Tomilola Olotu Named one of Poets&Quants' Best & Brightest MBAs of 2023

Tomilola Olotu Named one of Poets&Quants’
Best & Brightest MBAs of 2023

June 1, 2023 | Admissions & Programs Team
 

Congratulations to Tomilola Olotu, who was named among the Best & Brightest MBAs in the Class of 2023 by Poets&Quants! Tomilola is headed to Cargill, Inc. as a corporate strategy associate. Here’s an excerpt from her feature, which can be viewed in full on the Poets&Quants website.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school?

I am most proud of being the president of the Simon Graduate Business Council because it gave me the space to advocate for my classmates and allowed me to continue to build the community at Simon and strengthen the bridge between students and administration.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career?

I am most proud of being the first person to work on the newly created Wealth Management Desk in the Private Banking Group at FirstBank of Nigeria, Nigeria’s oldest and most prestigious commercial bank. In this role, I defined how the Private Banking Group would provide additional value to high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals to assist them in achieving their long-term financial goals. Additionally, I coordinated and executed five financial planning and other client engagement sessions on wealth needs. This was a pivotal step in my career, as it helped me further develop my leadership, entrepreneurial, problem solving, and communication skills.

Why did you choose this business school? 

The tight-knit community at Simon Business School sealed the deal for me. Having been away from academics for 10 years, it was important that I attended an MBA program where I could fully express myself, feel safe to admit what I did not know, and find a space to explore. From the start of my interactions with the Admissions team and current students at Simon, I was encouraged to share my authentic self and aspirations, not who I thought Admissions might want to see as the “ideal student.” This made me feel comfortable and gave me a sense of peace, so it was a no-brainer to say yes to Simon.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? 

Ravi Mantena. Ravi is passionate about his areas of expertise (Business Analytics, Business Systems Consulting, Computer and Information Systems) and he has had a successful career so far with various publications, honors, and awards—but this does not stop him from being humble, relatable, and considerate. For Ravi, teaching goes beyond delivering a lecture: he makes sure that students walk away with an understanding of the course content. He happily works with students 1:1 to address any challenges or walk them through areas of difficulty; Ravi is not just a professor but a friend to many Simon students.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? 

Simon Secret Santa annual gift-wrapping party. Through the Simon Volunteers Club and Ainslie Office of Student Engagement, the Simon community has been raising money to support families and children for over 15 years. The end of each fundraising cycle (a record-breaking amount of $18.7k was raised in 2022) culminates in our annual Fall Ball event. Then students, staff, and faculty pick up wish lists so they can shop for the children and families, and we all gather at school in December to wrap the gifts. We have hot chocolate, coffee, and a Christmas playlist going on and it is just so special to see the entire Simon community come together to put smiles on faces for families during the Christmas holiday. This tradition reminds me of how passionate Simon is about the Rochester community and motivates me to get involved in any capacity.

What is the biggest myth about your school? 

The biggest myth about Simon Business School is that it is all about the quantitative learning, and this is so not accurate! As the first MBA program to become STEM-certified for any MBA specialization, Simon has always been rooted in quantitative analysis, but the school also provides solid academic and experiential learning opportunities that help students learn about and practice other aspects of leadership, communication, and entrepreneurial skills.

Learn more about Simon's Full-Time MBA program.