IU Kelley School of Business offering degree programs to WNBA players

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business is offering graduate level business courses to WNBA players who are ready for a career beyond athletics.

“That’s a really tough pivot. You’ve been a professional athlete for years and now you are trying to do something completely different in many instances,” said Associate Faculty Chair of Executive Degree Programs Carolyn Goerner.

Current and former players will be eligible for a master’s degree or professional certificate from the Kelley School. Player’s spouses and partners are also eligible for the program.

“To make sure they are getting those courses, in addition to the fundamentals, in addition to the fundamentals, that they will need for the business degree,” said Goerner.

The Kelley School entered a similar partnership with the National Football League and Major League Soccer, which it is hoping to expand to other levels of professional soccer.

“I will freely tell you it’s a lot of fun to watch the Super Bowl and two of your students are playing, and that has prompted us to talk with other associations,” said Goerner.

Goerner said business ownership is still a male-dominated field and it can be difficult for women get capital to start a business without the right credentials.

“If I’ve got a degree, if I got an MS in finance, that helps me when I’m talking to a banker to get financing.”

Two former Indiana Fever players have successful businesses of their own. Katie Douglas owns a gym and Tamika Catchings owns three cafes in Indianapolis.