: she believes part of her success is due to surrounding herself with great people.

“Whatever you do in life, you need to enjoy the people you see every day,” she says. “The best advice I can give to fellow students is don’t go to university and sit in a corner and learn. You’ve got to get out there and know people, because they’re the ones who will support you in achieving your full potential.”

The 19-year-old student says she sees opportunity everywhere.

“Whether you’re at school, work or uni, you can make the most out of everything you’ve been given,” she says. “If I see something I’ll go and do it. I see each new assignment as an opportunity and think about how I will apply the learning later on.”

Kelly is a foundation graduate of the Onehunga High Business School where she also gained the school’s top sporting and academic awards in each successive year.

She was mentored by programme founder and prominent Auckland business leader Tony Falkenstein, CEO of Red Eagle and says the Onehunga grounding gave her a taste of practical learning.

“The Onehunga High Business School was set up by business people whose vision was to create future business leaders. Its curriculum is based on real business case studies. I chose AUT to continue the practical study component.”

Kelly won an AUT Vice Chancellor Scholarship, awarded for achievement at high school and consistent academic excellence, which covered three year’s university tuition fees. She says she is a strong advocate of AUT’s real life application.

“We don’t just study theories and research but we work collaboratively to find solutions as a group. It’s a challenge but this is the skill we will take with us into work. If you can’t survive working in the group dynamic you will fail. No one works in a silo.”

What’s next for this high achiever? It’s a case of watch this (billboard) space.

ENDS

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