Some of the MBA students in the Class of 2019 at Washington University’s Olin School of Business
It’s easy to get lost in a big school. People may know your name, but most are little more than strangers. Sure, your options are seemingly endless in a big school. Problem is, it’s a mad scramble to get face time, let alone help, there. Some MBAs thrive on their own. For many others, a small program – and the supportive community it forges – is what brings out their best.
You’ve heard the terms like “close-knit” and “intimate” to describe “small” MBA communities – usually with 200 students or fewer. What do those terms mean? Basically, they describe a certain “feel” where the student is the front-and-center. At small programs, everyone has a story; eventually, everyone must share theirs. It is a place where faculty are front-line close to their students– and actively work to amplify their strengths, accelerate their growth, and attain their goals. Here, students partner with peers they might miss in other arenas. As a result, they are exposed to an array of backgrounds and personalities in scenarios where everyone must contribute. There is nowhere to hide in such business schools. This creates a certain bond, a community fashioned by familiarity, strengthened by shared purpose, reinforced by respect, and deepened by discovery.
“THEY MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL, IMPORTANT, AND VALUED”
A tight-knit community is the signature of Washington University’s Olin Business School, a program renowned for one-on-one support and a truly personalized experience. The Class of 2019 noticed the difference right when they set foot on Olin’s St. Louis campus. Ashia Powers, an account manager from Detroit, was truly sold on the program during admitted students weekend, where the cozy and collaborative nature of her class had already taken shape. “The community here is everything, and everyone takes pride in it,” she witnessed. “They made me feel special, important, and valued.”
That observation is seconded by Bryant Powell. After talking to current students and faculty, he came away feeling like an honorary member of the Olin community. “From emails, phone calls to text messages, everyone I spoke with was open, honest and dedicated towards my future success, no matter where I would call home in the fall,” he acknowledges. “To have that feeling, the true feeling of being wanted, valued, to be part of a family most people rarely ever get in life.”
Washington University, Olin Business School
Gheremey Edwards came to his epiphany about Olin during a speech by Dean Mark Taylor, who positioned the Olin community as “Elite but never elitist; confident but never arrogant.” That struck a chord with Edwards, who hopes to transition from teaching to brand management. “There’s a spirit of winning here, but never at the expense of our peers,” he points out. “The class size and class culture allows me to fearlessly invest in unfamiliar and challenging pieces of the MBA journey.”
PROGRAM DELIBERATELY KEPT SMALL
A cynic might attribute such sentiments as buying into a sales pitch. Just ask any Olin graduate and you’ll hear the same story as Richa Gangopadhyay, an award-winning Indian actress who earned her MBA there last spring. “It’s incredibly close-knit and there’s just this sense of camaraderie among the students and the faculty that really appealed to me,” she told Poets&Quants in a March interview. “It has a real eclectic blend of students from different backgrounds. It wasn’t just different professional backgrounds, but different thought leaders as well.”
This community-driven culture is hardly an accident. Instead, it is the result of careful selection and intensive support. It is a winning formula that the program has no intention of changing, says Mahendra R. Gupta, the former dean and current accounting professor who has spent 27 years at the school. “It’s easy to admit but it is always not that easy to create success,” Gupta told Poets&Quants in 2016. “When you have programs that create continued success for your students, you can feel very good about that. We work hard to give students an exceptional experience of learning. We place a very high bar on teaching and student service.”
The bar is equally high for the eclectic and accomplished band of 145 students who populate the Class of 2019. Just look at Edwards, a Teach for America veteran. In the digital age, he understands the value of a book – one that a student can hold and “discover new lands, and push their imaginations.” At the Manenberg Primary School in South Africa, he ran a drive that provided books for 640 underprivileged students. Then, there’s Hyrum Palmer, a “Kiwi” who is “7/9 of the way to fatherhood.” His colorful resume includes stints as a field artillery officer in the National Guard, a director in Concerned Veterans for America, and a member of U.S. Representative Matt Salmon’s Congressional staff.
FIRST-YEAR PUSHES VETERAN CARE REFORM IN CONGRESS
Impressive…but he wasn’t a summer intern at NASA during high school. That’s one of Rina Amatya’s claims to fame. A student in Washington University’s medical school and a researcher in its virology lab, Amatya has already published a book chapter and will have a solo paper coming out in the near future. She even launched a class in the School of Medicine, which brought non-clinical physicians to campus to talk about how medical training can be applied to everything from law to entrepreneurship.
Ironically, Amatya admits that despite her work with infectious diseases, she is actually a germophobe. That’s just one of the fun facts about this year’s incoming class. Ricardo Marrujo Mexia – a “stumbling salsa dancer” has already visited 30 countries. That should stir Candice Yi’s competitive juices: she has only hit 22 of them. Of course, they might want to compare notes with Bhuvi Chopra, who speaks five languages and has lived everywhere from Abu Dhabi to Hyderabad. Alas, Edwards doesn’t need to travel far from Memphis…not when he has the 3 B’s: “BBQ, Blues, and Beale Street.”
