https://padlet.com/michelle1515/pulxquesi3knxqmg en-us 2023-01-11 11:41:41 UTC 2025-10-01 11:17:44 UTC hello@padlet.com michelle1515 https://padlet.com/michelle1515/pulxquesi3knxqmg/wish/2440697828 Hello Dr. Smith and fellow classmates,
Happy New Year!
I hope this finds you all doing well. I am Michelle Dolan and this is my 4th MBA session, and after reading chapter one, I expect this course will not only prepare me for understanding managerial finance, but for my own personal finance and investments. The dots are connecting!
I am currently the Director of Development, Stewardship, and Alumni for Kansas Wesleyan. This position was a learning curve for me, but one that I enjoy immensely. 

My first career was in music and music performance. I grew up in Salina and graduated from Salina South in 1986. I studied music/theatre at Marymount College in Salina and was the last graduating class of 1990. The school actually closed in 1989, but the accreditations were extended for one year for those who were close to a degree completion. In 1989-1990 I took class at four institutions to finish my BA in Music; Benedictine College @ Marymount, KWU, Bethany, and Cloud County Community College. 

From July of 1990 to July of 1991 I was a cast member for the educational/cross cultural organization, Up With People. For one year I traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Mexico, Australia and Canada. Within that year I stayed with 89 host families, performed a show and did service work in every town/city we visited with working in soup kitchens, cleaning graffiti off of freeways, learning about and talking to gang members and their motivation to create death and destruction, addiction, political greed, etc. Very disheartening and eye opening. Up With People is an ultimate example of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). Within my cast, we had 125 people who represented 25 differently countries and we celebrating every tradition, religion and non-religion to learn and appreciate. 

In 1991 I began a Master of Arts degree at UMKC and eventually transferred to Oklahoma City University to complete my Master of Music/Music Performance Degree in 1995. Within that time period I also got married to Bob Dolan from California. We began a life back near family in Salina and ending up raising a family here. This was not the plan, but the path.

I began private voice instruction in a private studio and also became the Director of Choirs for Sacred Heart High School in 1998 and taught choir, music appreciation, theatre and directed musicals until 2017. At that time I became the Development Director of SHHS until I had the opportunity to come to KWU.  I was also an adjunct in the KWU music department from 2005 to 2019.

I am married to Bob Dolan and I have three bonus children, Shannon, Sharon, and Robert and one child of our own, Joshua. I also have 8 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. We are empty nesters and we have a VERY spoiled dog named Chuka who controls the house. 

When not working for KWU, I am the accountant for my husband's company - BMK Plumbing and Solar, LLC, which has been in business since 1995. When not working, I sing as much as possible around the area with symphonies and at celebrations of life and perform at Theatre Salina. I love to travel and get to do that through donor visits for KWU. I power walk everyday and do yoga as much as possible.

Completing another master's degree was never in the plan, but never say never! I am appreciative of this opportunity to learn from this course and all of you. Please contact me anytime for assistance and I will help where I can. 

Best wishes,
Michelle]]> 2023-01-11 11:46:35 UTC https://padlet.com/michelle1515/pulxquesi3knxqmg/wish/2440697828 michelle1515 https://padlet.com/michelle1515/pulxquesi3knxqmg/wish/2441563891 2023-01-11 23:56:53 UTC https://padlet.com/michelle1515/pulxquesi3knxqmg/wish/2441563891