Class of 2026: Finding balance, purpose as a business major
- By: Indiana University Northwest
- Last Updated: May 7, 2026
There’s no question that Abigail McCampbell is a hard worker. The soon-to-be graduate from the School of Business has been working almost non-stop since she first enrolled at Indiana University Northwest.
In addition to playing on the volleyball team, she worked three different jobs, went to class, and helped raise her little sister. McCampbell ended up resigning from volleyball after receiving a job offer to coach travel and school volleyball.
“I was definitely burning the candle at both ends,” McCampbell said. “I was working so much, and I had been sick. I woke up one day and couldn’t push off being sick anymore.”
As it turned out, McCampbell was dealing with much more than just a minor illness. She learned she had liver failure and stayed in the hospital for over a week.
“That was the moment I realized I need to slow down, be more present and not work myself to death,” she said.
She couldn’t drive her sister to school as much as she used to. Instead, she focused on school, traveling and cultivating her love for business.
“I started diving more into the marketing world and prioritizing mini-trips and using those videos to edit,” she said. “I found a passion in videography.”
McCampbell put those skills to the test in class, where she worked directly with a local business to create a strategic marketing plan. Her project was so successful that she presented it at Regionals at the Rotunda, a statewide showcase of undergraduate research, this year.
“It was really fun, being able to not only speak to legislation but to speak to IU President Pam Whitten,” she said. “I got to meet a lot of cool students and see different projects. It was definitely the highlight of my college experience.”
The project was a turning point in McCampbell’s marketing career and showed her that she was capable of great things. In fact, she has concrete statistics to show for it. The business she worked with, Bam’s Yarn Bits, increased its customers by 10% and revenue by 3-4% in less than five months.
“I was able to see the impact we can have on other people,” she said. “and this project showed me that I’m still able to do that in marketing.”
While McCampbell’s tireless work is certainly the driver behind her success, she said she may not be where she is today without Yllka Azemi Binaku. As McCampbell struggled to balance all her responsibilities, the assistant professor of marketing was there to encourage and motivate her.
“Attendance was hard for me my first few years, and when I wasn’t showing up, Azemi said, ‘You have so much potential, come to class,’” McCampbell said. “My whole life, I had filled everybody else’s glass first, and I just needed to hear someone who wanted me to fill my glass first.”
As McCampbell gears up to earn her degree, she has a lot to look forward to. She was named the School of Business and Economics Outstanding Student of the Year and recently landed a job as a marketing coordinator and will be moving to Chicago after graduating. Travel is still on her priority list, too — she plans to visit all the national parks and has seen four so far.
Despite the challenges she’s faced over the years, if she could do it all over, McCampbell would still choose IU Northwest.
“My favorite memories are being able to meet my team, build that relationship and have these stories,” she said.
For McCampbell, those stories will certainly continue to be worth telling.
