Olin Impact

Now is the time to bring it all together. Our alumni, our faculty, our university, our students, our business partners — this is what makes Olin special. By making the most of these connections, Olin has the opportunity to further distinguish itself and create unprecedented impact.

Q: What's the overarching aim of Olin's Strategic Plan?

A: Impact. Impact underpins everything in our new strategic plan. It’s why we’re here. We drive that impact through the world-class research of our faculty, the individualized formation of our students, and the connections we build with the business community. And Olin has a history of not just impact but outsized impact, made possible through WashU’s dynamic ecosystem. For example, despite our size, we rank in the top 10 for producing Fortune 1000 C-suite leaders, and in our region, 50 CEOs call Olin their alma mater. That’s a lot of impact for a school the size of Olin. And there’s so much more we can do.

Q: Why name the plan "All Together Now"?

A: Our faculty, our alums, our students, our business community, our university — these are amazing assets. When we invest in these partnerships, we can achieve even greater impact. Olin’s strategic plan allows us to build a more connected future. Greater connectivity will drive significant impact on our education, research, and outreach. And ultimately, this plan will expand our positive influence on society.

Q: How does this plan reflect and advance WashU's priorities?

A: At his inauguration, Chancellor Martin established three priorities: academic distinction, educational access, and St. Louis. The university’s strategic plan advances these priorities through initiatives with research, people, and community. Our strategic plan closely aligns with the university’s vision. Our business of health initiative connects with medicine and public health, two of the areas of greatest focus in terms of academic distinction and research. Our individualized education initiative connects directly to WashU’s commitment to making this an ideal place for students. And our regional partnerships initiative is the quintessential expression of supporting the local community and being “In St. Louis and For St. Louis.” Through these connections, Olin and WashU both become so much more impactful.

Q: What does an initiative about health mean for a business school?

A: Health represents such a huge sector — it’s essential for business to have a seat at the table when we’re thinking about health solutions and impact. WashU has a phenomenal health infrastructure with the Medical School and planned School of Public Health. It makes all the sense in the world for Olin to leverage our own strengths and expand them to complement what’s going on university-wide. And I’m grateful to David Perlmutter, dean of the School of Medicine, and Sandro Galea, inaugural dean for the planned School of Public Health, for their sincere commitment to making these partnerships work. We have incredible opportunities here when it comes to the commercialization of discovery and the promotion of research-based solutions that will have a significant impact on society.

Q: How is Olin's world-class education represented in the plan?

A: People at WashU have said for years, “We know our students by name and by story.” That’s real, that’s authentic, and that’s why this idea of individualized education is a key part of the plan. The Bauer Leaders Academy helps students to understand their purpose. Each student will want to take advantage of different opportunities based on that individual purpose — we must be able to meet those personal and professional development needs and aspirations. At our size, we can do that. We can personalize the educational experience, ensuring each student meets and exceeds their goals.

Q: How is Olin seeking to engage with the business community?

A: This plan spells out the importance of being more connected to the region’s business community. In a lot of ways, the story of Olin is the story of our partnerships with businesses. This connectivity will bring tremendous opportunity to the business school. For decades, Olin has been a trusted partner for producing talent and generating research insights that benefit our region. This is a two-way street, right? Through these same relationships, business provides our faculty access to information that contributes to their research. Business also enables our students to grow through experiential learning opportunities, internships, industry convenings, and more.

Q: How can alumni support Olin in driving forward this plan?

A: The support of Olin alumni is absolutely critical to the success of this plan. Our graduates can be found launching a new venture, building the next generation of a company, or leading a massive enterprise. All these successes represent real opportunities for the education of our students and the research of our faculty. There are so many different ways for alumni to engage with Olin — through mentorship, through teaching opportunities, through philanthropy, and through the support of our students. I’ve talked to so many alumni about the plan, and it’s incredible to me how enthusiastic they are — they tell me it feels authentic, it feels like Olin.

Q: When you use the word authentic, what do you mean by that?

A: Olin has a really rich tradition and history. This plan honors that. It celebrates that. And it builds on that. I’m proud of this plan and grateful to the many people who contributed their wisdom and insights these past months. At Olin, I believe we build and nurture relationships better than any other business school — relationships between and among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and our thriving business community. Part of the reason we’re extraordinary at relationships is because of our scale and our attentiveness to people. At the same time, we’re part of a university that’s doing so many interesting and exciting things. This plan leverages our legacy strengths. And it connects to our university and our community in a way that will amplify our impact.