Olin students from the Class of 2017
Olin may be a culture of collaborating and developing, but the Class of 2019 is more defined by creating and driving. At Toshiba, Chopra was a pioneer for women in her sector. Susan Fontana, a Mound City native, formulated the pricing strategy for the re-launch of the Marie Callender brand. To serve disadvantaged children in Columbia, Marrujo Mexia partnered with the Ministry of Education to launch an ESL program. And Madalyn Cassis was so respected by her Peace Corps peers that she was elected to co-chair its Volunteer Advisory Commission, which worked to set the organization’s policies.
It is also a class committed to giving back. At Akros, Sharon Mazimba spearheaded an effort to bring electronic data tools into rural Zambian clinics, which enabled government officials to set better public health policy. Palmer was also involved in pushing the 2017 VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, a process that included “hundreds of meetings with lawmakers, veterans, and VA officials” that built a consensus on how to improve veteran care.
APPS WAY DOWN, BUT GMATs WAY UP
Like many American MBA programs, Olin’s 2016-2017 recruiting cycle could be boiled down to fewer applications but higher caliber students. This year, applications fell off from 1,579 to 1,174 – a near 26% drop. Despite this, the class is actually 17 students larger than its predecessor, with an acceptance rate that jumped 10 points to 40%. Still, the average GMA score climbed seven points to 694 with the Class of 2019 – a score higher than those produced by new classes at small school gems like Notre Dame Mendoza, Vanderbilt Owen, and Emory Goizueta.
This rise in average GMATs also coincides with a spike in interest from women. This year’s class features 39% women, a major jump over last year’s 25% composition. That said, the percentage of international students slipped a point to 38%. The silver lining? It is a more diverse class altogether, with students hailing from 20 countries. That’s five more countries than the year before – and includes students from nations like Indonesia, Romania, Peru, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan.
Academically, the class is broken into three near equal parts: liberal arts, business, and the sciences. Social sciences comprises the largest segment of the class at 26%. Business and engineering each take up a 23% share. Sciences (12%), economics (9%), and the humanities (6%) also compose substantive blocs of the class. The class also features 13 veterans, along with 11 students pursuing dual degrees.
Go to page 2 to see in-depth profiles of incoming Olin students.
Washington University in St. Louis
HARDLY A MIDWEST SCHOOL
2017 was a good year to be an Olin grad. The graduating class pulled down $108,000 median bases and $25,000 median bonuses, with nearly half of the class entering financial services and consulting. Despite Olin’s ‘reputation’ as a regional school, just 44% of the class remained in the Midwest. Instead, over a third of 2017 grads struck out for the coasts. “While you certainly can get a job in St. Louis or the Midwest at Olin, the opportunities at the school are all over, says Conn Davis, a 2017 Best & Brightest MBA who landed a job at Bain & Company. We have students that are going to the East Coast, the West Coast and all over the world. Olin may be in St. Louis, but it opens doors to wherever you want to go.”
Olin has also gained some momentum from bringing Mark Taylor over from Warwick to serve as dean. Ruthie Pyles, the school’s assistant dean and director of admissions, notes that “a spirit of innovation, change, and entrepreneurship has swept through the halls” in a statement to Poets&Quants, “His depth of experience and expertise in academia and industry, combined with his intellectual curiosity and passion for education, has energized our community and provided inspiration that will take Olin to new heights,” she says.
Pyles cites other positives over the past year. Notably, Olin ranked as Poets&Quants’ top undergraduate business program in 2016, a testament to the program’s top-to-bottom excellence. In addition, the school celebrated its centennial, a chance for the Olin community, from staff to alumni, to reflect on the school’s history of accomplishments as it opens a new chapter. Thus far, the story ahead looks quite promising, as the school begins laying out a new vision that leverages its strengths while expanding opportunities for its students.
NEW DEAN PUTTING PROGRAM UNDER A “STRATEGIC REFRESH”
“Dean Taylor and his senior leadership team have been diligently working on a five-year strategic plan that will provide a dynamic new vision for Olin Business School,” Pyles adds. “The classes of 2020 and 2021 can expect a world-changing business education—one that will help them become leaders of integrity with a strong value system, the ability to solve complex problems, and a global viewpoint, no matter the size or location of their organization.”
Mark Taylor, Washington University (Olin)
In an October interview with Poets&Quants, Taylor portrayed this process as a “strategic refresh,” with options like adding a one-year program on the table. “If you want to do the 12-month MBA perhaps you can use the second year to get some applied experience in an extended internship in a company with a data-rich environment and then some online learning that could provide a second master’s degree in data analytics,” he says. “So after your two years you could have a lot of experience, an MBA and a master’s in data analytics. I think that would be very attractive to some people.”
If you asked Taylor what separates Olin, he would probably frame its value proposition this way: “Olin Business School offers world class instruction, faculty that is second to none in the world and who are very approachable,” he says. “There is an intimacy in the classroom between faculty and students that would be hard to find elsewhere in top schools. Everyone who comes to Olin has a name and a story. You are well known by the faculty and supported by an excellent staff.”
