Sean Nicholl

University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business

“I try and blend charisma and humor to be an effective leader.”

Hometown: Addison, MI

Fun fact about yourself: I learned to scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Western Michigan University, Finance and Economics

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Director of Banking, Rocket Mortgage

Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? Barry-Wehmiller

Where will you be working after graduation? Barry-Wehmiller, Strategic Marketing Leader

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: VP of Family Life

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Joined the Board of Rule4 a cybersecurity consulting firm in Boulder CO.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Lead a mortgage banking team that helped over 7,500 families purchase homes.

Why did you choose this business school? Notre Dame was always the only business school I wanted to attend, I believe in the mantra “grow the good in business” and the focus on ethical leadership.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I enjoyed multiple classes with Walter Clements who brought his real world experience into the classroom. He had great stories that helped me understand complex ideas like financing a firm and working capital.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? I spent seven weeks in Silicon Valley learning about digital product innovation.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Shoutout to the Howlers, best bowling team in the nation.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I can honestly say I did everything I possibly could in my MBA experience, I recommend people take advantage of every opportunity available to them.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Not everyone is Catholic!

What did you love most about your business school’s town? South Bend has been a great city to raise my two daughters in while in school. There are good parks and activities for them.

What surprised you the most about business school? The diverse range of classes that are offered.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Lydia Knoll is a dual degree MBA/MGA who founded an ESG consulting firm. I have been very impressed by her passions and what she has accomplished.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I really want to teach a course to high school students around financial literacy and business acumen, and to have a positive impact in whatever community I call home.

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

“Sean Nicholl is a two-year MBA student at the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame.  We completed two courses together: Working Capital Management & Short-Term Finance, and Financing the Firm. Sean’s achievement was very high in all aspects, earning an A in each course.

Sean comes to the Mendoza College of Business with significant experience leading teams for Rocket Mortgage, in both sales and consulting. His experience in finance and as a leader has been very valuable in class discussions and to his team for the five case projects in my courses, each of which was very insightful with Sean at the lead.

I have witnessed Sean mentor and coach others in my courses and in the MBA program.  He is very personable and positive, which together with his high level of competence, extends his reach to the many people he touches.  In fact, Sean is very active with LinkedIn posts about leadership, climbing the professional ladder to higher levels, and life experiences.  His following is high, because Sean conveys impactful points very well with his writing style.  Sean is also an excellent speaker, displaying rich content, confidence, humility and respect, all together magnifying his impact on others.”

Walter Clements
Teaching Professor, Department of Finance
Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame

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