Nashad Carrington

Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

“Principled professional with experience in agriculture, banking, community development and technology.”

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri (by way of Orlando, Florida)

Fun Fact About Yourself: I currently chair one of twelve Urban Agriculture County Committees that serve to encourage and promote urban, indoor and other emerging agricultural production practices. The committees address areas such as food access, community engagement, support of local activities to promote and encourage community compost, and food waste reduction.

Undergraduate School and Major:

Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia) – Political Science

University of Arkansas, Little Rock (Little Rock, Arkansas) – Juris Doctor

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Operator at GRŌ FARM, a St. Louis-based AgTech company focused on developing climate-smart agriculture solutions for the next generation of producers.

What has been your favorite part of St. Louis so far? What makes St. Louis such a great place to earn an MBA? My favorite part of St. Louis is that there is a small town “feel” with larger city amenities; there are a ton of hidden gems within every neighborhood, and I can get across town in under 45 minutes. St. Louis is a great place to earn an MBA because of the immense opportunities available to enterprising and ambitious persons. St. Louis is home to company headquarters across industries, including agriculture, biotechnology, finance, logistics, shipping and transport. Many people don’t realize what the city has to offer.

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? The best part of global immersion was touring viticulture operations, speaking with their global distribution leaders, and then meeting with United States government officials working in agriculture, commerce, and trade. Being on the ground in another country provided unparalleled perspective and offered a great experience unlike any other program in the market.

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? WashU Olin’s small class sizes are a major benefit to the program. My professors, fellow students and faculty know me; they understand my intrinsic interests and my career and future plans—and many have expressed the desire for their networks to help me achieve those aims. I think that greatly shapes the MBA experience and allows students to feel like they matter rather than just being another seat filled in a classroom.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at WashU Olin? I’m serving as head counselor for the WashU Olin Graduate Business Student Association’s Judiciary Council. This position allows me to work with the GBSA to ensure that their activities are in accordance with the GBSA constitution. This melds my past life as an attorney with my interest in seeing equitable outcomes for all persons. My first act to date has been overseeing the 2022/2023 GBSA elections, which has been a fun learning experience. In my role, I had constant contact and oversight of the campaign activities, encouraging interested candidates to engage, hosting the candidate’s debate and determining whether campaign activities were permissible.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I’ve served as a judge, worked for a major sports franchise, helped negotiate mergers and acquisitions valued over $20mil, and drafted policy impacting global data privacy activity, cryptocurrency development, and financial regulation. But by far, the biggest honor, in the midst of the aforementioned, was being asked by Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois to serve on the Equity Task Force, helping to analyze and improve the state’s workforce development programs.

Describe your biggest achievement in the MBA program so far: My biggest achievement in the MBA Program so far was being named the Consortium Fellowship’s Wallace L. Jones Fellow for WashU. It was an honor because it’s an admissions committee-based selection that said I evidenced talent, achievement, and good character. The good character recognition was the pièce de résistance.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I have been really enjoying podcasts from The Economist. The insights, interviews, and news updates are helpful in understanding activities taking place across the world and varying industries. The podcasts are informative, easily digestible and interesting as well.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into WashU Olin’s MBA program? Do your research, speak with current and former students, seek out the local alumni in your city, and don’t be afraid to contact WashU’s recruitment team. They helped me figure out my path and were always responsive, friendly, and candid about my chances. I’d encourage applicants to connect with the alumni and current students to understand the mindset of a WashU student and feel the shared sense of community that is often expressed. Study hard for the required entrance exams (if you have to take them), apply early, and trust the process.

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