Core Stories

Everyone has stories and experiences from their lives that help define who they are as a person and work to tell their greater life story. Here are a few of mine.

A Time I Took Initiative

As a Washington University Student Associate (WUSA), I had to be independent and flexible in facing unexpected challenges. My primary responsibility was providing weekly mentorship and support to over 70 first-year students. Initially, our team of four WUSAs was sufficient, but before the year started, one exited the role, and by the semester's end, another left to study abroad. These departures left me with a daunting number of students to personally connect with and mentor. To accommodate the increased workload, I often stayed late, not out of obligation but enjoyment in interacting with a diverse range of students. Although my work hours were limited, I consistently reached out to my first years, having conversations whenever I saw them. The end result, I can happily say, is lasting connections that I do not expect to lose any time soon.

A Time I Dealt with Conflict

In my Managerial Statistics class I was randomly assigned a partner to do a statistical analysis project based on the data of Chicago's city bikes. I quickly deduced my partner would not be easy to work with when he immediately created our slides entirely using AI. Despite my firm suggestion that we might create the slides by hand, he was set on using AI and would not change anything, but gave me the option of doing the slides on my own if I wanted to do them by hand, an option which I accepted despite the vastly increased workload for me. Once the assignment was graded and returned, it was clear I made the right choice. When it was clear that my partner would not work with me, I made the hard decision to let my work speak for me. From that point on, my teammate was a great deal more receptive of my ideas, and AI was not used again.

A Time I Gave a Presentation

When I joined WUSIF, WashU's Student Investment Fund, I was unknowledgeable in the way of financial markets and general finance terminology. I thought that my effort in the club would not need to be exceedingly high do to the fact that it is a club, not a class. As such, I was unprepared when it came time to draw up my team's first stock pitch in the consumer sector. I was not getting much out of the club, as I was not putting much in. Something clicked in me at this point, and I realized that in order to enjoy the work I would need to give all my energy and enthusiasm I had for the subject matter to my team. I began to take time outside of the club to advance my knowledge in the field. For example, I worked my way through the Bloomberg's Market Concept course to broaden my knowledge and strengthen my expertise. By the time the pitch came around, I enjoyed speaking, I answered questions when they camp ue, and I felt rewarded in a way I wouldn't have been had I simply chose to mail it in.

A Time I Worked with a Team

Growing up, I dreamed of making my high school's soccer team as the star player, scoring the game-winning goals, and achieving glory on the soccer field. By the time I finally made the team, my junior year of high school, I was still intent on this vision, potentially to the detriment of the team. I held onto the ball too long, made selfish plays, and did more than I should have. Once my coach slotted me into the less illustrious position of left back, I was left disheartened and disillusioned. However, I quickly realized my contributions could be much more impactful than they could have ever been in my prior role. What was best for the team was not the dreams I had for myself as a kid, and that was okay. My team ended the year with the best record since my coach began almost twenty years before.