Felicia Kola-Amodu

Washington University, Olin Business School

“A Nigerian-raised food and nap connoisseur, always pursuing more knowledge.”

Hometown: Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria

Fun Fact About Yourself: I mentally edit (grammar and spelling) all messages I get, including texts. I also did my first editing gig on a book, “30 Before 30”.

Undergraduate School and Major: Bowen University, Nigeria (Undergraduate), Indiana University, Bloomington (Graduate)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Enterprise Holdings, Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being able to successfully cross over from journalism into B2C (business to consumer) management.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Responsibility. My classmates have a huge sense of responsibility for each other. This has created a general sense of belonging for me and I believe, for everyone also. It’s great walking in the hallway feeling overwhelmed and your classmates call out to you saying, “We’ll get through this!”.

Aside from your classmates, 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? There was a sense of ownership of the program and even of the student body with every single person I spoke to. I felt the most comfortable when I came in contact with Olin. The application process was not where it stopped, neither was it at the interview process. The moment I came in contact with Olin after my application submission, they stayed in contact up until now. This told me I was not just a number or just a student. I am a part of a community. I felt that way before I got an admission.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am looking forward to joining the Student Senate for the GBSA. I am also hoping to become an ambassador for Communication @ OLIN. Lastly, I am hoping to join the Admission Committee to help further expand the diversity at OLIN.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I don’t have a traditional business background. After my Master’s degree in Journalism, I went with a career in B2C. Although, I excelled in the last 3 years doing that, I knew there was a level of training I did not have to continue to excel and move wider and farther in my career. An MBA at Olin will give me that training.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? After starting a new career in sales-B2C management in 2015, my main five-year goal became “Getting my MBA”. I made that decision because I knew that was the career path I wanted to be in. I also knew I was lacking the educational training to thrive long term in that field. I knew that for my long term career goals, there would be costs attached—time, money and a lot of effort. I knew they would all be worth it in the end.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to Emory University, University of Texas, Austin, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Indiana University.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I started by looking at the school rankings for their marketing programs. I then narrowed them down by the geographical locations I was interested in. The last thing I did was to connect with some alumni, current students or other representatives of the schools. I did this through LinkedIn and attended events like Forté Women’s.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment was when I lost my dad. I had moved to the US only 6 months before. Prior to that, I was a daddy’s girl and had mostly done everything leaning on my family. Losing my dad gave me a growth sprout, mentally and emotionally. I became independent even though I still have my family’s support. I began to make use of my dad’s words, “Temi, you can do anything you set your mind to”. All those things brought me to where I am today.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I want to join a forward-thinking diverse organization, in a B2B (business to business) marketing management role.

 Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years, I hope to have been well versed in my career and moving forward. I hope to have registered and pushed forward my not-for-profit “movement,” called “Adopt A Child’s Education”.