WORLD CLASS CAREER CENTER PRODUCES 97% PLACEMENT RATE
This pitch, however, overlooks some key elements of the Olin experience. Like the larger university, Olin is known as a research-driven and highly academic program. What’s more, the school has increasingly devoted resources to entrepreneurship and hands-on learning. In particular, the school operates a Center for Experiential Learning, a project funnel that provides experience to students with Fortune 500 and St. Louis firms alike.
However, the most impressive tool in Olin’s arsenal is the Weston Career Center. It’s no accident that the 2017 Class boasted a 97% three month placement rate – a number that’s consistent with past classes and ranks among the best in the world. At Olin, the center acts like a hub, partnering with faculty to embed career content in core courses and electives. At the same time, the center coordinates closely with students by divvying out the funding to their clubs. As a result, career development is top of mind across the business school.
That said, St. Louis may be the school’s most underrated asset. The $150 billion dollar economy boasts 18 Fortune 1000 companies, including Monsanto, Emerson Electric, and Edward Jones – not to mention the iconic Anheuser-Busch InBev. It is also home to a booming entrepreneurial scene. At its center, you’ll find the bustling Cortex Innovation Community, home to nearly 250 companies near the city’s park district. In recent years, the region has also produced big name startups like Answers.com, Aisle411, and Lockerdome – with Confluence Life Sciences taking a $100 million dollar exit in 2017 as well.
For entrepreneurial-minded students looking to become first adopters, St. Louis is the perfect place to set up shop. “St. Louis is a very affordable city for any full-time student trying to live frugally,” observes Cassis. “Also, this city has a booming start-up scene, an established business district, and many companies that are connected to Olin.”
St. Louis, Missouri, Home of Washington University’s Olin Business School
The Midwest aesthetic only enhances the value of Olin grads in the marketplace adds Taylor. “There is this strong Midwestern culture which is very open. There is a strong work ethic. It is based on integrity and straightforwardness which I think is very valuable in business life. Rather than be a bolt on, ethics is integrated in all our coursework.”
THE HIGHER THE DISCOMFORT, THE HIGHER THE SUCCESS
What’s ahead for the Class of 2019? Palmer will measure the success of his first year by how much value he can bring to his class. “In the Army,” he says, “we used to start our days repeating our warrior creed, which contained a line I’ve always loved that states: “I will never leave a fallen comrade.” In the military, our success was not heightened when a comrade failed, and here at Olin I really believe that the more success we individually and collectively experience, the better off we all are. If I can be a resource and not a liability to both the program and my peers, I’ll feel successful.”
Amatya will hold off judging her experience until she starts back in medical school next year. For her, business school is an avenue that will enable her to bring greater value to her patients when she returns to healthcare. “I would consider it a success if I could transfer skills I learned from Olin to improve patient care. In fact, I chose to do the MBA before my 3rd year of medical school in order to hone skills like critical thinking, effective communication, and teamwork.”
However, Edwards plans to spend this next year becoming very uncomfortable. In the past, he regrets playing it safe, avoiding courses and activities that stretched him. Now, he plans to indulge in what might scare or embarrass him.
“I plan to give up looking good,” he states. “I’m going to step far out of my comfort zone because I need to extend my leadership skills and technical competencies in ways I haven’t. I plan on taking a supply chain course even though I’m concentrating in brand management. I’m going to join the case study competition team despite my fear of public speaking. I’ll also be attending every corporate networking mixer to learn from industry leaders even though I am quite the introvert. I’m finally going to invest in my learning, and I’m looking forward to my failures.”
To read profiles of incoming Olin students — along with their advice on tackling the GMAT, applications, and interviews — click on the links below.
DON’T MISS: MEET THE PIONEERING MBAs OF THE CLASS OF 2019 OR MEET WASHINGTON OLIN’S MBA CLASS OF 2018
| Student | Hometown | Alma Mater | Employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rina Amatya | Marina Del Rey, CA | Princeton University | Washington University School of Medicine |
| Madalyn Cassis | Millis, MA | Simmons College | The Food Project |
| Bhuvi Chopra | United Arab Emirates | Delhi Technological University | Toshiba Corporation |
| Gheremey Edwards | Memphis, TN | Vanderbilt University | Frayser Achievement Elementary School |
| Susan Fontana | St. Louis, MO | Creighton University | Conagra Brands, Inc. |
| Naveh Malihi | Tel Aviv, Israel | Technion – Israel Institute of Technology | Intel |
| Ricardo Marrujo Mexia | Covina, CA | St. Johns University | Ladder Up Financial Services |
| Sharon Mazimba | Lusaka, Zambia | St. Lawrence University | Akros, USAID Systems For Better Health |
| Hyrum Palmer | Auckland, New Zealand | Brigham Young University | Concerned Veterans for America |
| Bryant Powell | Philadelphia, PA | Penn State University | iN Demand |
| Ashia Powers | Detroit, MI | North Carolina State University | State Farm Matt Voorhees Agency |
| Candice Yi | Chicago, IL | University of Illinois-Chicago | Nancy M. Vizer P.C. |
Rina Amatya
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Aspiring pediatrician interested in infectious diseases. Also a major germophobe. A study in irony.
