Kenneth Thomas
A story of many firsts! I am a first-generation student in the full-time MBA program at Olin. Growing up, my family moved a lot! We lived in Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and back to Zimbabwe again! At the time, I didn’t realize how this adventure was preparing me for multiple pivots later!
Hi! I’m Kenneth—half Mozambican, half Zimbabwean—and for the past 13 years, I’ve called St. Louis my home. As the oldest of two, my parents instilled a culture of education and sports. My childhood was filled with track meets, football (soccer) matches, cricket games, rugby, and field hockey. This dedication to sports led to being selected for two junior state teams and on a junior national team.
I was drawn to science fiction, autobiographies, and comic books off the field. One year, I had to balance Cambridge International Advanced Level Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics exams with SAT preps while training for nationals in track. Doing well in sports and school eventually led to me coming to the US, my first experience away from home, at Lindenwood University – just 30 minutes away from where I would pursue my MBA at WashU 12 years later!
My professional journey has taken me through different areas of healthcare, including Oncology, Cystic Fibrosis, Orthopedics, and Sports Medicine in Canada and the US. However, my passion for business and entrepreneurial spirit were there long before, during Zimbabwe’s economic crisis in 2008. With hyperinflation at 79.6 million percent, I resold sports equipment I bought in South Africa or Botswana with my saved pocket money.
The decision to pursue an MBA marks another pivotal first in my journey. As a Consortium member and Entrepreneurship Fellow at Olin, I am gaining clarity about my overall “why.” Over the summer, I interned at Pfizer in New York, working on Rare Disease projects.
Away from Olin, I am a Missouri Olympic Development Soccer Program head coach. This role holds special meaning for me—from 2006 to 2010, many people invested in my dreams, forever changing my life’s trajectory. Today, I pay that investment forward by developing elite talent and helping young athletes reach their highest potential, whether that’s eventually competing at the collegiate level, playing professionally, or representing the US national youth team.
Each first in my journey—each challenge and triumph—has shaped who I am today. As I continue my MBA journey at Olin, I remain grateful for every experience that has brought me here and excited for the firsts ahead.