Meet Ohio State Fisher’s MBA Class Of 2021

Anna St. Clair Chopp

Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business

“Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s the decision that something else matters more.”

Hometown:  Denver, Colorado.

Fun Fact About Yourself: Je parle française. (I speak French.)

Undergraduate School and Major: Colorado State University, B.S. in Health and Exercise Science: Sports Medicine.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Colorado Heart and Vascular, Medical Assistant

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My greatest accomplishment so far is being accepted and attending The Ohio State University as a dual MBA/MHA student to further my career.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Supportive. The entire class supports one another in all of our endeavors, and it’s an amazing community to be a part of. I love knowing there are people who support me wholeheartedly (even after knowing me for only a semester) and that I have the chance to support other amazing people.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The international opportunities were a key factor in choosing this program. I wanted international business practices in a learning environment to prepare myself for the future. Fisher provides many international working business experiences that will help shape my international competencies.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Fisher Women in Business Club. It’s a strong, incredible group of boss women and women allies who do amazing work and support each other to work through and change the tough aspects that women in business face today.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “Where do you see yourself in the future?” was the toughest question I was asked. I had an idea of where I saw myself, but not a clear picture. Fisher has helped me bring that originally blurry picture into a clear focus.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I wanted to be a decision-maker in the future of healthcare after working in the current system. A dual MBA/MHA from The Ohio State University is going to give me the knowledge and skillset to help achieve this goal.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, UNC Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School, UNC Belk College of Business, University of Washington Seattle, and University of Michigan Ross School of Business. I applied to all of these schools’ MHA programs at the same time for a dual degree.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? My number one priority is feeling valued at the school. If I don’t feel valued, I know I won’t have the support system I need to make a difference and accomplish my personal goals. The number one tool I always use for evaluation is physically visiting the campuses and talking to those who work for the school, are currently going through the program, or have gone through the program so I can hear about their experiences. I listen for their tone of voice and if there’s excitement in what they’re experiencing. If they are down and have shallow answers, I know there are hardships without proper support. If they are excited and smiling, I know it’s a great place to be. Situations can be difficult, but a good culture has a support system to help get people through those challenges successfully. This key aspect comes out in how people talk about it.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment in this program was winning the internal case competition at the end of the semester. It was a huge obstacle for me not only academically, but personally as well. I was fatigued — the academic rigor that semester was more challenging than I had anticipated, and I felt like the “weak link” on my team. The morning of the competition, after receiving the case the first thing my team did was have a discussion answering the question, “Are we going to do this to the best of our ability yes or no?” It was as simple as that. Once we all answered yes, we got to work. I soon realized I had an energy reserve to overcome my burnout. Concepts and theories poured out of me while discussing ways to tackle this problem. And I realized I had an incredibly high-performing team that always held morals, ethics and each-others’ well-being above all else. I realized I wasn’t a weak link, but a loop in a very strong chain all connected together. I felt more connected to each individual person than ever before and saw, in clear light, the highest-performing team that I had ever been on. That moment, when our name was called as the winning team, helped solidify who I am. It proved that I am strong, even when I feel weak.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself as a Chief Strategy Officer for a healthcare company working to improve the system through achieving price transparency, telecare and augmenting the current standard of quality of care.

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