2017 Best & Brightest: Maggie Wehri, Ohio State University (Fisher)

Maggie Wehri

The Ohio State University, Max M. Fisher College of Business

“I’m an edgy and unique individual with some serious passion and determination.”

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve been playing the harp since I was nine years old.

Hometown: Delphos, Ohio

High School: Delphos Saint John’s High School

Major: Art and Business – specializing in sculpture and a major I created through Fisher titled “Sustainable Enterprise Management”

Minor: Entrepreneurship

Favorite Business Courses: Technology Venture Lab, Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College: Ohio State Human Trafficking Respite Project; President’s Prize Finalist; Undergraduate Research Scholar Award; RecycleNow Student Project and Research Assistant; Industry Cluster Program Energy and Sustainability; Fisher Ink Editor-in-Chief; The Ohio State Board of Student Trustee Nominee; Second-Year Transformational Experience Program; Main Street Arts Small Works Exhibition and SculptureX Regional Undergraduate Exhibition

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • Clean Fuels Ohio, Columbus, Ohio Development and Marketing Program Assistant
  • The Nielsen Company, Wilton, Connecticut, Public Development and Sustainability Intern

Describe your dream Job: My dream job is to become an entrepreneur. For me, this kind of role wouldn’t be just initiating projects, but would also ensure that my work has a balanced impact on the environment, community and economy in which I work.

Who is your favorite professor? One of my favorite professors is Dr. Neil Drobny. He has always been very supportive my dual major interests even from the beginning. Our mentor/mentee relationship has been one of the most powerful experiences I have had when I look on how my career as a student has formed. We’ve had a very long-standing relationship that I am very grateful for and appreciative of.

Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? An executive that I admire the most is my older brother, Joe. He works in leadership and development for Target and teaches others how to be effective leaders. I really admire his character and the way he motivates others. I always find our conversations so inspiring, and I usually walk away with a new perspective.

What did you enjoy most about majoring in a business-related field? I really enjoy the project experience the most when it comes to business. I love engaging in hands-on type work and developing relationships and connections with others. It’s really a pleasure to coordinate a talented group of individuals and collaborate to create a unique impact.

Where would you like to work after graduation?  I would like to work in the community in a socially related cause.

What are your long-term professional goals? As a long-term professional I hope to create a life for myself which I can work in community development and pursue my creative field interests.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? I truly love entrepreneurship, and I would definitely encourage any student looking in a business-related field to check it out. There’s so much you can do with it, and the limits are endless.

 “I knew I wanted to major in business when…I worked alongside my mom in high school at her spa business. Growing up in an entrepreneurial household, I’ve always been attracted to the business side of things.”

“If I didn’t major in business, I would be…a journalism or music major. I want to push my creative talents further.”

“Before I entered business school, I wish I had known…how technical certain courses are and the sometimes difficult math behind them.”

What was the happiest moment of your life? My proudest achievement is the moment when I crossed the finish line of the Columbus Half Marathon this past fall. Last April, I was diagnosed with a spinal tumor that required emergency surgery and time off as a student. With a great amount of determination and perseverance, I accomplished what no one else thought I would be able to do.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? What animal would you choose to represent your professional brand? A personal achievement I am most proud of is creating my major and developing a dual combination. I really enjoy exploring spaces and disciplines that are so different.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I, of course, course want to thank my parents for giving me the financial support to have access to a higher education. In addition, my brother, Alex, has been a huge role model to and a major force of encouragement in my ability to succeed in many facets of my life.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I would want my peers to acknowledge the vast amount of opportunities I’ve created for myself. In a lot of instances, I’ve paved some really unique paths in college. A lot of people operate in spaces that already exist, but a lot of times I initiate something completely different. If you have the determination and vision, you can always discover something new.

Favorite book: Brand You by John Purkiss & David Royston-Lee

Favorite movie: 10 Things I Hate About You

Favorite musical performer: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Favorite vacation spot: Hilton Head, South Carolina

What are your hobbies? I really enjoy running outdoors, playing music with my family and friends, creating new recipes and designing various projects or other initiatives.

What made Maggie such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2017?

“At The Ohio State University, we take great pride in the plethora of opportunities we have to offer our students. Every day, we see students excelling academically, travelling the world and “Paying it Forward” as Buckeyes do. Every once in a while, we have the extraordinary pleasure of watching someone like Maggie Wehri flip the script and really take Ohio State by storm.

Academically, Maggie will be completing a Fine Arts Major with a specialty in Sculpture in addition to a Business Major— a business major she designed in Sustainable Enterprise Management. She also added a minor in Entrepreneurship to round out her portfolio. Indeed it is a pleasure to see a student discover what they are passionate about and not only make it happen, but to excel academically as well.

A few years ago, in a social entrepreneurship class, Maggie heard a speaker discussing human trafficking. She was shocked and moved to action by the statistics shared. She served as the project leader for The Ohio State Human Trafficking Respite Project. With a team, she helped create a plan positioning Ohio State as the heart for temporary shelter for victims providing temporary housing and necessary medical services. She became the passionate voice of the project and continues to add to the services that can now be provided. Her tremendous efforts did not go unnoticed, and her project was selected as a semifinalist for the University’s first ever, President’s Prize recognizing students who through their bold actions are committed to social change.

If this project wasn’t enough, Maggie aspired to do more. Selected by faculty and funded by the Alcoa Foundation, Maggie had the opportunity to cross-collaboratively develop a mobile application designed to analyze the cost and benefits of increasing recycling rates for municipalities.

Maggie has served as a Resident Advisor, writer and Editor-in-Chief of our student run magazine, Fisher Ink, and the list goes on. Maggie has been a dynamic member of our Ohio State and Fisher community and is the epitome of determination, excellence and resilience. It has been a privilege to be a spectator to her achievements, and I am pleased and honored to write this letter of support for Ms. Maggie Wehri.”

Patricia Jefferson, M.Ed.
Director, Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment
Undergraduate Program & Advising Office
Max M. Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University

DON’T MISS: THE FULL HONOR ROLL: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2017

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