Lane Palmer, Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA Class of 2028
Age: 27
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Northeastern University, Combined Business and Psychology Major (Marketing Concentration)
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Global Product Manager for Fenty Beauty, Cosmetics, LVMH’s Kendo Brands, 5 years
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I’ve spent five years in the luxury beauty space, where I owned product launches built to make diverse consumers feel seen. That work made me want to look at how product inclusion scales beyond one category, and how AI is starting to reshape the way people discover and shop. Business school is my next step to pivot into tech by building a consumer-first skillset and sharpening how I lead, all while growing a global network of peers from diverse backgrounds.
Why did you choose Kellogg? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
What drew me to Kellogg was its mix of collaboration, experiential learning opportunities, and genuinely warm people. Every call I had with students and alumni prior to attending confirmed it was the right personality fit. Kellogg has some of the most social, kind, willing-to-help people I’ve ever met, with a real pay-it-forward culture. I was also drawn to Kellogg’s focus on developing empathetic leaders, since I value making sure every voice in a room gets heard.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
I’m a community builder at heart, so I believe my most valuable contribution to the Class of 2028 will be my ability to bring different people together, whether through mentorship or social events. Having lived in five different cities across the US, I’ve always been good at cultivating community wherever I go. I was a social lead for my company’s Black Employee Resource Group, where I organized volunteer events, and I’ve spent the last three years mentoring and tutoring underrepresented students, helping them connect with like-minded peers. I plan to bring the same connectivity to Kellogg through small group dinners, treks, and social outings, while also connecting with the broader Chicago community to give back.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I really like to sew, and it used to be a great stress reliever for me. It’s something I haven’t done in a long time, but I’ve always loved being able to make clothes that are perfectly tailored to me, especially as a tall woman. I plan to get back into sewing at Kellogg with some of my free time and might even start a sewing club!
Post-MBA career interests:
PM / Strategy at the intersection of Commerce x Tech
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I found so much value in talking to current students and alumni about the culture and their experiences. Hearing the same reasons for loving Kellogg come up again and again confirmed that the culture was real, not just a mission statement on a website. Learning how students spent their time, from the clubs they joined to the experiential learning opportunities they took advantage, cemented that this was the right place for me.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would start test prep as soon as possible and get it out the way. Studying for the GRE or GMAT alongside a full-time job, especially years removed from college, gets harder the longer you wait. If I could do it again, I would have taken the GRE right around graduation instead of four years later.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
One part I’d have skipped is the self-doubt – worrying about not knowing where this process would lead or where I’d be a year later. The uncertainty was harder to deal with than any one application task. What helped was staying grounded in why I was doing this in the first place and leaning on my community to get through it. I blocked out a couple hours a day to study or write essays but made sure to keep a few fun things on the calendar too. I also did group work sessions with my MLT family and other applicants. Knowing other people were going through the same thing, and having people to vent to, made a real difference.
What is your initial impression of the Kellogg students/culture/community?
The students and culture are incredibly warm and welcoming. I’ve never met so many people who are equally kind, ambitious, and excited to make new friends. Kellogg students have a lift-as-you-climb mentality, genuinely invested in each other’s success. With such diverse backgrounds in the room, it’s been great to see that we are all here to learn from each other, push each other, and have some fun along the way. The culture has far exceeded my expectations already.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
There are a ton of organizations I’m hoping to join, but I’m especially excited to get involved in the Black Management Association, Innovation and Design Association (IDEA), Kellogg Eatz, and Kellogg Cares. I plan to join a mix of professional, affinity, and social clubs for a breadth of experiences at Kellogg. Through Kellogg Cares, I’d love to use service to integrate more with the broader Chicago community. Through IDEA, I hope to develop my human-centered design thinking, and as a foodie, I’d love to use Eatz as a way to experience new cultures through food.
What is one thing you have learned about Kellogg that has surprised you?
I was surprised by how social the school truly is. I knew there’d be tons of events, but I didn’t realize the scale: two or three different events on any given night, each with a totally new group of people to meet. It’s definitely been a crash course in prioritization over the past few weeks, but it’s been so fun to do events I’ve never done before, like chicken chase – a scavenger hunt across Chicago trying to track down a classmate in a chicken suit.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m super excited to meet different people from diverse backgrounds and explore the world together. I just went to Budapest for a Kellogg Worldwide Exploration Student Trip (KWEST) with 19 other first-years and already have plans to visit Tanzania and China this year. I’m thrilled to continue connecting with students from all around the world and going on unforgettable adventures together, Chicago or otherwise!
