"I realized I needed to broaden my perspective beyond design and become someone who could lead projects and teams from a broader business standpoint."

This realization led Samsung Electronics Principal Designer Gunho Chae to pursue the Indiana Kelley–SKK GSB Executive MBA (EMBA) program.

He works at Samsung Electronics' Corporate Design Office (CDO). Although he had extensive experience in hands-on creative work, he felt he lacked a deeper understanding of business strategy, finance, and management.

“The EMBA became an opportunity to expand the perspective I had been confined to for years," he explained.

One of the key reasons he chose the program was its global structure and intensive format. The opportunity to complete a dual-degree MBA within a relatively short period particularly appealed to him.

Beyond the curriculum itself, he said the program’s international environment exceeded his expectations. His cohort included classmates from a wide range of professional backgrounds, while professors from a various countries brought extensive global business experience into the classroom.

"The insights I gained from classmates and professors with diverse backgrounds were incredibly valuable," he noted. "Visiting Indiana University Bloomington truly made us feel part of the IU Kelley community and participating in the Global Immersion Program in Washington, D.C. allowed us to experience global business and policy issues firsthand. Especially as tariff issues under the Trump administration were becoming a major topic, hearing directly from policy experts on-site helped us gain a deeper understanding of global trade and policy dynamics.

Although balancing work and study was challenging, he highlighted the strong sense of camaraderie among classmates helped everyone move forward together.

"We spent nearly every weekend together for a year and a half," he recalled. "At some point, they stopped feeling like a professional network and started feeling like real friends. That sense of connection became one of the most meaningful parts of the experience."

The program also gave him confidence to step outside his comfort zone professionally. Coming from a design background, he initially felt unfamiliar with subjects such as accounting and finance. However, repeatedly learning new disciplines helped him overcome his fear of unfamiliar challenges.

"After going through the program, I became much more confident about taking on new projects and responsibilities," he explained. "I realized that even if something feels unfamiliar at first, I can learn it and adapt."

He also believes the program’s fully English environment became an unexpected opportunity for growth.

"Of course, it was challenging at first, but constantly listening to and using English helped all of us improve English naturally," he noted. "More importantly, I learned how to communicate my ideas clearly."

He concludes: "Many people hesitate because they worry the program will be too difficult. But once you become part of the program, your classmates support each other and move forward together. If you are willing to commit yourself, you will grow far more than you expect."