Lauren Fink, USA
Full-Time MBA Class of 2021
LinkedIn
Academic Roles, Achievements and Activities
Webby Awards Activism Finalist for the design of MakeItOK.org, a website that seeks to combat mental illness stigma and build empathy by educating visitors about mental illnesses and encouraging open conversation. Said by the New York Times to be the “internet’s highest honor,” the international Webby Awards honor digital excellence. The Activism category recognizes exemplary websites that facilitate political change, social movement, human rights, public education and reform. (Webby Awards, New York City USA, 2017)
Winner of the Webby for Good Award for the design of the Make It OK website. Produced in partnership with WP Engine, this award honors Webby-finalist projects that are changing the world through real social change. (Webby Awards, New York City USA, 2017)
Winner of the Web Marketing Association’s “Best Small Business Social Media Campaign” for the impactful marketing campaign that differentiated The Shed Fitness Studio in a saturated market, drove a 38% increase in memberships and achieved a 284% return on investment. (Web Marketing Association, Minneapolis USA, 2016)
Winner of the Interactive Media Awards, Outstanding Achievement award for the design of the NWHealthy.org, a wellness website designed promote healthy living and increase preventive medical treatment. The Internet Advertising Awards recognize websites displaying exemplary design, content, functionality, usability and standards compliance. (Interactive Media Awards, Minneapolis USA, 2016)
Finalist in the National Student Advertising Competition for “The Other Hangover,” an anti-binge drinking campaign highlighting the social consequences of overconsumption. Upon placing at Nationals, our team was awarded a grant to implement the campaign. After the campaign proved to be successful in its first year, additional funding was awarded to expand the campaign to an additional 10 universities and high schools across North America. (Century Council, Minneapolis USA, 2016)
Three-time nominee of the Clear Night Luminary Award, a quarterly peer-nominated award program recognizing excellence in the categories of Business, Work, Culture and Community. (Minneapolis USA, 2018-2019)
Two-time nominee of the Preston Kelly annual Ruddy Award, a leadership-nominated award recognizing the employee whose irrepressible spirit inspires colleagues, elevates company culture and positively impacts client work. (Minneapolis USA, 2016-2017)
What is invisible but essential about YOU? or ESADE? or Barcelona?
Growing up, my family had an unusual motto. “You’re not having fun until someone gets hurt,” my mother would always say. As my siblings and I built a two-story toboggan slide, perfected double backflips and rigged up ziplines in the tall pine trees, my parents were always there cheering us on. We were encouraged from a young age to take risks, make mistakes and fall down. And thus, we became really good at picking ourselves up, brushing the dirt out of our wounds and trying again.
As a result, I will always seek to expand the bounds of my capabilities, taking on new challenges with abundant curiosity and contagious tenacity. This drive has granted me the opportunity to work in a variety of roles, companies, and countries, expand my business acumen and social empathy, and solve unique challenges for clients across industries. I’ve had the pleasure of supporting incredible organizations in their efforts to bring resources to refugees around the world, combat mental illness stigma, inspire young women to think positively about their bodies, reduce binge drinking among young adults, provide affordable housing for those in need, and more.
I look forward to continuing to build a career centered around the betterment of society, believing every day is a chance to live the values of my family’s motto to its fullest—to boldly take on the toughest of challenges and persevere over the inevitable obstacles with tenacity and innovative thinking. I seek to encourage those around me to do the same. To see their strengths as their biggest assets and their weakness as their biggest opportunities. To dream bigger and reach higher. To have the confidence to tackle the most trying challenges facing business and society today. With each accomplishment, proving to the world and ourselves, that we can take on just about anything we set our minds to. And with each failure, learning we have the resilience and courage to dust ourselves off, iterate and try again.
Invisible but Essential 