51ĀŅĀ×

Kyle Triplett, BA ā€™12, MBA ā€™17, believes in the opportunities that stem from an OHIO education. Photo courtesy of Kyle Triplett

As a two-time 51ĀŅĀ× graduate, Kyle Triplett is an ardent ambassador for an OHIO education. Just six years after earning his bachelorā€™s degree in political science, he now attributes much of his early career success to the lessons and skills he learned both in and out of the classroom.

ā€œI think I have really good verbal and written skills, and I attribute a lot of that to my political science degree where I had to do a lot of research and critical thinking,ā€ Triplett, BA ā€™12, MBA ā€™17, said. ā€œA lot of the problem resolution skills, quite frankly, came from Student Senate and dealing with stuff at that time. Thereā€™s definitely great involvement at OU.ā€

Triplett currently works at Cleveland-based Olympic Steel as a regional sales manager, a position that requires him to lead a team of sales representatives toward success. As an undergraduate at OHIO, he was president of Student Senate, and since 2015, he has served as an OHIO Alumni Association board member.

ā€œI said early on, as a student, I didnā€™t want to stop being involved once I graduated,ā€ he remembered. ā€œI had my eye on the Alumni [Association] board for some time to be an avenue to stay involved. Iā€™ve been very fortunate to have that opportunity.ā€

Triplett celebrates at the Alumni Awards Gala with former interim OHIO President David Decutner, left, and Lysa Burnier. Photo courtesy of Kyle Triplett

Triplett, who describes OHIO as a combination of ā€œgreat exposure to people and ideasā€ and top-tier academic programs, returned to earn a masterā€™s in business administration in 2017. He said this degree equipped him with knowledge necessary to propel his career.

ā€œI had a lot of the practice of my current job, but I didnā€™t have a lot of the theory behind it, the coursework from a business standpoint,ā€ he said. ā€œIt was really good for me to round me out and provide some of the courses I didnā€™t get to have as a political science major.ā€

As an Association board member, Triplett said his role is a combination of alumni engagement and ambassador work. He said he is passionate about the opportunities at OHIO and the small town atmosphere that connects students to the community.

ā€œAt 51ĀŅĀ×, I think thereā€™s such a unique interplay between the campus and the town of Athens and all of your peers,ā€ he said. ā€œWhether itā€™s in the dormitories, in the classrooms or walking around on Court Street, I think you get a lot of positive interaction with students and with members of the Athens community and with faculty.ā€

In addition to fulfilling his duties on the Association board, Triplett also attends and occasionally volunteers at events. Though he no longer experiences Athens day-to-day, Triplett said he always feels connected to OHIO.

ā€œSince Iā€™ve been away from OU, itā€™s very apparent that OUā€™s alumni are really plugged in and care a lot about 51ĀŅĀ×. That might not be the case for other colleges or institutions,ā€ he said. ā€œI think Bobcats have a really special bond. We are a very tight knit group of alumni, and itā€™s really rewarding to get to interact with people you do know from your time on campus and people you donā€™t know.ā€