Olivia English

Eli Broad College of Business, Michigan State University

“Strategic, driven, young professional determined to leave things better than she found them.”

Hometown: Shelby Township, MI

Fun fact about yourself: If you hear “queen,” “tea,” or any other GenZ lingo within the MSU business building amongst the MBAs, I more than likely have something to do with it. What started as a bit of irony poking fun at my age with my peers has turned into a challenge to keep my classmates fluent in the latest trending terms and internet jokes. It’s safe to say: Mission accomplished.

Undergraduate School and Degree: DePaul University, B.S. in Finance, Minors in Accounting and Mandarin Chinese

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? RockItCoin, LLC, Cryptocurrency Compliance Analyst

Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? Procter and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH

Where will you be working after graduation? Procter and Gamble, Supply Chain Manager

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Roles:

President, Broad Women MBA Association

Vice President of Corporate Relations, MBA Finance Association

Presentation Peer Coach

Career Center Peer Coach

First Year Representative, Broad Women MBA Association

First Year Representative, MBA Finance Association

Awards:

Broad Warrior Award

Extreme Green Spring Finalist

Extreme Green Fall Champion

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud to have received the Broad Warrior Award, which is given to six students in each graduating class who exemplify leadership while academically performing at the top of the class.

As a 24-year-old MBA graduate, applying to programs while still completing my bachelor’s degree was not easy. I didn’t have post-undergrad “work experience” despite my years of part-time work as a student and it was made very clear to me that I was not the target candidate. I was also told that I would have to work harder than everyone else to achieve success as a relatively young MBA.

Comments of this nature only motivated me that much further. Receiving this award highlighted the struggles faced and the resilience needed to overcome them, as well as the environment that continually supports the success of their students.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My biggest professional achievement was when I completed a successful internship and was extended a return offer for full-time employment. It was a testament that my hard work in the classroom and over the summer at a Fortune-50 Company has not only been well-received but has also paid off greatly. I wouldn’t be a business school graduate if I didn’t comment on the ROI of the MBA, and how it was especially realized in this moment.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Broad because of the people. Spartans all have deeply rooted pride in the university as well as the instinct to offer hand-ups and support to their school or alma mater. The MBA program is best described using a term from my procurement course: “co-opetition,” when there is collaboration and cooperation amongst competitors. Though we may be competing for the 4.0s and within job interviews, there is a spirit of mutual advancement and concern for each other that is unlike any other environment I’ve been in.

This Spartan Spirit holds true in the classroom, the business world, and beyond. Even in the darkest tragedy that took place on campus in February of 2023, the Spartan bond and unending support was, and continues to be, unshakable.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Although it is difficult to choose just one favorite professor, I feel that Professor Jeffery Hittler had a major impact on my MBA experience. I had him for four classes, two as a student and two acting as a coach of teams within the first-year class. He helped me to uncover and develop what would later become a competitive advantage in the classroom, recruiting, and the workforce: the ability to effectively communicate. Secondly, acting as a coach in two courses, I was challenged to act as a manager. Professor Hittler expanded and fine-tuned what are invaluable interpersonal skills that I will utilize the rest of my career, and I am extremely grateful for that.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite MBA course was Manufacturing Design & Analysis taught by Professor Steven Melnyk. Most likely a result of his lively lectures sprinkled with humor, his class has stuck with me from the first day I walked in. His supply chain theories and knowledge have remained in my head and my approach to day-to-day problems in various areas of study. They even surfaced during my internship when trying to strategically approach the challenges placed in front of me. It’s one thing to read the supply chain theories in a textbook, but it’s a whole other thing to be taught by the author himself.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Two words: Extreme Green. Extreme Green is a multi-day intensive case competition where teams of MSU MBAs compete against each other to find the best solution for the proposed real-world business problem.

Whether it was working on the marketing strategy for a local, yet large-scale company, or navigating tricky waters as a chief communications team of a cruise line for a ship ridden with COVID-19, it was exciting to work with my teams to craft and formally present a solution to the panel of judges.

I enjoyed functioning in a variety of different roles, but most importantly, I enjoyed the focus on team excellence. This is representative of Broad acknowledging and preparing the MBAs for teams in the workplace; there is an intentionality in the curriculum to not just study, but also do.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I think the biggest misconception about the MSU MBA is the excellence in Supply Chain Management being the only area of excellence. There are many other areas where MSU MBAs excel and rival other programs. During my two years, I have met some of the most inspiring, talented, and intelligent individuals in different areas of study. Whether it be Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, the MSU MBA develops well-rounded individuals ready to take on the most complex business problems.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? There is so much to love about what was recently ranked the second-best college town in the Midwest. What I love the most has to be all the different coffee shops scattered throughout campus and the city. There are so many unique offerings that even the most avid coffee drinker (myself included) could not get bored! And, of course, caffeine and business school may seem inseparable at times.

What surprised you the most about business school? What surprised me the most in business school was the power of (and therefore the challenge of mastering) successful communication and teamwork.

From my undergraduate studies, I know the importance of the basic topics of business, but I learned what you say and how you say it can make all the difference. Even if you “know your stuff,” it won’t matter if you cannot communicate effectively. An additional surprising challenge, or opportunity, is working with a team. This can have a multiplier effect; either knocking-it-out-of-the-park with an amazing team, or extremely detrimental if the team cannot learn how to work together. I’ve learned that it is an extremely worthy investment to develop and continually sharpen team management and interpersonal skills to launch future teamwork in the right direction.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire my classmate, teammate, and friend, Amy Brothers.

Amy is a rockstar in her professional space. With her years of experience and real-world knowledge, she has enriched every class I’ve had with her. She’s a team player, as seen in how she assists others, ensures everyone is heard, and delivers work of superior quality in every assignment she touches.

What really stands out to me about Amy, however, is her kindness. Despite whatever Amy is enduring outside the classroom, she shows concern, genuine interest, and offers warmth to everyone she meets. Furthermore, her unwavering values are at the forefront of all she does. She is the definition of authenticity, and everyone who meets Amy wants her on their team.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I would like to be a mother one day, and a very important professional goal I have is to be there for my future children as well as maintain my career. From what I understand, this can be quite a challenge, but I’ve got strong role models to look up to. I’m determined to find this balance and help other women to do the same.

I would also like to use what I’ve learned in the Broad MBA program as well as my career to work with nonprofits. Whether acting as a consultant or starting my own non-profit, it’s very much a priority for me to give back, especially with all I have received.

What made Olivia such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

Olivia exemplifies servant leadership in a way that few students before her have in my time in the Broad MBA program. As a first-year student, she beautifully struck the balance of singular individual academic achievement and being an amazing collaborator with her fellow students. Even though first year MBAs spend a large amount of their time pursuing individual needs and goals, Olivia was constantly a presence amongst her classmates, as a mentor and support. Her impact grew considerably as a second-year MBA. She artfully managed leadership roles in four organizations, all while continuing her academic excellence. Notably, her work in our MBA Women’s student organization, a rewarding mix of co-curricular, social, and professional content and engagement, left a footprint that will endure for countless classes in the future. In effect, Olivia’s achievements and value have been incredible to the MBA program over the past two years. What has been even more remarkable is that, in her approach to these successes, she models qualities and behaviors that are much more common in senior executive leaders with decades more experience.  She is amongst the top five percent of MBA students I have seen in this program over the last decade, and I believe she will be a difference maker in any professional environment she seeks to enter.”

Wayne Hutchison, Ph.D.
Managing Director
Full-Time MBA
STEM MBA

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2024