Meet the MBA Class of 2024: Dapeng Wang, Washington University (Olin)

Dapeng Wang

Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

“U.S. Army Vet, and restaurant owner with 6+ years of experience in healthcare and real estate.”

Hometown: Beijing, CHINA

Fun Fact About Yourself: Buffet restaurants hate me (I eat a lot).

Undergraduate School and Major:

Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Beijing City University

Master of Science in Accounting, Hofstra University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: MM Realty & Management, Property Manager

What has been your favorite part of St. Louis so far? What makes St. Louis such a great place to earn an MBA? So convenient! Everything is about a half-hour drive away. It has a better and friendlier entrepreneurial environment than other cities.

You completed your global immersion earlier this year. What was the best part of the immersion experience for you? What was the biggest takeaway you gained? I really appreciated the global immersion before the class started. It gave me the opportunity to know more about my classmates. No one or company can succeed alone.

Aside from your immersion and classmates, what was the key part of WashU Olin’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The course setup of the Olin MBA program is phenomenal. I feel it is flexible, intense and logical. 

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at WashU Olin? The school has different MBA platforms, and they invite guest speakers to come to campus and give speeches to students about their industries. I have learned a lot from real-world experiences instead of solely from textbooks and was also given the chance to network with the speakers.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I worked as a member of a two-person orthopedic technician team serving thousands of U.S. service members throughout the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, my team transformed a regular clinic into a COVID-standard clinic within a very short period, ensuring continuity of operations in a period of significant uncertainty.

Describe your biggest achievement in the MBA program so far: I founded a team of 5 members, and we are building an online community to help people around the world who have mental issues.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? My classmates have won many case competitions. You will find a lot of cheerful moments competing against other schools with your team.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into WashU Olin’s MBA program? WashU has a very diversified and cooperative environment. For people who enjoy a competitive environment, WashU may not be a fit for them.

DON’T MISS: MEET WASHINGTON OLIN’S MBA CLASS OF 2024