Dean Malter, Dean of the Undergraduate program at Olin, routinely points out that the distinguishing factor between Olin and other top business schools is our tight-knit community, and no time are these bonds more evident than during Olin Week. The biggest week of the year for undergraduate students, Olin Week is filled with programming and socials that culminates in a major concert, OlinPalooza. Olin Business Council (OBC), the student government in the business school, sponsors Olin Week in order to cultivate and celebrate that sense of community characteristic of Washington University’s business school.
The week started off on a high note, with a BSBA social catered by St. Louis Bread Co. taking place in the Piper Grand Hallway (formerly and still known as Flag Hallway). This was also the first opportunity for students to get their hands on the famous tank tops that OBC makes every year to commemorate Olin Week, as well as tickets to the concert later in the week. In the afternoon, a free LinkedIn Photoshoot gave students the chance to have their photo taken by a professional, to be used on LinkedIn or other social media. The dozens of students who showed up indicated that the job search is indeed in full swing for upperclassmen.
OBC kept the momentum going during the week with free Jilly’s gourmet cupcakes and a Class of 2015 Social in the Knight Center Pub. Wednesday included a Dress for Success presentation by Brooks Brothers, with plenty of students filling up Frick Forum to learn all the details of professional dress. Even Henry Barry, a senior, remarked, “I definitely learned things I had never known before.”
The week climaxed with OlinPalooza on Thursday night. This year featured the most well-known talent since OlinPalooza began: American-Idol winner Kris Allen. Playing to more than 170 students in the Gargoyle, Allen kept the show fun and engaging, even accepting a cookie from a member of the audience and bringing students up on stage to dance. Students seemed to love the concert and many had their picture taken with Allen afterwards.
Paige LaRose, an advisor in the BSBA program and faculty advisor for OBC, described this year’s concert as “the best OlinPalooza yet.” Echoing this sentiment, Ryan Geczi, President of OBC, remarked that “this has been the most successful Olin Week of my four years here.” Seeing Olin come together to celebrate such events reflects the bonds that weave the community into the tight-knit group that it is.
