Grace Ehlert

Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

“Enthusiastic hype-woman who loves all things sports and finance. Competitive yet collaborative, learner and leader.”

Fun fact about yourself: I sang a solo in my middle school’s 8th grade play with no prior singing or theatre experience, just enthusiasm!

Hometown: Wilmette, IL

High School: Loyola Academy

Major: Finance and Marketing

Minor: The Business of Sports

Favorite Business Course: Advanced Financial Management with Grant Clayton

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

WashU Varsity Women’s Soccer (D3): Back-to-Back National Champion (2024 and 2025), 3X UAA Conference Champion, 3-year starter, 2-year captain, 2X D3 All American (2024, 2025), 2X United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American, 2025 CSC Academic All-American, 3X Academic All-UAA, 3X All-UAA Team Selection

Recipient of Carl & Alice Briggson Sophomore Award: Awarded to one female sophomore student-athlete by the athletics department at the end of year banquet

Recipient of 2025 Chancellor’s Award for Student-Athlete Excellence, Awarded to 1 of 450+ student-athletes for leadership, athletic, and academic achievements throughout 2024-2025 academic year.

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Exec Board Member: Spirit Committee Leader, 3-year member, 2-years in leadership position

L.E.K Consulting Case Competition Finalist: Spring 2025, collaborated with 3 other WashU Olin peers in 3-week consulting case competition finishing in the top 15 out of 65 teams.

Varsity Event Staff Employee: 3 years

The Hidden Opponent: 2 years

Olin Peer Ambassador: 1 year

Dean’s List every semester, except Fall 2023: 6/7 eligible semesters

Graduated a semester early and finished Olin graduation requirements with J-Term in Seoul, Korea at Korea University (Dec 2025 – Jan 2026)

Where have you interned during your college career?

Chicago Fire FC, Community Relations Intern (Chicago, IL)

McQuade Financial Group, College Financial Representative (Chicago, IL)

RubinBrown LLC, Data Management Intern – Tax Production (St Louis, MO)

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be working at UBS in Equity Research as a Data Products Analyst – HOLT. (In their Chicago office)

Who is your favorite business professor? Patrick Rishe (Dr. P). I have been fortunate to have had Dr. P as a professor for four classes throughout college. He is the main professor for the Business of Sports minor at WashU, and I have enjoyed every class I’ve had with him. Not only does Dr. P have interesting, engaging lectures, but he also incorporates industry experts as guest speakers into his class, which really enhances our learning experience of the sports industry. Dr P is super smart and has insane expertise. With a PhD in economics, he brings a unique lens to analyzing the sports industry and the ever-changing dynamics of it.

Additionally, Dr. P cares about each and every one of his students, not just from an academic perspective but as whole individuals. He is always willing to listen, guide, and meet students where they are. Whether that is connecting students with sports industry professionals, like his friends at the St. Louis Cardinals or the Chicago Bears, or simply extending the offer to go grab a coffee or a bit to eat, Dr P truly wants the best for all his students and tries to know us on a personal level.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? I think the biggest lesson I have learned is to listen and listen well. Often, listening is not passive. I make listening active by taking notes on my computer or a notebook and asking questions. I listen to that sales pitch, earnings call, guest speaker, and professor’s lecture (even when he begins class with the statement, “The content today will not be on the exam.”). Listening is a differentiator and a growth accelerator. I think listening can open doors for you that you did not even know existed.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Let curiosity lead you. Follow your passion and follow what makes you wonder and want to dive a level deeper into the “why.” Let your passions influence your goals, let your goals guide you, and then put your head down and work hard. If you want to achieve extraordinary results, you have to be willing to do things that are not ordinary, you have to be willing to go the extra mile.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? I think just the level of nuance and depth within each different discipline within business has surprised me most. I knew I wanted to go into business since I was a junior in high school, yet I had no idea what I really wanted to do or what the broad term “business” even encompassed. Throughout college, I have gained exposure to the many branches of business, marketing and advertising, economics, strategy, finance, accounting, supply chain, human resources/organization management, sales, etc. I don’t think I was expecting to get exposure to all these different topics through my coursework as a business major, but I am very grateful I have.

I think I was surprised about just how much there is to learn about each different topic and how those topics are constantly growing and changing, just as businesses and our world evolves. Coming out of college having majored in Finance and Marketing, I like to think I know a bit about these topics (and I really do). However, I still feel they are so big and broad and that there is an endless amount of learning that can still be done. I love that there is always more to learn and more to uncover, even about the topics I have studied for four years.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Build relationships with classmates and professors sooner. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there or start a conversation with someone new. I think in the beginning of my college career, even as a seemingly outgoing and extroverted individual, I let fear get in the way of me asking for help or trying a new club/opportunity. Within WashU’s business school, there are so many unique clubs and opportunities that we are fortunate to have, so I wish I put myself out there and leaned into those experiences earlier in my college career. Get out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to show up somewhere even if you don’t know anyone.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I’m most proud of securing a postgrad role at UBS in Chicago. After realizing early in my summer internship that wealth management and insurance were not the right fit for me, I spent the fall exploring opportunities in consulting and high finance through networking, preparation, and interviews. Balancing a full course load, my final season of college soccer, and extracurricular commitments, I stayed persistent and open-minded throughout a path that was often nonlinear and uncertain, including bringing a suit to the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Final Four in Virginia to interview from my hotel room. By late fall, I was fortunate to receive two offers, one in M&A consulting and one in Equity Research at UBS, and ultimately chose the role that best aligned with my interests. This outcome felt like the culmination of years of hard work in the classroom, on the soccer field, and through my extracurricular involvement, and I am grateful for the journey and excited to begin my career at UBS this summer.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire most is Anna Freeman. She is not only one of my best friends but my freshman and sophomore roommate! While Anna is not a business major, (she is a psychology major – she wants to pursue a PhD after a gap year) she is truly the first person that comes to mind instantly when I read this question. Despite studying different things in college, we were able to take two classes together. In the classroom, Anna is organized and curious. She is insanely driven and dedicated to truly everything she does, whether that’s college volleyball, school, volunteer work, or lab research. Anna truly follows her passion, which is working with, supporting, and researching children and families with early developmental disorders, like autism and other IEPs. I am inspired by the impact of her work and her passion to continuously learn more. Anna is an incredible representative of WashU, and I am forever grateful to have her as a friend!

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My parents! My mom and dad are my biggest supporters! I am forever grateful for their love and guidance throughout my whole life! Growing up, they taught me and my siblings many important values, like how to work hard, show up for the people you care about, be a good friend, and carry yourself with grace and humility. They allowed me and my brother and sister to follow our interests and passions, no matter what they were. For me, that was sports early on! My parents would drive me to soccer, basketball, or hockey practice after a long day of work or make the five-hour drive from Chicago to St. Louis to watch me play 90 minutes of soccer nearly every fall weekend. They truly supported and loved me from my early childhood through the end of my competitive athletic career. They taught me how to be a good student, a good friend, a good sibling, a good athlete and, most importantly, how to be a good, compassionate person.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Earn my CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) within the next 5 years.
2. Coach a Varsity Girls High School Soccer team at some point (ideally at my alma mater – Go Ramblers!).

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

“Grace Ehlert is a model student-athlete any university would be proud to call an alumnus.   A two-time National Champion soccer player and two-time All-American on the field, Grace exhibited genuine enthusiasm, passion, and intellectual curiosity throughout her studies.  Truly a pleasure to have in class…she will be missed.”

Patrick Rishe
Academic Director of Business of Sports Program and Professor of Practice

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