Olin Correspondent: Memorable Moments at Olin

Hey readers!

My name is Marni Widen and I am a senior at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. I am majoring in finance and marketing with a minor in communication design from the art school. I’ve had a great experience at both WashU and Olin and I can’t wait to give all of you a glimpse into what it’s like to be a student. Since graduation is only five short months away, I will be sure to check everything off my bucket list — starting with this blog post!

To kick things off, I want to share with you my three favorite things about Olin (not including the Starbucks in our business building). First is the small class size. With a business school class of around 200 students (half the size of my high school graduating class), it is easy to meet and get to know pretty much everyone. I like being able to walk into any business class knowing I will see at least a few familiar faces. This small class size also allows students to form closer relationships with professors, advisors, and deans. I remember the first weekend of school there was an Olin Class of 2018 luncheon, and I was at a table with the undergraduate programs dean. The first thing he said to me was that he remembered from my application that I enjoyed baking, so he paired me with a four-year advisor who also enjoyed to bake. Having gone to a high school where the principal didn’t even know my name — you could say I was surprised — something like that would never happen at a larger school.

The second thing I like most about Olin is the flexibility and encouragement to study abroad. About 50% of all Olin students study abroad (myself included). With so many different options like multi-country programs, internships, and summer programs, it is easy for every student to find something they’re interested in. I was able to study abroad in London last spring as well as spend a summer in Israel after my freshman year. Not many people can say they learned proper afternoon tea etiquette from Olin’s dean while studying abroad in London.

Finally, Olin is constantly updating and evolving. In the 3.5 years I’ve been at Olin, there has been so much change and growth. My freshman year I was able to take classes in our brand new business building. I saw multiple curriculum updates which allowed Olin to stay on track with the evolving business world. Three new business minors were introduced thanks to passionate students and dedicated faculty. If all of this has happened in only four short years, I can’t wait to see how Olin grows in the decades to come.

Thanks for reading and I can’t wait to share more about Olin as the year goes on!

DON’T MISS: MEET THE PQU CAMPUS CORRESPONDENTS or MEET WASHU OLIN’S CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT, MARNI WIDEN

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