Emily Winn

University of Denver, Daniels College of Business

“An avid lover of the great outdoors, crossword puzzles, and of course, Microsoft Excel.”

Fun fact about yourself: My parents both grew up in Minnesota: my mom on a century farm and my dad on an airpark, and I loved visiting Minnesota every summer growing up!

Hometown: Fort Collins, CO

High School: Fort Collins High School

Major: Marketing (also pursuing a 4+1 degree in Applied Quantitative Finance)

Minor: Finance, Leadership Studies

Favorite Business Course: My favorite business course was Business for the Public Good. This class focused on the purpose a business has in society, the increasing prevalence of ESG, and what creates an effective business leader for all stakeholders of a company, which I found very interesting and relevant to my career aspirations.

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• 2019 Boettcher Scholarship Recipient
• DU Honors Program Peer Mentor
• Daniels Undergraduate Consulting Club: Founder & Vice President
• DU Programming Board: Chair of Operations and Campus Outreach
• Certificate of International Business – Maynooth University, Ireland
• Volunteer: Children’s Hospital Colorado
• Volunteer: Arthritis Foundation
• Daniels College of Business Women in Business: Director of Marketing – Design
• Case Competitions
  • 1st Place Media and Tech Innovation Challenge (March 2021)
  • 1st Place Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Case Competition (April 2021)
  • 1st Place TIAA/Daniels Undergraduate Case Competition (May 2021)
  • 1st Place Kelley School of Business National Diversity Case Competition (January 2022)
  • 1st Place Frontier Airlines Case Challenge (March 2022)
  • 2nd Place Denver Center for the Performing Arts/Daniels Undergraduate Case Competition (May 2022)
  • 1st Place CFA Challenge Colorado (February 2023)
• Daniels College of Business Student of the Week Recognition
• Intramural soccer teams

Where have you interned during your college career?

• G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice, Loveland, Colorado, Intern & Outreach Associate
• Administrative Assistant – Catalyst Consulting
• Independent Contractor & Assistant – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Contractor
• Evolution Private Investment Collective (EPIC), Denver, CO, Private Investment Analyst Intern
• Daniels College of Business Microsoft Office Specialist Program – Senior Teaching Assistant
• Daniels College of Business, Reiman School of Finance – Teaching Assistant
• J.P. Morgan, San Francisco, CA, Investment Banking Summer Analyst

Where will you be working after graduation? J.P. Morgan, Investment Banking Analyst, San Francisco, CA

Who is your favorite business professor? My favorite business professor has been Doina Chichernea. I have had her for Financial Planning and Analysis and Financial Modeling and feel that I have learned a lot from her. The way her classes are structured and how she explains topics in finance resonate with me, and she encouraged me to pursue a career in finance!

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I gained from studying business was the value of interpersonal communication. Whether giving a presentation, having a conversation with a peer, giving feedback to a group member, or writing an email, it is so important to communicate clearly, concisely, and authentically! This is something I will work on throughout my life, but I am thankful for all the experiences I have had at DU to work on my communication skills.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Do not be afraid to learn about quantitative elements of business, even if they scare you. It is better to expose yourself to more complex topics earlier on, and have an idea of these topics, rather than shy away from them. Also, get involved! Join clubs on campus, participate in case competitions, and explore things you have never heard of before. There is no better time to push yourself than in college!

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? What has surprised me most about majoring in business is how fast the business landscape has changed in just the past four years. I remember taking a course my freshman year of school focusing on AI, machine learning and blockchain. These concepts were fascinating to me, and their impact has only been augmented in the last four years. The innovations in the business realm are fascinating, albeit intimidating, and I was very surprised how much these technologies have already changed our world and will continue to do so.

What business leader do you admire most? A business leader that I admire most is Warren Buffett. I had the opportunity to attend the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders meeting in March of 2022, and it was fascinating to learn about Mr. Buffett’s investment strategy and outlook on the economy over the years. I believe Mr. Buffett to be a very inspirational leader in the finance realm, and I commend him for his commitment to philanthropy as well.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? In December 2021, I applied and was selected for the DU National Diversity Case Competition Team. This competition is organized by the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University each year, and hosts schools from across the country. I worked with a team of three other students to create a plan for 3M to integrate automated and robotic processes into small businesses, with a specific emphasis on minority-owned businesses. Through working with a Colorado ski manufacturing business, our team created an innovative and comprehensive solution.

This was the most intense case competition I had ever been a part of. Our team did exceptionally well, winning the entire competition against incredible students from top business schools across the country. Our team had many late nights and early mornings working on our presentation for the competition, and I am very proud of our efforts and how they paid off, resulting in a 1st place win!

Which classmate do you most admire? I most admire my classmate, Alisa Sautter. I have had the opportunity to work with Alisa throughout my time at DU in the classroom, on leadership boards, and in many case competitions. Alisa is a fantastic public speaker and problem-solver and pushes me to work harder every time I work with her. I also believe her values, with her number one value being honesty, have pushed me to be a better person all around. I am honored to be surrounded by Alisa and other classmates that encourage me to become the best version of myself, in the classroom and in my personal life.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would most like to thank my parents and my little sister for my success. They have been my biggest champions throughout my undergraduate experience. They ave always instilled in me that it is not what I do that matters at the end of the day, it is who I am. I am so thankful for their willingness to be a part of my life, watch me participate in case competitions, and provide guidance about my life. I would not be who I am today without their guidance and love.

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

1. Ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange to take a company public.
2. Teach finance courses at the collegiate level one day.

What are your hobbies? I love anything in the outdoors, especially hiking, skiing, and camping. I also love to listen to podcasts and music, to read, to travel, and am slowly but surely learning to play the guitar.

What made Emily such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

“I am honored to write on behalf of one of our most distinguished students, Emily Winn. She has made an impact on many of us within the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, and I consider myself lucky to have been part of her academic journey as she graduates in 2023 with both an undergraduate and a graduate degree. While many students figure out how to excel in their courses, Emily is that rare individual that has gone far beyond that and created something truly special with her college experiences. As her Distinction advisor and professor, I’ve gotten to see her development firsthand.

Emily has not hesitated to get involved on campus and shares her advice to do so widely. She is a natural leader that has taken up many opportunities to develop those talents and skills, from participating in the university-wide Pioneer Leadership Program to creating a new consulting club on campus and shepherding its events to her amazing contributions to a huge variety of case competitions. What she has chosen to pursue seems thoughtful and purposeful, she has been an active and devoted participant, and she has created an exemplary tapestry of meaningful experiences. There is a wisdom and maturity in her path, as she has fine-tuned her direction over these past few years. It is apparent that she works hard to create positive change wherever she goes, which is evidenced by her volunteer work and the other community projects she has done. She is globally and socially aware and cares about how she personally can make a difference in society. Her ease and confidence are that of a much more seasoned professional, which really shows in her presentations and interactions with others, and these traits will be such an asset to her in the future. I could not be prouder to recognize the contributions of Emily Winn to our college and university as she graduates this year, and I’ll remember her impact. I’m excited to see what successes lie in her future.”

Tia Quinlan-Wilder
Teaching Associate Professor
Daniels College of Business
University of Denver
Department of Marketing

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