“When we met with members of the Council of Economic Advisers to the White House, Congressional staffers and Congressional members, it really impressed me that they need input from industry.” That was one of many takeaways Patti Williams, a member of Olin’s Executive MBA (EMBA) cohort shared after their DC Residency – a deep dive into government regulations and policy – in Washington, DC with Olin partner, the Brookings Institution.
Williams who is Vice President and General Counsel of Peabody Energy completed the EMBA program in May of this year and was featured in a recent article on Olin’s unique DC Residency program published by the Poets & Quants for Executives website.
The four-day DC residency with Olin’s partner the Brookings Institution provides students the opportunity to talk face-to-face with government decision makers including legislators, administrators and power brokers who influence policy behind the scenes. During the residency, students complete two courses: Business and Government, and Business and Society. They engage with speakers from current and former members of Congress to US governors, White House advisors and administrators from organizations such as the Federal Reserve and the Office of Management and Budget.
Olin EMBA graduate, Chris Hawkins, Vice President of operations at Multiply, a St. Louis-based fan engagement platform, says the DC Residency provided an insider’s view of the complexity of the legislative process.
Hawkins told Poets & Quants, the DC Residency was a non-stop learning experience. “There wasn’t any time where you thought, ‘OK, this is where I’m going to step outside and take this call for work.’ You felt like you couldn’t miss anything.” Hawkins added “It really addressed a hole I had as [business] related to public policy.”
According to Poets & Quants, “One of the biggest takeaways for many…participants was the importance and impact business leaders can have within society as a whole. [Patti Williams] left feeling more optimistic about the interactions between business, society, and government.”
Link to Poets & Quants article, “Olin Mixes Policy and Business in DC”
