For Immediate Release December 21, 2005

For More Information Contact: Jonna Kane MacDougall, 317-274-1908 jkane1@iupui.edu

Patience and Persistence Pay Off

IU School of Law Graduate, Thea Kelly, on the November cover of More Magazine

INDIANAPOLIS - When Thea Kelly was in high school, she dreamed of being a fashion model in New York City. When she was an undergraduate student, she dreamed of being a lawyer. What is remarkable about Kelly is that she has made both of those dreams come true.

This July, when Kelly, a 1998 IU School of Law-Indianapolis graduate, heard her name announced as the grand prize winner of More magazine's 40+Model Search competition, she was truly surprised.

"I kept waiting for this 'Thea' person to walk out onstage when my name was called-I didn't realize it was me!" she says. "I'm honored to be part of a magazine that is challenging stereotypes about women and aging."

A senior attorney for DowAgroSciences, LLC, Kelly was encouraged to enter the annual More magazine 40+ Model Search contest by her children and a guy friend. Selected as the grand prize winner from among a record-setting 19,142 entrants, Kelly received a $15,000 modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models in New York City. She also was featured in the November issue of More magazine. The annual model search was created six years ago to find models-and role models-who best illustrate the many possibilities available for women during the second half of their lives.

Kelly, who grew up in Kalamazoo, Mich., was the first person in her family to attend college. She earned her bachelor's degree at Michigan State University. At first, she studied business law, hoping to go to law school, but financial considerations forced her to put that dream on hold, so she switched her major to finance and landed a position in accounting upon graduation.

Kelly worked in accounting for 10 years before taking the plunge to go to law school. And what a plunge it was. She cashed in her 401 (k), sold her house, and moved with her two children to Indianapolis.

The attorney will return to New York in January to review the options for her first modeling assignment. She says that the experience of participating in the competition was a good one.

"It has been an amazing experience.The competition has been, for me, affirming and validating. Many women have contacted me from around the country to tell me that my story has inspired them. Many have said that they have been inspired to go back to school, to take better care of themselves, to follow their dreams.I am glad that I took the challenge and went after mine."

- from the IU School of Law-Indianapolis Dean's Report

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