Story Details - Alumni - Harvard Business School

16 Mar 2018

Giving Back to Help The Next Generation

Topics: Philanthropy-HBS Donors Philanthropy-Giving Impact

Jennifer Kelm Sergio (MBA 2010)

Jennifer Kelm Sergio (MBA 2010) remembers applying to HBS and being concerned about both the financial burden of tuition and forgoing income for two years. “Finding out that the School had such a strong fellowship program was a game-changer for me,” says Sergio. “That was critical in my decision to pursue an MBA at HBS.”

The former engineering major from Chicago left her operations job at GE to attend HBS. Sergio explains that the Michael J. and Mary C. Johnston Fellowship she received “gave me more flexibility and freedom in the first several years post-HBS to make some riskier decisions.” After graduation and a year working at Boston Consulting Group, Sergio pursued her entrepreneurial interests as COO of a fitness-related startup. She later joined Amsted Industries, a specialized metal components manufacturer in Chicago, where she is the company’s new-business sales manager.

In gratitude for the generosity extended to her, Sergio established the Jennifer D. Kelm (MBA 2010) Fellowship on the occasion of her 5th Reunion to help the next generation of HBS students. “I benefited so much from receiving a fellowship, and I am happy to give back,” she explains. “It was a nice surprise to me to learn that, as a younger alumna, I could create a named fellowship fund with a lower minimum gift and use my company match to help fulfill my pledge,” she adds. “My hope is that the fellowship will give students in the same position I was in the extra financial help they need to have an enriching experience at HBS.”