Chanoknan (Mind) Srimuang, Indiana Kelley MBA Class of 2028
Age: 29 years old
Hometown: Saraburi, Thailand
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand), BA in Spanish
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Project Management and Budget Analysis, Government, F&B, Trade, and SMEs, 5.5 years.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
My career started in international relations and project management, where I had the chance to work with everyone from local communities to foreign trade offices. I learned a lot from those experiences, but I started becoming really interested in finance and strategy when I got more involved with my family’s agribusiness and resort in Saraburi, Thailand.
I noticed some gaps in the way we managed our finances, so I stepped in to help. I digitized our financial tracking process for the first time, built interactive P&L dashboards, and also worked on designing the system for guest experience. What really excited me was seeing how having better data could immediately change the way we made decisions.
That experience made me realize I wanted to move into corporate finance and strategy full time. An MBA felt like the right next step because I wanted to build a much stronger foundation in finance, become more comfortable with the quantitative side of business, and learn how to approach problems from a broader strategic perspective.
Why did you choose Indiana Kelley? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
It really came down to the people and the culture. Even before I came to Kelley, every student or alum I reached out to was so willing to help and share their experience. That stood out to me.
For me, business school is not just about what you learn in class. A huge part of the experience comes from the people around you, either your classmates, professors, coaches, or alumni. Kelley has a very tight-knit community, and I liked that I would actually have the chance to know the people in my class rather than feel like I was just one person in a huge program.
I was also drawn to how practical the first-year experience is. Between Me, Inc., the core courses, and the career resources, I felt like Kelley would push me academically while also giving me a lot of support as I worked toward a career transition.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
I would say it is the mix of experiences and perspectives I bring. I am trilingual in Thai, English, and Spanish, and I have worked in government, corporate, international trade, and family business environments.
Because of that, I tend to look at problems from different angles. I enjoy getting into the numbers, but I am also thinking about the people involved, how different cultures might approach a situation, and how you communicate an idea so that people actually get behind it.
I hope I can bring some of those perspectives into classroom discussions, but I am equally excited to learn from classmates whose backgrounds are completely different from mine.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I consider myself pretty athletic and love playing volleyball and badminton, but for some reason, I just cannot seem to get any better at golf or tennis! I still enjoy the challenge, though. I like to joke that golf is a great lesson in patience, even if my scorecard says otherwise.
Post-MBA career interests:
I am mainly interested in corporate finance and corporate strategy, especially roles where I can use financial analysis to help make bigger business decisions.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Start your research early. Look closely at the courses, programs, and strengths of each school, and go to information sessions where you can ask questions beyond what is already on the website.
I would also spend a lot of time thinking about your “Why MBA, why now?” story before you start applying. You do not need to have every detail of your career figured out, but you should have a good sense of what you want from an MBA and why you need it now. Once I became clearer about my own goals, it became much easier to understand which schools and resources were the right fit for me.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would definitely talk to more current students and alumni earlier in the process. Everyone tells you to do this, but I did not do enough of it at the beginning.
I completely understand why people hesitate. Reaching out to someone you do not know can feel awkward! But now that I am on the other side, I realize that most students are genuinely happy to talk about their experience and help prospective students.
So, do not be afraid to reach out. You can learn things from those conversations that you will never find on a school’s website.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Honestly, I would have skipped all the worrying I did about interviews! I was so nervous about them.
Eventually, I realized that you can prepare as much as possible, but you also have to trust yourself and tell your story. Of course, you should know why you want an MBA, why you are interested in the school, and have thoughtful questions for your interviewer. But you do not need to memorize the “perfect” answer. You will probably come across much better if you are simply genuine.
I also learned not to take rejection too personally. There are so many factors that go into admissions decisions, and a “no” from one school does not mean you are not a strong candidate or that things will not work out somewhere else.
What is your initial impression of the Indiana Kelley students/culture/community?
It is incredibly tight-knit and welcoming. People are always happy to grab a coffee, chat, or help each other out, which was something I noticed very quickly.
There are also so many things happening outside the classroom that you can always find something to get involved in. I have really enjoyed how easy it is to meet people and become part of the community.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I am currently part of the Strategic Finance Academy, and I am also planning to get involved with the Finance Club and Consulting Club because they align with the skills and career paths I am interested in exploring.
But I definitely do not want my MBA experience to be all about recruiting! On the social side, I am interested in the Asian MBA Association and the Golf, Food, and Movement clubs. One thing I like about Kelley is that there are plenty of ways to develop professionally while also getting to know people outside of class.
What is one thing you have learned about Indiana Kelley that has surprised you?
I have been really impressed by Me, Inc. and the core courses. Me, Inc. is a great pre-class experience where you get to learn more about yourself and figure out how to tell your story and build your personal brand. Coming from a non-business background, I was a little nervous about how quickly I would be able to adjust, especially to some of the more quantitative classes later on. But the professors and resources here have been great, and I have been surprised by how much I have already learned in such a short amount of time. I also really like that a lot of what we learn feels practical. I can already see how I would use it in an actual business setting.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am really excited to go into the whole experience with an open mind and see where it takes me. Of course, I want to build my finance and strategy skills, but I am just as excited about getting to know my classmates.
Everyone comes to Kelley with a different background, story, and goal. I think there is so much you can learn simply by talking to the people around you and hearing about what they have done before business school.
For me, that is one of the most exciting parts of the MBA, being surrounded by people I probably would never have met otherwise, trying new things, and seeing how much I can grow over the next two years.
