Studying marketing is fundamentally different from practicing it. While academic environments provide the comfort of controlled variables and clean data, the professional world requires navigating a fast-paced and often unpredictable reality.
To close that gap, the Master of Science in Marketing (MSM) cohort at the Mitch Daniels School of Business embarks annually on a rigorous, two-day experiential immersion in Chicago organized by the Krannert Graduate Marketing Association (KGMA) to see how academic principles transfer in real-world settings and explore the central question of what truly makes a good marketer.
At the Daniels School of Business, professional advantage is defined by what you choose to do while you are here. The Krannert Graduate Marketing Association — led by President Kanishka Jha, Treasurer Sheza Waqar Beg, VP of Marketing Heaven Xiong and VP of Events Danielle Renae Hobson — provides the platform to turn academic theory into a competitive edge. By stepping into these opportunities, students move from understanding marketing to practicing it, building authentic connections and applied skills that empower their professional journey from day one.
One of the greatest challenges you will encounter as a marketing graduate student is applying classroom concepts to a constantly evolving market. For Jha, “stepping outside the classroom was the key to understanding how hard skills for marketing, such as data analysis or market research, evolve across different sectors.”
“We saw the operations across a vast spectrum, from corporate boardrooms to the creative fluidity of the performing arts. While the hard skills taught in the classroom were universal, their execution was distinct. Data that served as a risk-management tool in one building was used to map customer journeys in the next.”
This experience underscored a critical truth: that good marketers don't just master the data. They master the context.
Marketing is built on relationships, which makes networking one of the strongest tools for future success. This year, in Chicago, the cohort connected with alumni and industry professionals in settings that made real conversations easier.
Xiong said the trip helped her drop the pressure to network perfectly. “Instead of manufacturing impressive answers, we were in casual settings with industry professionals who shared their honest experiences," she said. "They felt approachable, and all our concerns about networking vanished. It was empowering to see the genuine connection exchange from both sides.”
Beg describes her new approach as “nourishing her networks to ensure connections remain authentic. I have so many tangible results from that trip," she explained. For her, the trip reinforced a simple lesson: that networking works best when you keep the conversation going and follow up with intent.
Read about our MS Marketing career outcomes
Beyond technical strategy, a successful marketer relies on soft skills to see how concepts like consumer behavior drive high-impact marketing campaigns. As Jha reflected on the Chicago trip, she emphasized how the experience complemented what students learn in the classroom. “It was inspiring to watch teams use the frameworks we study in class to drive real projects. This experience brought our coursework to life and gave me a deeper appreciation for the concepts."
Through this trip, Xiong realized that the distance between students and professionals is not as wide as it feels. “Everything you need to develop your professional career ... is literally already in your orbit,” she confidently remarks. “You just need to be bold enough to seize it.” Xiong has taken that proximity to heart, transforming brief introductions from the trip into lasting professional relationships that are now actively shaping her career path.
The Chicago immersion did more than just demonstrate strong marketing efforts in real time, as it encouraged students to step out of the role of a student and connect to practitioners. As Beg said, “Had it not been for this experience, I would have never unlocked the power of referrals or connected with people who are so eager to help.”
The trip left the cohort with a new perspective on the industry, giving them a chance to discover how they will apply their education as they continue their path toward becoming successful marketers.
Working on this project deepened my understanding of the HR consultant role, particularly in aligning data, stakeholder needs and feasible implementation strategies.
Kanishka Jha
President, KGMA
Being in those marketing spaces ignited a renewed passion, reaffirming that skills from this program will one day help us all to shape fresh perspectives and build meaningful impact.
Heaven Xiong
VP Marketing, KGMA
The outcome of a trip like this compounds. You do not just build a connection for now; you build a network and a sense of confidence in yourself that lasts for a lifetime.
Sheza Waqar Beg
Treasurer, KGMA
If you would like to receive more information about pursuing a business master’s at the Mitch Daniels School of Business, please fill out the form and a program specialist will be in touch!
