Meet Washington Olin’s MBA Class of 2019

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.