Hometown: Marina Del Rey, CA
Fun Fact About Yourself: I was a cheerleader in high school and college.
Undergraduate School and Major: Princeton University, A.B. in Molecular Biology, Certificate in Neuroscience
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Washington University School of Medicine, Researcher in virology lab
Epharmix, Clinical researcher on project to improve breastfeeding adherence
Duke – National University of Singapore, Researcher in bat immunology lab
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Researcher and Lab Manager in microbiology and immunology lab
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Contributing to scientific research. Every year since my junior year of high school, I’ve spent at least a summer doing research. I like asking questions and being the one to try to answer them. I enjoy working on a project and doing experiments that very few people, if anyone else, in the world are doing at that moment. To date, I have presented posters at a number of conferences, published one book chapter and five non-first author papers, had one first author paper accepted, and have one co-first author paper in submission.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Talk to mentors often and early. Get advice and ask for feedback.
My first job ever was as a high school summer intern at NASA, where I did risk management engineering and operations research for flight missions. I truly loved every minute of the work, even the traditionally mundane tasks like paperwork and meetings. However, I felt like there wasn’t enough basic science there for me. When I looked for a career that I would find fulfilling, I decided on pursuing medicine to help people directly, and consequently tabled operations and management-type careers.
Fast forward to my first job out of college. I was a researcher and lab manager for a multimillion dollar microbiology and immunology lab. I worked really hard during those two years and, as an administrator, put systems in place that are still in use today. One day, my boss called me into his office to chat. I was well into the medical school application process at this point. He suggested I look into the MD/MBA dual degree. Once I did, I realized I could both see patients and run operations via healthcare management. Talking to my mentor then was invaluable for how I envision my future career now.
I strongly believe in the importance of seeking advice from others. At the medical school, there was no formalized way to get insight from physicians with non-clinical careers, so I started a class on alternative careers for MDs. We invited 10 speakers to talk about their lives and career paths. All had MDs and came from non-clinical careers spanning law, business, pharmaceuticals, entrepreneurship, and more. Setting up this class made me realize how generous people can be with their time and experiences. It never hurts to ask if it’s possible to chat with someone. Hearing from people with such a diverse array of interests and experiences actually clarified what I want out of an MBA and how I can achieve those goals.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Olin has amazing connections and opportunities in healthcare. During my first two years at WashU School of Medicine, I got to see this first-hand by taking an Olin class on business and healthcare, and attending Olin healthcare talks. I was impressed with the professors and speakers, as well as with the students.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Since I’m doing the dual degree program, my situation is a bit different. I’m coming to the business school after finishing the first two years of medical school, which are classroom-based. After the first year of business school, I will go back to the medical school to finish my 3rd and 4th years. This is when I will finally get to see patients and work as part of a healthcare delivery team. I would consider it a success if I could transfer skills I learned from Olin to improve patient care. In fact, I chose to do the MBA before my 3rd year of medical school in order to hone skills like critical thinking, effective communication, and teamwork. Also, I hope to continue to keep in contact with friends, colleagues, and mentors after my first year of business school and beyond.
Madalyn Cassis
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I value new challenges, good questions, different opinions, clear writing, and big pictures.
Hometown: Millis, MA
Fun Fact About Yourself: I cycled across the United States to raise funds for and awareness of affordable housing.
Undergraduate School and Major: Simmons College, B.A. in English Literature and Women’s Studies
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Peace Corps (Zambia), Agroforestry Extension Agent
The Food Project, Summer Program Associate
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While serving in the Peace Corps, I was honored to be elected by my colleagues to co-chair the Volunteer Advisory Committee. In this role I represented over 250 Volunteers in meetings with senior staff regarding nation-wide policies.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Check your spam folder!
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Olin is in a perfect location for someone stepping into the business world. First, St. Louis is a very affordable city for any full-time student trying to live frugally! Also, this city has a booming start-up scene, an established business district, and many companies that are connected to Olin. The professors and staff are invested in students’ professional and academic goals. So, as someone who is less familiar with business, Olin is the best place to get a jumpstart!
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? If I can expand my business perspective and professional network, and build on my leadership and public speaking skills, all while striking a work-life balance, my first year of business school will be a success.
Bhuvi Chopra
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am an eccentric engineer, passionate Indian classical dancer, persuasive debater and future women entrepreneur.
Hometown: United Arab Emirates and India
Fun Fact About Yourself: I am articulate in 5 languages: English, Arabic, French, Hindi and Punjabi and have studied and lived across five different cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Delhi, Kuwait and Hyderabad.
Undergraduate School and Major: Delhi Technological University, BE/B.Tech in Electronics and Communications
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Toshiba Corporation: Senior Regional IT Engineer of Middle East and Asia
Toshiba Corporation: IT Engineer
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:
- I was promoted three times in all three years at my first job after graduation at Toshiba. I used to work in a sector which does not indulge a lot of women candidates which I wish to change.
