Justin Lewitus sat down with us just before he graduated in December 2023 to discuss his Washington University experience. At WashU, he found community in the professional fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, and pushed out of his comfort zone during a semester abroad in South America. Get to know Justin a little better …
Why WashU?
I really wanted to go to a collaborative business school, but I was a little skeptical if that existed. So I asked a high school friend who went to WashU, and he said, “Justin, do you know how you have three or four friends in high school who you do your classes with? That’s your entire class at WashU.” That’s what sold me. It definitely held through my entire time here, in group projects, studying together for exams, just having the support system of other people.
What is a WashU moment that has stuck with you?
In my first year, we did a group project for a management class where we had to create an innovative project, create a pitch for it, and submit it in a pitch competition. My group finished second, and we even won some prize money. What was cool about that was it wasn’t just a project for a class. This was something that we created, and there were people who saw value in it. It felt like the work we were doing was applicable and relevant. It made me feel confident in my decision to come to WashU, that moment of “Wow, even in my first semester, I’m doing work that has real-world applications.”
What has your involvement in Delta Sigma Pi meant to you?
I joined Delta Sigma Pi during my first semester of freshman year. It was so good having upperclassmen who could help guide me through my professional journey, and also be friendly faces on campus. I’ve held many leadership roles, including president, and I definitely feel I’ve been able to give back in terms of professional guidance and mentoring some of the underclassmen. And that’s something I’m proud of.
Tell me about your semester in South America.
I studied abroad last spring in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile. I was the only WashU person in my program. I met a lot of really cool people. And I love the outdoors, so traveling to Patagonia and the Atacama Desert was incredible. The program itself was related to emerging economies. We did great field trips. We went to an exporting company in Argentina, and they explained how they dealt with corruption and navigating different administrations and how they do it in an economy with over 100% inflation. In Chile, one of our trips was to tour the largest underground mine in the world. It was all fascinating. And my Spanish got better as well!
What’s next?
I start a job at Fidelity doing asset management in Boston in July. I’m excited! Researching financial markets and analyzing them is super interesting, and it’s always changing. But until July, I’m going to take some time for myself, go visit my grandma in Peru, get in a lot of rock climbing.
Why do you think it’s important to support Washington University?
WashU provides a great education with great professors and resources. But what makes the university special is the culture. It’s not competitive. We attract passionate people who want to succeed, but who also want to see others succeed to the same extent, if not greater. With support, students throughout the coming years can have that collaborative experience and WashU can maintain that core element that makes it stand out.