Fostering Heartfelt Leadership
After earning her undergraduate degree in accounting from another university, Olena Andrada took an unusual path and decided to pursue her passion for craft coffee. She began working at a specialty coffee company in business operations, first as a roastery team lead and later as a process engineer. In these roles, she drew on her strengths in business analysis and optimizing team processes.
“My leadership was tested when the business hit an all-time high during the pandemic’s e-commerce growth,” she said. “Balancing compassion for people and motivating them in a production environment was tough, but the Lord reminded me that He was with me. This experience refined me as a leader.”
Three years later, Andrada felt called to pursue an MBA to further develop her leadership skills. When she discovered Jessup University, she knew it was the perfect fit.
“The courses offered, professors with extensive business experience and the integration of faith and learning made Jessup stand out,” she said.
“I felt connected to my cohort and professors, including Associate Dean Ken Raskin, who invited me to participate in Jessup’s incubator project,” she said. “I collaborated with the city of Lincoln to write my first business plan, which was a unique experience.”
Another highlight was the Capstone project in her strategic planning course. Andrada and three classmates competed against other top-tier universities in running a business simulation. Jessup’s team ranked in the top 3% nationwide by maintaining a balanced scorecard throughout the competition.
As she transitioned back into accounting, Andrada prayed for guidance on her next steps. In faith, she applied for an internship at a Big Four accounting firm, hoping to land an interview. Out of 100,000 applicants, she was one of only 3,000 selected to join PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a slim 3% acceptance rate.
“It could only have been an open door from the Lord,” Andrada said.
Graduating debt-free last December, Andrada’s internship led to a full-time job offer at PwC. Accepting the new role meant relocating from Sacramento to Los Angeles, but she embraced the challenge and began her career as an assurance associate at PwC’s L.A. office earlier this year.
“My time at Jessup was incredible. The MBA program helped me navigate my transition into a new career, gave me ample opportunities to reflect on and practice my leadership, offering collaborative opportunities to experience great teamwork. I’ve also built lasting relationships along the way.”
Changing careers from coffee to accounting came with uncertainty, but the sense of purpose the Lord gave Andrada, along with support from the Jessup community, carried her through. As she begins her new role, she feels more confident in who she is as a leader and is ready to face challenges with an improved perspective.
