At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe an innovative solution you have created to address a specific challenge?

I arrived at Harvard in a coat and tie, prepared to do the impossible: attend a recruiting event at a university ranked leagues beyond mine, appear in front of as many investment banking professionals as I could, and ultimately beat out polished Harvard students for an analyst position. Despite the disinterest of most recruiters, I relentlessly called and emailed the few contacts I made and managed to set up interviews with both JPMorgan and Citibank. Weeks of interview preparation, twenty-five interviews, and twelve flights later, I had done the “impossible.” I had offers from both firms.

The joy of starting my position with Citibank was immediately matched by frustration as I learned that qualified, ambitious candidates from less prestigious undergraduate schools were often ignored in the recruiting process.

I decided to create “From Oregon Elite to Wall Street,” a mentoring program that gives Oregon State students an opportunity to interview at Wall Street firms. Each year, I return to Oregon State to coach students on résumé writing and interviewing and provide insights into the analyst lifestyle. Further, I leverage my contacts to create opportunities for students to interview in New York.

My innovative path to Wall Street ultimately meant more than any accolades around me. I discovered the gratification of mentoring and the satisfaction of developing an organization. I am thankful for this rewarding crash course in entrepreneurship and I plan to continue to support students and peers from Oregon State, Haas, and every community I join along the way.