Strengthening family bonds through a shared love of learning

Written by Josh Levinson ’25 JD-MBA 

My journey at the Kellogg School of Management has partly been shaped by my family’s history to Northwestern as my mother graduated from Kellogg in 1986. Her path to Kellogg was less traditional: she had previously earned her Master’s of Social Work, and Kellogg marked her first major step into the world of business. By contrast, my background before Kellogg was more traditional after graduating with a degree in economics and a minor in finance, I worked in economic consulting before pursuing my JD-MBA at Kellogg.  

These differences in our backgrounds have led to distinctly different academic experiences at Kellogg. For my mom, Kellogg was her gateway into the business world — a place where she absorbed valuable insights through foundational classes like accounting, marketing and organizational behavior.  

Those courses expanded her perspective, equipping her with tools to succeed in new professional environments while paving the way for her transition into a leadership role in human resources. Her experiences at Kellogg gave her not only the knowledge but also the confidence to excel in her future endeavors in human resources at a variety of companies. 

My experience, however, has been characterized by specialization. I started at Kellogg with a foundation in economics and finance, I immersed myself in advanced topics, particularly within the finance department. One standout experience was taking Professor Jose Liberti’s Mergers & Acquisitions, Restructuring, and Leveraged Buyouts class where I learned about the motivations, thought processes, valuation methodology and techniques and legal considerations of acquirers.  

This experience provided me with important and nuanced insights into the world of acquisitions and financial buyers. This new knowledge and skills were immediately useful to me during my internships in corporate law, and they will undoubtedly shape my career as a transactional attorney.  

Despite the stark differences in our academic journeys, my mom and I share many common experiences and lessons from our respective times at Kellogg. Reflecting on my time here, it has become clear how the school has profoundly shaped both of us. The school’s culture — emphasizing collaboration, curiosity, and community — has been a defining element in our experiences.  

We often talk about the hours spent in group meetings, grappling with challenging assignments, and how those moments taught us the value of teamwork and persistence. We also both recognize the value of taking fundamental classes with the same group of students due to common experiences with professors and courses making it easier to form bonds and study groups. Both of us have forged strong bonds with fellow students and professors who challenged and inspired us — leading to building relationships that extend beyond the classroom.  

My mom and I also share the experience of transformative internships during our time at Kellogg, which shaped our professional aspirations. During her internship, my mom worked at Northwestern University's human resource department, where she researched and updated the university staff compensation scheme. This role allowed her to apply the foundational skills she developed at Kellogg to a real-world context.  

Similarly, my internship at Sidley Austin LLP immersed me in the dynamic world of transactional law, exposing me to practice areas such as mergers and acquisitions, private equity and global finance. Both experiences gave us invaluable insights into our chosen fields and underscored the practical applications of our Kellogg education, preparing us to lead and excel in our respective careers. 

My mom and I also share the experience of having lifelong Kellogg friendships. My mom’s close connections from her time as an MBA student remain vital decades later, and I hope to follow in her footsteps, staying close to the incredible friends I’ve made during my b-school journey. The school’s emphasis on leadership and interpersonal skills is something I’ve come to appreciate not only in my own growth but also in seeing how it has shaped my mom over the years. Her ability to lead both in her career and in our home has shown me that what Kellogg builds transcends fields or professions — it shapes how we connect with others and lead in every facet of life. 

As I prepare to graduate this year, I find myself reflecting on the legacy my mom has created and the one I hope to continue. For her, Kellogg was a transformative experience — a stepping stone into a new professional realm that equipped her with tools she hadn’t imagined she’d need. For me, it has been an opportunity to deepen my expertise and refine my aspirations. Yet, beyond the individual differences in what we gained academically, there’s a shared legacy of values and connections.  

Kellogg has given us both, albeit in different ways, the confidence to excel professionally, the relationships to nurture personally and the clarity to lead with purpose. It’s a legacy of growth, belonging and impact that I’ll carry forward with pride knowing it’s not just about what we learned but about who we’ve become. 

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