Kelly Dooley, '15

Kelly Dooley, '15

August 27, 2014
Senior from the other side of the globe lands in Texas to work on travel app

The Robins School of Business attracts students from near and far. Three years ago Kelly Dooley, ’15, arrived in Richmond from the other side of the world, bringing with her a uniquely global perspective.

“I lived in Dallas, Texas until seventh grade when my family packed up and headed to Sydney, Australia. My father worked for a pharmaceutical company, and he saw moving abroad as an amazing opportunity not only for his career but also for our family. That was my first experience being immersed into another culture.”

After a year in Sydney the Dooley family moved to Tokyo, Japan where they lived until last year. “Attending school in Tokyo was one of the best experiences of my life. Building relationships with students from around the world, learning new languages, traveling throughout Asia and diving into new cultures has allowed me to be more globally aware,” she said.

Dooley remembered the challenge of applying to colleges in the U.S. while living overseas. “During my senior year of high school, I was able to come to the U.S. and visit the schools to which I’d been accepted. On Admitted Students Day I stepped foot on the University of Richmond campus; not only was it one of the most beautiful schools I’d seen, but also everyone was incredibly welcoming. The Robins School was one of the main reasons I applied to Richmond. My international experiences inspired me to pursue international business, and the Robins School, ranked consistently in the top five for international business, was a no-brainer."

“My experience has been exceptional,” she said. “The coursework is challenging and the professors truly care about their students. I’ve been able to participate in a number of organizations; I’m a founding member of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, and I’m involved with the International Business Student Association.”

After nearly a decade Dooley has gone full circle this summer, finding herself back in Texas. “I interned with Sabre, a travel technology company headquartered in Southlake, Texas, working with TripCase, a mobile application used to store trip itineraries. It was a wonderful experience. The TripCase team was supportive and taught me as much as possible during those 11 weeks. I worked on projects spanning from social media marketing to international marketing campaigns.”

She added, “After the first week my manager suggested I participate in a company-wide 24-hour business pitch competition. As a new intern I was nervous to compete against more experienced employees, but I decided to jump right in; I wanted to take advantage of as much as possible during my time with Sabre. I spent 24 hours creating an idea and presentation I later pitched to executive judges and employees. Though I didn’t win the competition, my idea, which was related to TripCase, is now in the product pipeline. It’s incredible to know my idea will be implemented. I’m currently talking with my manager to figure out how I can work with them as a contractor through my senior year.”

She attributes her well-rounded education both to the Robins School and her global experiences. “I refer to my understanding of foreign currencies when thinking about international finance; I consider the nuances within different cultural mindsets when I contemplate international marketing questions. My experience abroad has helped me immensely at the Robins School as well as during my internship. In the same vein, I’ve often referred to my class notes for direction and answers during my time at Sabre and elsewhere. The Robins School has effectively equipped me with the tools I need to achieve my goals.”

Dooley is excited to see where her future takes her. “I’ve realized I want to work in global marketing for a large company where I can work in a variety of markets. In the long run I would love to work overseas; I will go wherever life takes me.”