Meet Washington Olin’s MBA Class of 2019

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.