Patrick Smith

Pursuing business without blind spots

Preprogram, Smith’s “glaring deficit in the financial arena” needed to be addressed if he wanted “to evolve as a leader and to contribute more to Ameren.” EMBA courses addressed his knowledge gaps “right out of the gate,” he says.

“During the first half of WashU’s Executive MBA program, I got what I needed. And during the second half of the program, I got what I wanted. EMBA professors masterfully crafted business fundamentals, then switched to courses focused on strategic, visionary, and growth concepts.”

Going back to school

Smith describes himself as “being a little untraditional in profile.” But his concerns about “not measuring up” as an EMBA student didn’t last long.

“Walking into WashU’s main campus moved me in ways I didn’t expect. It made me determined to bring value to myself, become a legacy to my family, and fulfill an unspoken promise to my parents to always do the best I can.

“I also realized early on that students bring a mosaic of contributions to the program. In class and study-team discussions, I could give as well as receive.”

His return on investment

“At the end of my 20 months at Olin, I was stressed and pressed, pushed and pulled, emotionally drained, and vigorously challenged. The experience was so much greater than I thought it would be—in ways that broadened my leadership abilities.”

The quality of EMBA faculty

“The WashU EMBA faculty is an all-star lineup of educators and motivators. Professors take complex subject matter and boil it down to its essence. Equally important, they make concepts delivered in class seem like individual conversations in a crowded room.”