2026 Best & Brightest Business Major: Chloe Ausburn

Poets&Quants For Undergrads, a prominant news source for undergraduate business education, has released its 11th annual “Best & Brightest Business Majors” feature, honoring 100 of the most accomplished seniors in business-related fields such as marketing, finance, operations, and business administration. This year Chloe Ausburn and Ryan Yin have been selected as part of this prestigious group, representing the Raymond A. Mason School of Business.

The 2026 Best & Brightest list includes a balanced cohort, each recognized for their leadership, academic excellence, and contributions to their schools and communities. As part of this honor, Chloe and Ryan each have a featured individual profile highlighting their achievements, extracurricular involvement, and defining college experiences.

Chloe Ausburn, Business Analytics, Data Science, and Government Major

In the words of Professor William (Bill) Skimmyhorn, Mansfield Term Associate Professor of Business:

“It’s no surprise that Chloe is being recognized as one of the “Best and Brightest” students. She exemplifies the William & Mary’s “What’s your &?” ethos. Academically, she’s a student of government and a business analyst. In her extracurriculars, she’s an athletic team captain and an advocate for student advancement.

And personally, she’s a campus leader and a dedicated community member. And in these ways, she represents the entire William & Mary student body (The TRIBE), which is a truly remarkable and inspiring group!”

According to Ausburn, she:

“Runs on coffee, soccer, friends, and good times – serious when necessary, homework when unavoidable.”

Fun fact about yourself: I have 6 dogs.
Hometown: Thomasville, NC
High School: High Point Christian Academy
Major: Double Major in Business Analytics Data Science and Government; concentration in Finance
Minor: NA
Favorite Business Course: Corporate Valuation & Credit Analysis

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• Varsity Women’s Soccer (Captain Junior/Senior year)
• Women in Business
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Students for University Advancement
• YoungLife Mentor (Middle School Girls in Williamsburg)
• US-Chinese Relations Research Assistant
• NukeLab Researcher
• Read Across America Volunteer (with Women’s Soccer)
• Dog Foster Volunteer for Heritage Human Society
• CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll
• Dean’s List
• Provost Award Winner
• Pi Sigma Alpha Honors Society
• Omnicron Delta Kappa Honors Society
• Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Society

Where have you interned during your college career?

• Qualtivate, Data Analysis focused Marketing Intern, Virtual
• William & Mary, CASE University Advancement Intern, Williamsburg VA
• Department of Defense, USEUCOM Department of Defense Intern (staffed on the J9 Joint Interagency Counter Trafficking Center Capacity Branch), Stuttgart Germany

Where will you be working after graduation?

Analyst within Government & Public Services at Deloitte Consulting LLP in Arlington/Rosslyn Virginia

Who is your favorite business professor?

Professor Julie Agnew

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business?

The biggest lesson I have gained from studying business analytics is that business is about people first and numbers second. Data and financial metrics are powerful tools, but long-term success is built on trust, relationships, and integrity. I have learned that analytics is not just about optimizing outcomes or maximizing returns. It is about using data responsibly to guide decisions, align incentives, and build credibility. The strongest decisions are not simply the most profitable, but the ones that are sustainable and rooted in trust.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? There are two key pieces of advice I would give any student considering a major in business.

First, allow yourself to explore. I often find that students who plan to study business arrive at college with their entire career path mapped out. They know they want to study finance or accounting, work in investment banking or consulting, and even have specific firms in mind. While ambition is admirable, college is one of the few seasons of life intentionally built for exploration. Business can create pressure to specialize early and appear certain about your future, but some of the most meaningful growth happens when you try something unfamiliar and allow yourself to struggle. Fear of failure or of not being immediately excellent can prevent students from stepping outside their comfort zones. However, you cannot discover what truly excites you, or where you belong, without giving yourself permission to explore different paths.

Second, learn from your professors. Especially at William and Mary, professors are an extraordinary and often underutilized resource. On the first day of class, introduce yourself. Go to office hours. Ask about their journeys, not just the course material. Many of our professors have had extensive professional careers and bring incredible life perspective to their roles as educators. When I was trying to discern what I wanted to pursue after graduation, I had deep, honest conversations with several former professors about my goals and uncertainties. I am proud to say there are five to ten professors on campus whose offices I could walk into today, even if I am no longer in their classes, simply to ask for advice. Those relationships have been invaluable to me, and they are ones I intend to continue long after I leave William & Mary.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI?

