Meet Aviral Asthana,
Class of 2024
Hometown: Plymouth, Minnesota
Major: Business & Computer Science
Q: What organizations/activities are you involved in here at Olin? Any outside of Olin?
A: Washington University Student Investment Fund (WUSIF), Moneythink, Delta Signma Pi, Ashoka, Wash U International Relations Council (WUIRC)
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: I am most proud of the immersive introduction to finance I’ve been a part of creating for students through WUSIF. While Olin students have their first experience with a finance class in their sophomore fall at the earliest, WUSIF has long been the first and most easily accessible way students can think about finance, stock pitches, and popular careers in the industry. I could not be more excited to continue growing this community and welcome any and all interested students to join!
Q: What are your favorite things to do outside of school?
A: Outside of school I’m an avid traveler, having visited over 20 countries and recalling fond memories of hikes, plays, paintings, and simple days by the beach. I also enjoy gaming, watching cricket, and challenging myself to try unique restaurants as I love to write reviews on Google.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: I love to go to Mayo Ketchup for a meal on the weekends with my roommate. The food feels so fresh and healthy, and I always leave with enough plantains to enjoy for at least another day. If you like Latin American eats, I definitely recommend!
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to the incoming first-year students, what would it be?
A: First-year students should never be afraid to reach out to anyone, student or faculty member, about anything. Four years go by quickly, so the best way to make the most of the experience is to be unrelentingly curious. You might feel uncertain about your ability to do something or pressure to sound like you already have your goals planned out, but there is no reason to doubt yourself! Develop your interests as organically as you can and be a true explorer.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
A: I currently serve as a Head TA for spring sessions of DAT 120 and I am also a TA for Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in the Engineering School. I love to help and mentor fellow students however I can through these roles!
Meet Dean Yoon Groves,
Assistant Dean & Director of Academic and Student Affairs
Q: Where is your hometown? How long have you been in St. Louis? At WashU?
A: Kimhea, South Korea or Rogersville, Missouri. I’ve been in St. Louis for 18 years and at WashU for 11 years.
Q: What do you do here at Olin?
A: I am the Assistant Dean and Director of Academic and Student Affairs. I get to work with almost every area in Olin Undergrad from academic policies to student organizations.
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: I have had a lot of great opportunities. I have been part of Olin and campus-wide committees. I love seeing how my work can directly impact changes and our students.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: I love hanging out with my family. We do a lot of driving to practices/games and it is fun singing loudly (and sometimes badly) getting pumped up. I also enjoy cooking and trying new restaurants.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: I really enjoy going to different neighborhood/town festivals from art shows to chili cook offs.
Meet Alex Nickel,
Class of 2025
Hometown: Santa Clara, CA
Major: Economics
Q: What organizations/activities are you involved in here at Olin? Any outside of Olin?
A: Within Olin, I’m the VP Membership of Phi Gamma Nu. Outside of Olin, I’m the Crossword Editor of StudLife (WashU’s student newspaper) and a photographer for Armour (WashU’s art and fashion magazine).
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: I’m proud of increasing turnout at PGN recruitment events by 27% and being a TA for MGT100 and 380.
Q: What are your favorite things to do outside of school?
A: I love 35mm photography, travel, and rewatching Arrested Development.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: I love running in Forest Park and getting a salami sandwich at Gioia’s Deli.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to the incoming first-year students, what would it be?
A: Try a bunch of new stuff! College is a great time to explore your interests.
Meet Professor Glenn Macdonald,
John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics & Strategy
Q: Where is your hometown? How long have you been in St. Louis? At WashU?
A: I grew up in Canada and moved a lot. The only place that feels like home is NYC, where I have spent a lot of time, but never lived. I moved the St. Louis and Wash U a few weeks before 9/11.
Q: What do you do here at Olin?
A: I run the Center for Research in Economics and Strategy, teach a variety of undergraduate courses, do research on a variety of topics, and spend quite a bit of time mentoring junior colleagues and students.
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: When I joined the Wash U Faculty, there were few students pursuing careers in Consulting. After starting the Economics and Strategy BSBA concentration, and working with my colleagues on it for years, Consulting is now one of the main career paths fr our best and brightest, and they routinely find their way to the best the industry has to offer. Pretty happy about that!