- I was bestowed upon the title of Business Development Head of AIESEC India in 2012. During my tenure period, I led the diverse teams to successfully complete the ‘Educated the Girl Child’ event. The event is very dear to me as I was able to lead 25 students from different universities in an aggressive timeframe to gather funds for 140 abandoned, war-affected or orphan girl children.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Planning and starting early your admissions application is really important. GMAT is just one aspect of the admission process. This is followed by a period of self-awareness and self-reflection. You need to identify your strengths and weaknesses and clearly define your career goals. You would also need to research the school, understand the culture, and interact with as many alumni and current students as possible to make sure your MBA experience is truly awarding.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The culture at Olin is very warm, welcoming and collaborative, where students have more access to world renowned faculty and personalized support from the career center. This gives students a chance to form really strong bonds with their peers that can turn into long lasting friendships and honest network. This culture is also seen resonating with alumni. We are also celebrating 100 years of our supportive network, togetherness and growth this year.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I will gain and apply business acumen with confidence and became a trailblazer for women in technology and business. Success would also mean landing an internship at a top notch technology firm in the business sector.
Gheremey Edwards
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I’m a southern boy who lives by the 3 B’s—BBQ, Blues, and Beale Street.
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Fun Fact About Yourself: I scout out people’s phone models and recreate imaginary profiles of their personality. Still got the iPhone 5s? You’re a high-achiever who reads The Onion. Are you rocking the Google Pixel XL? You’re a quick-witted techie/gamer who unapologetically rewatches Game of Thrones in 2-week spans.
Undergraduate School and Major:
Vanderbilt University, B.A. Interdisciplinary: Business & Society
Christian Brothers University, Master of Education
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
- Teach for America
- Manager, Teacher Leadership
- Manager, Data Management
- Director, Data Management
- Frayser Achievement Elementary School: Classroom Teacher
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Successfully creating a library in a South African primary school was a landmark accomplishment. While in Cape Town, South Africa’s township, Manenberg, I taught English and math to elementary school students. Unfortunately, the lack of a community library limited the literacy ability of the Manenberg primary school. The literacy levels at Manenberg are one of the main struggles of the school. In an effort to address this problem, I initiated the gathering of books written in both the English and Afrikaans languages in the library. These books included a great variety of nonfiction, juvenile fiction, and picture books for all ages. Through the organizing of my peers, I gathered hundreds of books for 640 students. Putting in place a tentative checkout system until the next student group arrived, I felt comfortable knowing that teachers would in time be able to use a well-resourced library. I wanted the library to teach children how to hold a book, turn a page, find an author, discover new lands, and push their imaginations.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? A cohesive narrative for business school is critical for distinguishing yourself amongst your other fascinating and competitive peers. Your essays aren’t about how clever you can rearrange syntax to tell a story. Admissions teams want to see if you’ve taken time to explore yourself and your future. Before writing one essay, take about a month to figure out who you are as a person and a leader. I’d recommend taking a career and personal self-assessment like the Myers-Briggs and the PI Behavioral Assessment (any assessment will do just fine). Talk to friends, and get feedback from your coworkers. This will give you a great starting point to reflect on who you are and how you lead. This will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, and it will help you see how you what you want to gain from an MBA program. Once you begin the business school application process, you will be bombarded with GMAT studying, school visits, reference cultivation, and conducting program research. Once the process begins, you won’t have time to explore yourself and your leadership without getting distracted. Your essays become more authentic and clearer when you can speak about your narrative in a clear, convincing way.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I chose Olin because Olin chose me. When Dean Taylor described the community as “elite but never elitist; confident but never arrogant,” I knew I had found my home. Olin prides itself on lifting up individuals and the community through leadership. There’s a spirit of winning here, but never at the expense of our peers. I’m here at Olin because they genuinely want me to win and bring a proprietary experience to our global community. The class size is small, which gives me the opportunity to connect with my peers authentically. I know my classmates and professors, which means we support each other in ways that other schools can’t logistically pull off. Being part of such an intimate, encouraging community takes away the competitive nature that can come with typical business school culture. The class size and class culture allows me to fearlessly invest in unfamiliar and challenging pieces of the MBA journey.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Achievement is a concept many see as a final destination. This year, I plan to treat it as a journey. Success after my first year will be about getting uncomfortable. I’ve played it very safe during my academic journey in the past. In undergrad, I engaged in opportunities that only slightly stretched me; I took courses that I loved and understood. Even while obtaining my master’s degree, I veered away from intricate topics in fear I would embarrass myself in front of my peers.
This won’t be the case for business school. I plan to give up looking good. I’m going to step far out of my comfort zone because I need to extend my leadership skills and technical competencies in ways I haven’t. I plan on taking a supply chain course even though I’m concentrating in brand management. I’m going to join the case study competition team despite my fear of public speaking. I’ll also be attending every corporate networking mixer to learn from industry leaders even though I am quite the introvert. I’m finally going to invest in my learning, and I’m looking forward to my failures.
Susan Fontana
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Naturally curious strategic thinker who strives for the best and values relationships.
Hometown: Saint Louis, MO
Fun Fact About Yourself: My #1 bucket list item is to camp under the Northern Lights.
