Finding Common Ground in New Places

By Shelby Gill  /  Photos by Will Strickland

Will Strickland (B.S.B.A., magna cum laude, ’14) likes to travel. That may be an understatement — he estimates he’s visited more than 45 countries. He thinks the Isle of Skye in Scotland might be the most beautiful place he’s visited, but then again, he also loved eating Takoyaki from food stalls during his six months living in Tokyo, Japan. Interestingly, his love for travel isn’t simply personal divertissement, he also travels Monday through Thursday for his work as a consultant.

Strickland, who was born and raised in Arkansas, became a fierce globetrotter after he received the Libby Finch Study Abroad Award, which allowed him to spend a summer at the London School of Economics.

“If I look at the shining points – what was foundational for my career — it’s the Libby Finch Award,” Strickland shared. “Studying at the London School of Economics was the first opportunity where I had interactions with students from all over the world. The way they thought about the world was slightly different from my worldview, which opened my perspective.”

By expanding his viewpoint, Strickland also realized what he already knew — the Walton College of Business and the Honors College had prepared him academically to excel amongst top-tier students across the globe. He remembers an honors cultural anthropology class that changed the way he thought about the world. He entered the general education requirement thinking the professor was going to share big opinions, but instead, Strickland was taught to share his perspective and really listen to others. With all ideas on the table, the class looked for common ground and threads they could use to connect. He carried this with him into his career.

After an accomplished start at Walmart, this mindset led Strickland to apply to graduate school at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management to complete his M.B.A.

Now, Strickland works in consulting for McKinsey & Company, one of the three most prestigious firms in the consulting industry. For the past two years, he’s worked as an associate and traveled extensively. Looking ahead, he’s preparing to lead teams in this work.

In his role, Strickland meets new people constantly, and it’s important that he’s able to make meaningful connections. He believes he developed that skill through travel.

“If you are not willing to expand your horizons or your perspectives, how are you going to be able to relate to people that you work with daily?” he argues. “You get a better answer and solution because you consider different viewpoints, and you make decisions together with all the facts.”

And the best way to get comfortable in a new location? Taste the cuisine, but you won’t find Strickland browsing Yelp for recommendations. He looks for something exclusively local with the longest line. Waiting in line is part of the experience for him — he uses the opportunity to talk to locals, listen and most significantly, learn something new.

With eyes toward the future, he doesn’t forget to look back on his experience at the University of Arkansas. He wants to encourage McKinsey & Company to recruit from the Hill and is working with another alum to build a pipeline.

“I formed some of the greatest and strongest academic relationships and friendships through the Honors College,” Will shared. “There’s untapped potential that the Honors College brings out.”