2017 Best MBAs: Abigail Oduro, Notre Dame

Abigail Oduro
Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame

“I am an analytical, strategic individual, who enjoys working on and implementing new ideas.”

Age: 24

Hometown: Accra, Ghana

Fun fact about yourself: If you ask my little sister how many children are there in my family, she says we don’t count.

Undergraduate School and Degree: BSc. Business and a minor in Psychology, Regent University

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Executive Assistant to the Chairman, First Allied Savings and Loans, and Project Manager for E.P.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2016? Corning Inc.-­‐ Corning, NY

Where will you be working after graduation? Business Strategy Manger, EIG Corning Inc.-­‐ Corning, NY

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: CFO, Women in Business. VP; Entrepreneurship & VC Club (working with faculty to define the concentration tracks within the Entrepreneurship Program, and the internships associated with it); Ambassador Program (speaking with potential students and giving tours).

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? It was hosting a workshop for Haitian entrepreneurs, in partnership with the Entrepreneurship Growth Initiative-Haiti. As part of the workshop kickoff, my team and I asked the entrepreneurs to fill out a questionnaire of problem areas in their businesses and their expectations for the workshop. As we went through the workshop, I enjoyed seeing the entrepreneurs working through and grasping business tools such as the income statement and the value proposition. After the trip, working on the impact summary drove home the impact we made in the lives of these entrepreneurs, and the difference a business can make in an economy.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I have had the pleasure of working on great projects-­‐ introducing non-­‐alcoholic drinks (non-­‐alcoholic wine and sparkling apple cider) to the Ghanaian market where a significant population do not drink, etc. However, my proudest achievement was when I discovered that some of our drivers from our 24 branches were taking advantage of our fuel program by purchasing fuel on the company card multiple times a week for the same car, and reimbursing for cash from the fuel provider. We would receive higher than normal final bill, which did not include the reimbursement portion. We put policies in place to check mileage with gas consumption and fuel tickets, and required that multiple people go to buy fuel, which saved the company a lot of money.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Professor Viva Bartkus: she challenges us to step outside of our comfort zones and to do the best we can. She is also truly interested in our professional and personal development.

Why did you choose this business school? I choose Notre Dame for three reasons-­: ND’s values and mission of ‘Asking More of Business;’ classes like Business On The Front Lines, which applies service and problem solving to pressing world issues in international settings; and the strength of the alumni network, which I knew I could learn from and give back to.

Read Abigail's entire story on the Poets & Quants website.