University Wire, February 28, 2005, Monday

Copyright 2005 Daily Pennsylvanian via U-Wire
University Wire

February 28, 2005 Monday

HEADLINE: International business mogul urges risk taking at U. Penn

BYLINE: By Ashwin Thapar, Daily Pennsylvanian; SOURCE: U. Pennsylvania

DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA

BODY:
Students were treated to a real-life success story as 1968 Wharton and University of Pennsylvania graduate Carol Kiryluk shared her story of rising through the ranks of the once male-dominated business world to become a top executive at several multinational corporations.
Kiryluk began the talk, which was well attended despite the downfall of snow Thursday night, by discussing her background. Having grown up in a small town in Pennsylvania, her interest in international relations began with an exchange program to Holland during high school.
She also fondly recalled her experience at Penn, where she was an undergraduate in sociology and economics.
"It turned out to be an incredibly broadening experience," she said.
After graduating from Penn, Kiryluk studied at Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Despite being one of only three women in the program, Kiryluk said that she found the experience to be very rewarding.
"The more you force yourself out of the comfort zone, the more you start thinking outside of the box," she said.
After graduating from Cornell, Kiryluk took a job with the Mobil Corporation -- an international energy provider -- where she worked for the next 20 years. She progressed rapidly through the organization, working in offices as remote as the Middle East, China and Indonesia.
After leaving Mobil in 1989, she joined Tenneco Automotive as the vice president of human resources for the J.I. Case Company, a subsidiary of Tenneco that supplies farm and construction equipment internationally.
She continued her career by joining Tupperware in 1992 as the company's top human resource executive.
Having spent the last five years running her own consulting practice, Kiryluk still has ambitions for the future, mentioning pro bono or non-profit work as possibilities she will consider.
"The story doesn't end. There's always a new chapter," she said.
She also urged students to be persistent when pursuing job prospects, especially at the start of one's career.
"Getting your foot in the door really opens up opportunities," she said.
Students at the event found the advice offered to be valuable and applicable.
"Riveting. She was very down-to-earth," junior Jonathan Lerner said.
"I would most definitely recommend this kind of event for students in the future," Lerner added.
(C) 2005 Daily Pennsylvanian via U-WIRE