Bronco Spotlight: Kimberly Madsen
Master of Arts in education (2013); MBA, economics (2020)
Professor, Economics and Business at Kellogg Community College
I teach students the Principles of Macroeconomics, Human Resources Management, Personal Finance, and Introduction to Business courses in our Business Management program. I also participate in campus initiatives such as General Education Reform, Policy Review, Faculty Senate, Business Program Advisory Committee, and KCC's Veteran Ally program. I served as a Faculty Advisor for Phi Theta Kappa for seven years and we made several improvements on campus including an LED lighting project in the Emory Morris Library and creating a Recycling program on campus with approximately 30 recycling areas throughout the KCC network.
What activities, resources, or people helped you prepare for your career?
My family and friends, supervisors and colleagues, along with WMU's great Professors and programming have been very significant in my journey. Their support, encouragement, and wonderful opportunities created my solid foundation, and I have been growing and giving back to my students and both colleges, WMU and KCC, every year.
Which of your skills had the biggest impact on your success?
Self-discipline, perseverance, and customer service have had the biggest impact on my success. My gratitude and commitment to excellence have also been very significant as well.
What experiences impacted the choice of your career path?
The StrengthsFinder assessment was an eye-opener for me. My top five strengths are Responsibility, Belief, Intellection, Learner, and Woo. After seeing those, I knew that I needed to become more serious about becoming full-time faculty instead of an adjunct faculty member while working full-time as a human resources professional.
What advice do you have for others pursuing a career similar to yours?
Complete your StrengthFinder assessment and other personality and skills assessment early in your college/adult life. Take every opportunity that is presented to you, and do it with excellence. Believe in yourself and never compromise your values and who you are. Always be kind and do the right thing, even if it means standing alone at times.
Always remember that your students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care about them. They know that we studied vigorously, but that's not why they are taking our classes. They want to see what knowledge we can give them, not talk over their heads or make the skills seem complicated or unattainable.