One way our business school has integrated AI into the curriculum is by encouraging us to use it as a tool to enhance our technical learning. In courses like Developing Business Intelligence, we were allowed to leverage AI to refine our coding, troubleshoot errors, and explore more efficient ways to structure queries and models. Rather than replacing the learning process, AI became a supplement that pushed me to think more critically about why certain approaches worked better than others.

One key insight I gained is that AI is most powerful when used as a learning partner, not a shortcut. It is unrealistic to ignore AI when it is already integrated into the modern workforce. The real skill lies in knowing how to use it responsibly and strategically. By comparing my original code to AI-suggested improvements, I deepened my understanding of the logic behind what I was building instead of just arriving at the final answer.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of?

This may not be the most glamorous achievement, but it is the one I return to most often. The accomplishment I am most proud of was not a title, a publication, or an honor. It was an email.
During my time in the government department, I became close with Professor Sasser, whose course stood out for its insistence on thoughtful debate and intellectual honesty. The classroom quickly became a space where ideas were tested openly, and office hours became conversations about more than coursework. Through those discussions, I discovered that we shared similar life experiences, and over time, Professor Sasser became not only a professor I admired, but an academic mentor and trusted guide.

When I began thinking seriously about my life after college – the kind of work I wanted to do and the kind of change I hoped to make – we met repeatedly to talk through those questions. So when I decided to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship, I turned to him for guidance. The application required me to write an essay that was deeply personal, one that traced how my past shaped the way I see the world and how I hope to use that perspective to create impact. It was the most vulnerable piece of writing I had ever submitted for academic review.

After reading the essay, Professor Sasser sent me a brief email asking if he could share it with his wife, Price. He explained that this was the highest honor he could give a student and that he had never asked to do so before. Coming from a professor known for his rigor and exacting standards, especially in student writing, that message stayed with me.

I am most proud of that email not simply because of who sent it, but because of what it represented. It affirmed that my story, told honestly and with intention, could resonate beyond myself. Knowing that my writing and ambition could move someone I hold in such high esteem reminded me why I write, why I study, and why I pursue the work I do. In that moment, my experiences felt not only valid, but meaningful, and that remains my proudest achievement.

Which classmate do you most admire?

The classmate I most admire is Kate Draddy. I have studied with Kate many times throughout my academic career, and I have consistently been struck by both her work ethic and her character. She is always willing to help others, whether that means explaining a difficult concept before an exam or taking extra time to make sure everyone understands the material. She leads with generosity, never hesitation.

I also deeply admire the way she has stepped confidently into a traditionally male dominated field. As a finance major heading into investment banking at JP Morgan, she has embraced the challenges of the industry with determination and grace. Kate does not just succeed in those spaces, she raises the standard and proves that excellence and leadership are not defined by gender. She is a true trailblazer, and someone I am proud to call both a peer and a friend.

Who would you most want to thank for your success?

The person I would most want to thank for my success is my mom. She has always been my greatest example of strength, discipline, and compassion. As a physician, she genuinely loves helping people, and I grew up watching her dedicate herself to her patients with both skill and heart. Her work was never just a job. It was a calling rooted in service.

At home, she was equally driven. She consistently pushed me to aim higher, work harder, and believe that I was capable of more than I sometimes saw in myself. Watching her balance being the breadwinner in our family while also being an incredibly present and supportive mom showed me what leadership truly looks like. Having such a strong, confident woman to look up to shaped the way I see my own potential. She set the standard for excellence in both career and character, and that example continues to drive me every day.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Be a role model and leader for younger women. I have been shaped by strong women who modeled confidence, discipline, and excellence, and I hope to provide that same encouragement and example for others navigating their own paths.
2. Become a trailblazing leader in whatever field I choose to pursue. No matter the industry, I aspire to lead with courage and integrity, challenge expectations, and expand opportunities for those who come after me.