Olivia Rovelli always knew she wanted a business career. It was the focus of her undergraduate studies at Wake Forest. From her coursework, she knew that marketing was perhaps her strongest area — and also the discipline that she most enjoyed.

“I have always loved brands, psychology and people, so being able to combine these with a career was the ultimate goal,” she says.

What Olivia had not known for sure, at least not until she came for a visit, was how much at home she would feel at Owen and in the MMark program. “The program is extremely small, so we all got to know each other very well within the first week,” says Olivia, an avid globetrotter who’s visited places ranging from South Africa to the Galapagos Islands. “We represent a broad range of cities, schools and experiences, which has definitely enriched the program.

“The community at large is also extremely collaborative and supportive — competitive but not cut-throat. This was definitely refreshing coming out of the Wake [Forest] Business School, where the pressures were always high and you could feel very alone at times.”

Within such an environment, Olivia says, she had the opportunity not only to increase her knowledge of marketing but to explore new possibilities for her future. “The whole school year was a really big growth year for me,” she says. “I’ve been able to take some great classes but also to really think about what I want to do, where I want to be, and who I want to surround myself with.”

Initially, for example, she wanted to launch a career in sports marketing. “But through my internship experience (with Pyxl, a digital marketing firm) and class curriculum, I discovered that there is much more out there. The MMark team and professors, combined with amazing resources, have allowed me to develop more than I ever thought possible in just 10 quick months.”

Fun Fact: At CycleBar in the Gulch, Olivia taught spin classes three times a week during her year in the MMark program.

“The MMark team and professors, combined with amazing resources, have allowed me to develop more than I ever thought possible in just 10 quick months.”