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: I am an avid musician (glennmacdonald.com) and yoga teacher.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: I love our home in Wildwood and divide 99% of my time between Thunder Mountain, WashU and Lambert Field.
Q: Anything else about yourself you’d like to share about yourself?
A: I am married with two children and two grandchildren.
Meet Courtney Arellano,
Class of 2024
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Major: Marketing major with a Design minor
Q: What organizations/activities are you involved in here at Olin? Any outside of Olin?
A: President of WUMA, on the Garba dance team, and a Rodriguez Scholar
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: I participated in the CELect program in Barcelona, where I worked on a team of WashU students to help a startup with a consumer-focused app. My team conducted research to provide a full marketing recommendation and growth plan for business expansion into new countries. With WUMA, last semester we had a LinkedIn workshop in partnership with Diane Miller from the career center, and were able to help over 40 students improve their LinkedIn profile and learn how to utilize the platform to expand their network.
Q: What are your favorite things to do outside of school?
A: I love going out to eat with my friends or play Mario Kart. I am also on the Garba dance team and perform at Diwali.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: The Foundry
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to the incoming first-year students, what would it be?
A: Get involved! There are many great opportunities on campus both inside and outside of Olin, and it’s a good way to meet people. Joining WUMA my freshman year definitely helped me figure out what path in marketing I was most interested in.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
A: This past summer I worked at Aldi HQ in Brand Management, and created a strategic brief for a new commercial concept that is being pitched for funding.
Meet Genesis Steele,
Assistant Director for Academic & Student Affairs
Q: Where is your hometown? How long have you been in St. Louis? At WashU?
A: Hometown is Seattle, WA. I’ve lived in St. Louis for 10+ years and have been at WashU for 4 years.
Q: What do you do here at Olin?
A: I am the Assistant Director for Academic & Student Affairs
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: I help to create quality events, experiences, and programming that connect students to their passion and interests.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: I enjoy spending time with my dog and my family, traveling, sports, running, photography, latin dance, and watching a good movie.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: Spending time at Forest Park or Creve Coeur Lake
Meet Francisco Lucca,
Class of 2025
Hometown: Mountain View, California
Major: Econ & Strat and English Literature with a concentration in Creative Writing
Q: What organizations/activities are you involved in here at Olin? Any outside of Olin?
A: At Olin, I’m in PGN and a TA for MGT100 and DAT220. Outside of Olin, I’m an RA for the Lofts, and am a student educator for the Kemper Art Museum.
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: I’m quite proud that I’m able to call my friends my friends.
Q: What are your favorite things to do outside of school?
A: Outside of school, I love to write, garden, and be out in nature. Have gotten back into origami lately as well!
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: I love Cherokee Street!
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to the incoming first-year students, what would it be?
A: Engage with your professors! They are absolutely amazing, and want to get to know you. Take advantage of the opportunity to get to know them.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
A: Even though this is an Olin spotlight, I have to plug the writing department as well! Take a class with them if you can; you won’t regret it!
Meet Doug Villard,
Academic Director & Professor of Entrepreneurship
Q: Where is your hometown? How long have you been in St. Louis? At WashU?
A: I’m in my 5th year at WashU Olin and I’ve lived in St. Louis (nearly) my entire life.
Q: What do you do here at Olin?
A: I am the Academic Director and Professor of Entrepreneurship
Q: What is something that you’ve done/accomplished in your time at WashU/Olin that you are most proud of?
A: I really enjoy giving the first lecture in MGT 150A each semester. I love that Olin values entrepreneurial thinking and gives me the opportunity to introduce first-year students to a new mindset just as they arrive on campus.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: I’m an author, investor, startup founder, and philanthropist.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do/place to go in St. Louis?
A: I’m a golfer and a walker. Any course and any trail is my favorite. Once a year I try to go on an adventure hike somewhere in the US I haven’t been before.
Q: Anything else about yourself you’d like to share about yourself?
A: I’ve tried to live my life in three phases: learn, earn, and return. I’m proud to have entered the return phase. However, I’m always still learning. And, I hope, earning as well.
