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Name: Charlie Kottler ’18
Major: International Business
Minors: Spanish and Accounting
Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut
Experiences: Kottler’s OWU Connection experiences began as a freshman when, as an Economics Management Fellow, he traveled to New York. The now-senior and Delta Tau Delta Fraternity member also has participated in the Ohio Export Internship Program and completed internships at OverDrive in Cleveland and WebMD in New York. In spring 2017, he studied entrepreneurship, international marketing, and Spanish linguistics and culture in Seville, Spain. He has accepted an offer to work at Change Healthcare in Tennessee in its Accelerated Development Program after graduation.
“Before I came to OWU, I never truly had a mentor. However, throughout my time here, I have developed very strong and close relationships with a number of faculty members and fellow students who have pushed me to excel beyond what I ever imagined I was capable of achieving.
“Not only have I been pushed to achieve academically, but I also transformed both personally and professionally.
“The Economics Management Fellows Program seminar class and program trip to New York City my freshman year opened my eyes to the world of business and finance. It was amazing to meet with OWU alums who had developed careers at some of the world’s largest financial firms.
“During my sophomore year, I participated in the Ohio Export Internship Program. Through this program, I completed a course at Ohio State with students from universities all around Ohio in the spring semester and completed an internship at OverDrive in Cleveland, one of the world’s largest eBook and audiobook distributors, with their International Sales team.
“In spring 2017, I studied in Seville, Spain, which completely changed my worldview and appreciation for foreign cultures. I lived with 11 roommates and an elderly Spanish couple in one apartment, which was a priceless experience I will never forget.
“This past summer, I served as a Global Strategy Intern at WebMD in New York City. During my time at WebMD, I became fully immersed in the world of digital health and worked on a number of initiatives to interact WebMD’s consumer base in new ways. I worked with a number of different teams, which gave me insight into a lot of different aspects of the business. Not only did I sharpen many technical skills throughout this internship, but I also strengthened my business acumen and social IQ. When the summer ended, I realized how interested I was in the rapidly changing healthcare industry and I was determined to be in this industry post-graduation.
“After meeting with Leslie Melton in Career Services and OWU alum Chris Meyers ’08, I realized that rotational programs would be a great option for me as I was not entirely sure what kind of position interested me the most. After interviewing at a super day in Nashville, I accepted a position in a two-year rotational program at Change Healthcare.
“My time at OWU has been a wild ride, and I am forever indebted to this school. I owe everything to those who helped me along the way, including Glenn Bryan, Barbara MacLeod, Nancy Rutkowski, and many others. Truthfully, before I came to OWU, I was extremely apathetic about a lot of aspects of my life and believe my time here has sent my life on a completely different trajectory.”
“When I visited OWU for the first time, I was greeted with such kindness from all the students and professors I encountered. I also loved the diversity of the student body. I am so glad that I have been able to call OWU home for the past four years and look forward to contributing to the legacy of this institution in the future.”
“This summer, I will be traveling in the Middle East before moving to Nashville at the end of the summer. I would love to eventually go back to school and complete an MBA. Apart from my career, my biggest dreams are to travel to every continent, complete the Triple Crown of Hiking (Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails), and own a small concert venue.”