All Together Now: Olin introduces new strategic plan

Olin is launching a new strategic plan to achieve unprecedented impact in its research, teaching, and partnerships by connecting and leveraging its talented faculty, staff, students, alumni, and business community.

The five-year plan, titled All Together Now, represents the work of Olin’s close-knit community. Three key initiatives are at the heart of the plan: the business of health, individualized education, and regional partnerships. In addition to leveraging Olin’s strengths, the plan connects to WashU and the St. Louis community in a way that will amplify the school’s impact.

The Business of Health

Health represents an enormous sector in the global economy and an area of established strength in the St. Louis community. This plan envisions Olin as the premier institution for the business of health and an engine for innovation at WashU. By leveraging partnerships, including those with WashU Medicine and the planned School of Public Health, BJC, and other major healthcare systems, as well as the region’s life science ecosystem and health companies, and a highly successful alumni network, Olin is positioned to be an integral part of the health sector.

The business of health is an unparalleled opportunity for Olin and WashU. Our school is uniquely positioned to make meaningful contributions in this area, bringing many positive results that include healthier patients, healthier populations, and better policy outcomes. It’s essential for business to have a seat at the table when we’re thinking about health solutions and impact.

—Dean Mike Mazzeo

Olin has made its first major hire aligned with the plan, naming Dr. Patrick Aguilar, MD, EMBA 2020, as the founding director of Olin’s health initiative. Aguilar will lead the charge to expand Olin’s course offerings and experiential learning, forge partnerships with health innovators, spur commercialization opportunities, and bring academic and industry partners together to tackle important issues.

Individualized Education

All Together Now envisions a distinctive approach to business education that’s both highly tailored to each student’s purpose and intensively connected to a network of engaged businesses and alumni. Because of the school’s small size relative to its aspirational peers, Olin can offer students unique opportunities based on their individual purposes to meet personal and professional development needs and aspirations.

An Olin education will be immersive and connected. The school plans to offer an array of international and domestic immersion opportunities and provide first-hand experiences through novel industry engagements. In addition, Olin will partner with faculty, alumni, and businesses to create customizable capstone opportunities, one-on-one tutorials, and mentorship programming.

Regional Partnerships

Olin has a legacy of not just impact but outsized impact. The school ranks in the top ten for producing Fortune 1000 C-suite leaders, and 50 CEOs in the St. Louis area call Olin their alma mater. As part of All Together Now, Olin will leverage its preeminence in the region by advancing expertise in private enterprise and driving partnerships to create research insights and unique educational opportunities.

The school intends to forge new and stronger partnerships with businesses, strengthening its ability to educate strategic owners and leaders by equipping them with the skills they need to thrive. The school will help businesses enhance their organizations through public-facing thought leadership and a renewed attentiveness to non-degree exec education.

Connecting to WashU

Olin intentionally created its strategic plan to align with the vision set forth by Chancellor Andrew Martin, a vision grounded in academic distinction, educational access, and St. Louis impact. That alignment also extends to WashU’s strategic plan, Here and Next, which centers on collaboration and partnership with the region to generate solutions to the deepest societal challenges.

WashU’s leadership has embraced the plan, with Chancellor Martin saying, “Olin’s strategy reflects and advances our university’s top priorities.” In addition, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Beverly Wendland said of the plan, “A business lens is essential to understanding problems and creating answers that are both scalable and sustainable. Olin’s plan will further advance our university’s commitment to driving impact.”

Olin’s future

Olin’s next era will be defined by impact — an impact made possible by the close connection to the people, places, and industries it can best serve. Through the work Olin does today and the investments the school makes in tomorrow, Olin will create a lasting impact on its students and society.

Learn more about Olin’s strategic plan.