Undergraduate School and Major: Creighton University, B.S. of Business Administration in Marketing and Finance
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Conagra Brands, Inc.: Senior Pricing Strategy Analyst, Revenue Management
Pricing Analyst, Revenue Management
Associate Financial Analyst, Frozen Brand Finance
Associate Financial Analyst, Customer Finance
Financial Development Program
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I created the pricing strategy for a relaunch of the Marie Callender’s brand, a cross-functional effort that reinvigorated the product for consumers and expanded profitability significantly.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Take the time early in the application process to truly evaluate why you want to pursue your MBA. Gather insights from current students, alumni, the program’s staff and other resources to hone in on what you hope to get out of an MBA and why it will be meaningful for your career. This will help you not only to focus your messaging for your applications, but also to choose the program that is right for you.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I chose Olin for its community. Dean Taylor describes Olin as “elite, not elitist,” and I could not agree more. In each interaction I have had with members of the Olin community, I have been overwhelmed by the support that comes from all directions. Olin stuck out to me in a sea of top MBA programs as the community that will challenge me to grow into the excellent business leader I know I can be.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? After my first year, I hope that I will have taken risks outside my comfort zone. One way I look forward to doing that is through Olin’s Center for Experiential Learning. I also intend to immerse myself in the wealth of experiences that my classmates will bring from their various backgrounds. Success, for me, will be to have conquered new challenges, built strong relationships with classmates, and secured an internship in my area of interest.
Naveh Malihi
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Enthusiastic hardware engineer, ready to design the business chip of my life.
Hometown: Tel Aviv, Israel
Fun Fact About Yourself: I tell people that I rather take the stairs for sports but the truth is I don’t trust elevators.
Undergraduate School and Major: Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, B.S. in Electrical Engineering
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Intel: Validation Engineer in the Automotive project
IMI Systems: Hardware Engineer
Israeli Defense Forces: Reserve Duty
Product Manager
Team Leader and Class Commander
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Forming a new department of reserve duties in the intelligence score containing ~300 reserve duties, including training and classification.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Choose the program that’s right for you; don’t just go with the flow. I believe you will develop much more in the environment that suits you rather than in one that you feel you don’t belong.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Olin Business School is all about collaboration between the students in the program. Coming from a very competitive and self-studying bachelor degree, I felt that for the next step in my career I needed to learn from people, not just from books. Reading and hearing from former graduates about Olin’s diversity and cooperative environment made me decide with no doubt that this is the kind of program I wish to be a part of.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? For me, Success will be if I get to the end of the year after I took myself out of my own comfort zone. I intend to jump into the water in every aspect in which I feel most unconfident. If I succeed doing so, I would surely be on the right path to deal with every challenge coming my way in the future.
Ricardo Marrujo Mexia
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Aspiring banker, avid traveler, coffee connoisseur, stumbling salsa dancer.
Hometown: Covina, California
Fun Fact About Yourself: I have lived on three continents and traveled to over 30 countries.
Undergraduate School and Major: St. Johns University, B.S. of Journalism
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Ladder Up Financial Services, Program Manager
Ladder Up Financial Services, Financial Consultant
Colombian Ministry of Education, Regional Coordinator
Colombian Ministry of Education, ESL Teaching Fellow
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I developed an international ESL program in a rural region of Colombia with their Ministry of Education that brought an English teaching program to hundreds of underprivileged students.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Ask yourself what you want to accomplish with your MBA, write it down, and make sure every action you take brings you closer to achieving that goal.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I wanted an excellent education with a tight-knit community and Olin is the best place for that. A common phrase you hear at Olin is, “Elite, but never elitist” and that is the environment you find at Olin from the students to the faculty.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? If I learned how to communicate more purposefully and make better critical decisions, I would consider that a success. If I earned an internship that allowed me to build on those skills, even better!
Sharon Mazimba
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am an adventurous person who loves to solve problems and a good challenge.
Hometown: Lusaka, Zambia
Fun Fact About Yourself:I have spent a week in the Amazon jungle in Manaus, Brazil
Undergraduate School and Major: St. Lawrence University, B.A. Global Studies
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Akros, USAID Systems For Better Health (SBH):
Surveillance Manager
Malaria Program Manager/Acting Water and Sanitation Health (WASH) Program Manager
WASH Surveillance Officer
St. Lawrence University:
Community Assistant
Library Assistant/IT Help Desk
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment so far has been leading the process of bringing electronic data entry into rural Zambian clinics – facilities that have never done electronic data entry before. This has enabled the clinic staff to submit real time data about the public health situation in their particular areas to the national public health database. As a result, the people who make key public health decisions and policy have access to faster and better quality data and can use that data to improve health in the most rural parts of Zambia.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? This is a tough one. I would say reflect. Dig deep into why exactly you want an MBA and how it is going to help you achieve your goals. What is your background and how does it inform your decision to pursue an MBA? Why do you want to do it? What goals will it help you achieve? How will it impact your career? What will you be doing after your MBA? Asking yourself these questions and really digging deep for honest answers will go a long way in articulating your goals in your essay and interview. You will be investing a lot of time, money, and effort so it is important to know the in depth reasons and motivations for pursuing an MBA.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The key reason I chose Olin was its emphasis on collaboration. The workplace in recent years has shifted from being one of individual work, to accomplishing major things through collaboration. The accomplishment I spoke of above was achieved through both my initiative as well as through collaboration with my counterparts in the Ministry of Health. This allowed us to work together to bring about something in the country that has never been tried before. Coming from that experience, it was natural that a place like Olin, one that placed emphasis on such an integral part of business, was a place worth being.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Success after the first year would be having an internship and feeling like I did all the things I wanted to do without compromising anything. This includes academics, clubs, building relationships, and having fun!
