Lori Ashley Witherspoon

Washington University, Olin Business School

“I am a faith-led, inquisitive, people-focused, truth-chaser who loves answers and Turkish dramas.”                                                                 

Hometown: O’Fallon, Illinois

Fun Fact About Yourself: While in Greece, I hiked part of Mount Olympus in sneakers (not a great idea by the way).

Undergraduate School and Major: Howard University, International Business

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: EPIC Systems Group, Marketing Supervisor

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I fostered an industry partnership for my company that led to a young African American woman being able to add “product designer” to her resume before she graduated from design school.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Resilient. My cohorts and I were, by virtue of our program at Olin, placed overseas to experience business norms and to execute real business strategies for two months. During that time, we endured illnesses, familial strains, language barriers, jet lag, loneliness, etc. However, through all of this, the entire class remained steadfast and engaged in the program and engaged with one another. That is resilience.

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? The location was a primary factor for my choice of Washington University as a program. WashU is in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri—a city which enjoys a booming business economy and a city that fails its minority communities every day. My desire is to foster growth and prosperity in these forgotten communities by helping minority small business grow and employ more people from their communities.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am looking into working with the Center for Experiential Learning at WashU Olin. This center allows students to work on teams that bring business solutions and strategies to various classes of businesses in and around St. Louis. I am truly excited about the chance to work with small businesses and NGOs in St. Louis.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? The hardest question my interviewer asked me was about a time where I failed in a pursuit. Although we learn from failure and accept it as a natural part to life and growth, reliving failure, and being transparent enough to discuss it with someone you are unfamiliar with, can still be unsettling.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? It happened quite serendipitously. I recall sitting in church and listening to my Pastor discuss our church’s value of “building strong families.” He described it as first helping the individual. By strengthening the individual, we strengthen the home. Strengthening homes strengthens communities. Strong communities lead to strong cities, strong cities achieve strong states, and strong states lead to strong countries. It hit me that my purpose was to help individuals in my community build stronger futures for themselves so that we could break some of the vicious cycles of financial, economic, social, and political bondage that still plague us. Choosing to do this through business is ultimately what began my quest towards business school.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business and New York University Stern School of Business.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I visited each school during their “diversity” weeks, took tours around campus and surrounding cities, and I spoke to alumni and (some) current students. Additionally, I reviewed the faculty and some of their research topics/areas. Each of these things gave me the opportunity to learn more about how each school carried out its values, what the school valued, and who the schools valued. Ultimately, I chose the school that aligned with my values and met my other professional needs.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Honestly, I don’t think I’ve had a defining moment. I am an amalgamation of experiences and lessons learned. I am led by Christ, His word and His purpose for my life–that shapes who I am.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In ten years, I will be helping people define their own futures irrespective of their race, birthplace, sex or nationality. I will be the person who helps to lead people out of the caves that keep them staring at shadows on the wall and into the light where The Truth, The Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness reside.