Christopher Jefferies

Washington University in St Louis, Olin Business School

“I have a collaborative mindset that is fueled by passion and ambition.”

Hometown: Painesville, Ohio

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a certified high school basketball official and have traveled to four different states to officiate games for nationally-ranked players.

Undergraduate School and Major: BS in Marketing Management, Youngstown State University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Avery Dennison, Service Consultant

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the school’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Feeling the sense of belonging and WashU Olin’s Global Immersion program was why I chose the school. It was crucial to find an MBA program with a culture that was the right fit for me and would allow me to get the most out of my MBA experience. Once I realized that the culture at Olin was a fit, the Global Immersion Program was the icing on the cake. Having the opportunity, at the very beginning of the MBA program, to travel the world alongside my classmates while gaining valuable insights into how businesses operate was something that could not be matched.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates and why? Adaptable—our MBA class of 2022 is the first to start the full-time MBA program on a virtual/hybrid model. My classmates have been extremely supportive and patient as we are all adapting to this “virtual world.”

What club or activity excites you most at this school? Olin Marketing Association and Olin Outdoors—finding that healthy work-life balance!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I worked with a small team to integrate and stabilize a new business that the company had acquired. Having limited resources and taking on responsibilities in areas that I had little or no experience in was challenging, but I was able to successfully stabilize and grow the business. This experience taught me so much about business and the importance of cross-functional teams. I strongly believe that no matter how difficult the task, if you are willing and able to work collaboratively across teams, you will find success.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? It was my ambition and hunger for wanting to learn more about business, how businesses operate, and what makes them successful. Being someone who wishes to have a lifelong career in business, I knew that business school would provide me the tools needed to be an effective and efficient future business leader.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “What concerns do you have about getting an MBA?” This was difficult for me because I’ve always been good at carefully weighing out my options before making a decision. Once my decision was made to pursue an MBA, I was “all in” and didn’t have any concerns. My concern wasn’t about getting an MBA, it was about where I was going to get my MBA.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Culture fit, community, and diversity. These were the three things I looked for to make sure that I would get the most out of my MBA experience. While attending Olin’s Diversity Weekend, I was able to confidently check off all three boxes. Throughout the weekend, I connected with multiple current students and alumni who were able to speak to the welcoming environment and also to the supportive culture at WashU Olin.

What is your favorite company and what could business students learn from them? General Mills does a great job of empowering their brands, employees and communities. They encourage employees and communities to have tough conversations and are not afraid to challenge the status quo. In my opinion, they do a great job of showing the importance of being your true authentic self.

DON’T MISS: MEET WASHINGTON OLIN’S MBA CLASS OF 2022