Hyrum Palmer
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I’m a warrior, a kiwi, news junkie, and 7/9 of the way to fatherhood.
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a Chicago Cubs fan living in a Cardinal’s world
Undergraduate School and Major: Brigham Young University, B.A. in English Literature
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Concerned Veterans for America: Interim State Director
Deputy State Director
Field Director
The Corporate Executive Board: Account Management Specialist
Army National Guard: Field Artillery Officer
Representative Matt Salmon, Arizona 5th: Congressional Staff
National Republican Senatorial Committee: Political Team Member
Gabriel Gomez for U.S. Senate: Deputy Field Director and Military & Veterans Liaison
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: For the past two years, I’ve played a role in pushing for reform at the Department of Veterans Affairs which led to passage of recent legislation in Congress entitled the 2017 VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. Through hundreds of meetings with lawmakers, veterans, and VA officials, our team was able to secure crucial support and buy-in. This included the majority of veterans organizations, as well as solid bipartisan backing in Congress, to ensure clean passage through the House and Senate. This legislation will help veterans to receive better care from more accountable institutions and hospitals.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Don’t let your doubts dissuade you from attending business school. Looking back, I can remember doubting whether I was a good candidate for an MBA program or could afford the expense and opportunity cost of two years outside the job market. However, as I progressed through the application, interview, and program selection process, I received a lot of clarity that resolved my initial concerns. I’m now 100% confident in my decision to reinvest in myself by pursuing an MBA.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The strength of the Olin community was the primary reason I chose to attend Washington University’s full-time MBA program. In particular, I was impressed with the time that Olin students and faculty freely offered to discuss the strengths and benefits of the program with me. While I was travelling in Slovenia, an outgoing Olin grad was willing to arrange his schedule, despite the difference in time zones, to answer my questions and provide his perspective on the program for over an hour on the phone. No other program I evaluated came close to matching the level of peer engagement and support I received from Olin. This generosity of time from students and faculty, combined with the sense of personalized interest I felt from the admissions team, was the key determinant in my decision to attend Olin.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I will consider myself to be successful if I can contribute to and be a resource to others in the program or to those evaluating attending Olin. In the Army, we used to start our days repeating our warrior creed, which contained a line I’ve always loved that states: “I will never leave a fallen comrade.” In the military, our success was not heightened when a comrade failed, and here at Olin I really believe that the more success we individually and collectively experience, the better off we all are. If I can be a resource and not a liability to both the program and my peers, I’ll feel successful.
Bryant Powell
Washington University in St. Louis (Ollin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: A go-getter, driven by my passion for media, sports, programming and philanthropy.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Fun Fact About Yourself: I was on The Maury Show in 2008. No, “I was not the father!” I was a production intern on the show, through NBC Universal in New York City, responsible for screening potential guest and assisting producers during multiple show tapings.
Undergraduate School and Major: Pennsylvania State University, BA in Telecommunications
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
iN Demand: Manager – Content Acquisitions & Strategy
iN Demand: Supervisor – VOD Programming
iN Demand: Coordinator – VOD Programming
iN Demand: Freelance – Programming
National Basketball Association – Associate
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment in my career thus far was being the product manager for the cable subscription video on demand (SVOD) service Vutopia at iN Demand. Originally an added value SVOD product for Comcast, Time Warner and COX cable subscribers, Vutopia was a direct competitor to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. I spearheaded both the development and licensing of acquired and original exclusive content for the platform.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? To future business school applicants from non-traditional backgrounds, my advice to you is simple: know and be confident in yourself. I came from a media and entertainment background, where an MBA degree isn’t the standard career progression. However, I knew if I wanted to achieve and innovate how content is viewed and developed, I would have to take the road less traveled, to gain the knowledge, skillset and perspective in order to advance the status quo.
You also have to be confident in yourself. Showing it in your essays, interviews, or interactions with students, alumni or admission that you know who you are, what you want, and what you want to gain out of your experience in business school is paramount. Don’t worry if you don’t “fit” the mold of the standard business school applicant – and don’t try to fit it – because you are already the mold.
Every one applicant going into this next phase of their lives who is passionate about obtaining an MBA degree is smart, successful, and driven. It is what you are beyond the numbers and stats that make you the person admissions officers want to have on campus. This is shown in the confidence that you have in yourself and what you want out of your experience.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Olin Business School already surpassed my expectations as a top MBA program for me. They had a top tier marketing education, specifically in consumer insights, intimate class sizes, and growing start-up scene in St. Louis.
