IU’s Kelley School of Business announced partnerships Wednesday with the U.S. Rugby Players Association and Major League Rugby Players Association to offer rugby players a graduate education.
Carolyn Goerner, Faculty Chair of Kelley Executive Education Programs said skills from rugby would translate well to a master’s of business administration.
“It's a complicated game,” she said. “You've really got to be thinking about two steps ahead of where your teammates are and where you are. And that kind of strategic thinking is exactly what makes people successful in an MBA.”
Goerner also said rugby’s focus on teamwork would work well in an MBA program. She said it’s difficult to teach teamwork, so it helps when students have a team-oriented mindset.
The Kelley school has a history of partnering with sports organizations. Goerner said about 600 professional athletes from the NFL, WNBA and Major League Soccer have enrolled. She said NFL players make up about two-thirds of them.
Read more: Kelley School and WNBA Players partner for graduate program
Goerner said the partnership provides athletes with a tuition discount of about 40 percent. Students can also apply for scholarships.
The program isn’t just for the athletes. Goerner said the Kelley school also offers the program to partners of current and former players.
Goerner said partnerships with sports organizations provide paths for players after their athletic careers end.
“A lot of people are very lost when it comes time for them to leave their sport,” she said. “What we really, I think, do well is say, ‘Let's transition you, let's have you really think about what's next, and let's prepare you for that.’”