But the key factor that brought me to Olin was simply, the people. The conversations I had with current students, admission and faculty was second to none…and I mean none. Every person that I spoke with made me feel that I was already a part of the Olin family before stepping one foot onto campus. From emails, phone calls to text messages, everyone I spoke with was open, honest and dedicated towards my future success, no matter where I would call home in the fall. To have that feeling, the true feeling of being wanted, valued, to be part of a family most people rarely ever get in life. So, if you’re one of the lucky few that finds yourself in that situation, take it. I know I did when I decided to go to Olin.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Achievement in the classroom, obtaining an amazing internship, and meeting life-long friends are very important aspects to a successful first year of business school for me. However, as a proud member of The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management – an organization dedicated to increasing diverse peoples in American business schools and corporate management and Consortium Fellow – success to me is to do everything in my power to see more underrepresented students in next year’s class at Olin than previous years.
With Washington University in St. Louis being one of the founding Consortium member schools, it’s my honor and responsibility, along with my other amazing Consortium cohorts, to continue the commitment to the mission our school started in 1966. Success to me looks like a myriad of bright, passionate and driven diverse peoples “Rollin’ with that Olin!” in 2018.
Ashia Powers
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I care about the well-being of others and hope to have a positive impact in someone’s life.
Hometown: Detroit, MI
Fun Fact About Yourself: I was a lead singer in a rock band throughout high school and for a little time in college.
Undergraduate School and Major: North Carolina State University, BA in Communications
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
State Farm Matt Voorhees Agency: Account Manager/Team Lead
J.P. Morgan Chase: Senior Loan Processor
Quicken Loans: Senior Mortgage Banker and Team Leader
National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Public Relations and Events Intern
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I helped launch an insurance agency where I was able to assemble and manage a sales team. Also, I created and implemented a sales process. It was a successful project that led me to business school to gain more experience and to continue to learn about leading teams.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Be authentic. Be honest. Be yourself. The admissions committee wants to get to know the real you in your essays and during your interviews; this goes beyond professional experiences. They want to know about you personally, and they want to know why you want to attend their schools. Know your audience, but more importantly know why you are applying to certain schools and be able to articulate that to the admissions staff. It is important to choose schools that align well with your preferences. Consider where you want to live geographically, the enrollment size, diversity of organizations, possible platforms or concentrations, and type of environment (e.g., collaborative vs. competitive). Understanding what you want will make it easier for you to portray that to the admissions committee who want to make sure that you understand their culture and that it is a culture that you could embrace and enjoy.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The community. I chose to attend Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis because when I attended admitted students weekend, I did not want to leave. Everyone was proud. The current students were honest and welcoming. The staff and faculty go above and beyond for everyone because they truly care about each and every person. They take the time to get to know us individually. For the most part, students here were seeking a smaller program for their MBA studies in hopes of being a part of a tight-knit, collaborative community. Olin met all of the characteristics that I was hoping to find in an MBA program. The community here is everything, and everyone takes pride in it. I have already met people who will be life-long friends of mine. The faculty and staff are some of the most incredible people I have met throughout my MBA application process. They made me feel special, important, and valued.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? If I am able to think more efficiently, formulate problems and solutions better and be able to demonstrate these improved skills, I would feel that my first year of business school was successful. Learning to effectively solve problems and lead teams are skills that I seek to master, and the first year of business school will offer tools to help improve. My task will be to use these tools.
Candice Yi
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am adventurous, outgoing, and have a major case of wanderlust
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Fun Fact About Yourself: I have currently visited 22 countries outside of the US and have lived in 3 of them.
Undergraduate School and Major: University of Illinois-Chicago, BA in Spanish
Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:
Nancy M. Vizer P.C.: Legal Assistant
Challenges Idiomas and Blue Ocean: English Teacher
MLS Law Group: Legal Assistant
Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My greatest accomplishment to date has been moving to Brazil to teach English. This was important to me because I did so without any program or structure to aid my transition. I am proud that despite moving without any guarantee of a job or housing, I managed to create opportunities to live on my own abroad.
Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Being a student with little full-time work experience, I knew that I needed to show my capabilities in other ways to admission staff. One way I did this was by excelling in the GRE. During the time that I studied, I made sure I had a set routine and prioritized my full-time job and GRE studying above all else. I kept a strict schedule for myself, watching over my diet, exercising daily, and ensuring at least two or three hours of studying a day. Furthermore, I took a full-length practice test every week, memorized vocab on my commute to and from work, and even practiced math problems during my lunch breaks. My hard work paid off in the end, earning me high test scores that helped boost my candidacy as a potential MBA student.
What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The biggest factor in my decision to choose Olin was the community. I was drawn by the promise of a fostering environment that was more collaborative than competitive. I had a similar experience in high school, and I believe that working with others rather than against them helps one learn more and expand his or her thinking.
What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? To me, success would be having landed a summer internship in a top consulting firm in addition to seeing a change in my own thinking processes. I decided to attend business school to switch careers and learn how to view problems differently. Gaining a good internship in my area of
interest and seeing a change in how I tackle issues in both my work and personal life will be my first signs that business school is helping me to achieve my goals.
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