This essay discusses the applicant's experience working as a freelance designer for the Black Bear Bakery, an anarchist collective bakery. As a consultant, the applicant helped the bakery update its visual identity. However, the consensus-based structure of the bakery led to conflicts when the applicant tried to make independent design decisions. The applicant realized experienced bakery workers had inherent authority, so worked with them to develop ideas and gain acceptance for changes. This flexible leadership approach helped create a unified design identity for the bakery's products and marketing materials, allowing it to expand its business.

1. Shay Merritté
Consortium Application
SWEATER VEST
SUPPLEMENT

2. i ii
This is a Hanger
Through my training as a graphic designer, I have
followed one guiding principle:
THINGS ALWAYS NEED TO LOOK
sweater vest.
GOOD and COMMUNICATE IDEAS.
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
I follow this idea in nearly everything I do, from the
food I eat, to most importantly, the clothes that I
V-Neck
wear. Several years ago when I was reevaluating
my wardrobe I was looking for a style that was
businesslike and professional, but still youthful
It says almost
and stood out. I decided that my wardrobe should
center around the sweater vest. Sweater vests
follow both my wardrobe and design philosophies.
They are usually considered aged and dorky, but
by wearing them I make them youthful and funky.
because they are sleeveless I can wear them
everything
throughout the year. Most sweater vests have
Cotton Knit a "v-neck" that allows me to accent outfits with
or Wool ties. The details and clean minimalist lines follow
my design philosophies. If you would like to learn
more about my wardrobe...as well as requisite
MBA application information, please turn the page.
about me.
Sleeves

3. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1
Core Questions
Personal Data [ 2,3 ]
Employment [ 8,9 ]
Academics [ 4,5 ]
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
Test Scores [ 6,7 ]
Employment History [ 8,9 ]
Resume [ 8,9 ]
Core Essays
Core Essay 1 [ 10,11 ]
Core Essay 2 [ 12,13 ]
Core Essay 3 [ 14,15 ]
School Specific Essays [ 16, 17 ]
Transcripts [ 18 ]
GMAT Score [ 19 ]
Certification & Signature [ back cover ]

4. shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
2
first name
MALE
SINGLE
St.Louis MO 63146
3

5. 4 School Attended: Washington University in St.Louis
Graduation Date: Bachelor of Fine Arts Candidate May 2009 5
Major: Visual Communications
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
*No graded classes were taken this summer.
** This book was designed before final fall 07 grades were
released.

6. 6 7
Quantitative Verbal Total Analytical Writing
48% 84% 71% 83%
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
36 38 610 5.5
GM AT
GRADUATE MANAGEMENT ADMISSIONS TEST
test date:
11/24/07

7. J ob Experience
Young Scientist Program
{Spring 2004—Fall 2004}
Position: Research Intern
9
V olunteerism
Responsibilities:
American Red Cross Youth Corps
Black Bear Bakery { }
{Fall 2006—Fall 2007} Position:
Position: Freelance Designer
Shay
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities:
SP SU FA WI SP SU FA WI SP SU FA WI SP SU FA WI Project Rambling
{Fall 2006—Spring 2007}
V V
Position: Freelance Designer
American Red South Side
A
Merritté
Responsibilities: Students Against Bullying and Rage
Cross Youth Corps Day Nursery { }
WashU Alumni & Parents Admissions Program Position:
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
V C
{Spring 2007—Fall 2007} Responsibilities:
Students Against WashU
MOMA RedStudio
Position: Intern
Bullying and Rage Film Board Responsibilities:
J A C V
Sierra Club Voter Education Program
Young Scientist Social Justice Dr. Martin Luther King {Spring 2004—Fall 2004}
Contact:
University of Missouri-Rolla Hydrogen Bus Program
Winner
Program Center Commemoration {Spring 2007—Fall 2007} Position:
Position: Responsibilities:
Email:
V A J
Responsibilities:
Convention Representative
Sierra Club Voter Black Bear
Education Program Bakery sjmerritte@gmail.com South Side Day Nursery
{Fall 2006—Present}
Phone: Pride St.Louis- PrideFest Position:
J
KT Family Foundation
Red Cross National
Project {Fall 2007—Present} Responsibilities:
Scholarship Winner
Rambling (314)703-1094 Position: Freelance Designer
Responsibilities:
Address: Dr.Martin Luther King Commemoration
A C Black
Anthology 1312 Thames Ct.
{Fall 2007—Present}
Position: Designer
Responsibilities:
St.Louis MO. 63146
J A wards & Honors
St. Louis Red Cross School
Alumni and Parents
Admissions Program
Education:
and Community Award
Washington University in St.Louis C lub Executive
J
MOMA RedStudio Contest Winner
UMR Hydrogen Bus {Winter 2004}
Candidate for Bachelor of Fine Arts, Details: WashU Film Board
{ }
A A J May 2009 Red Cross National Convention Representative Position:
PrideFest { } Responsibilities:
Major:
Details:
C Visual Communications
Dean’s List
Two Pieces Selected for
AIGA Enterprise Rent-A-Car Scholar Social Justice Center
Des Lee “Core Show”
{ } { }
Details: Position:
A
Responsibilities:
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Scholar
Additional Skills: KT Family Foundation Scholarship Winner
{ }
Details:
Office Software
A
Black Anthology
Micr W r P erP cel St.Louis Red Cross: School and Community Award {Spring 2007—Present}
Job Volunteer Club Exec Award { } Position:
Details: Responsibilities:
J V C A
Design Software
Event Happens
Second Place, SLU’s Idea
Second Place- Saint Louis University’s Idea to Product Competition
to Product Competition
t strat te
{Spring 2007} AIGA-American Institute of Graphic Artists
Web Software Details: {Fall 2007—Present}
Once
Position:
Dr Wea S Des Lee “Core Show” Responsibilities:
{Spring 2007}
Spring Summer Fall Winter CAD Software Details:
Event Happens
For a Period t C etchUp
SP SU FA WI
Dean’s List
{Spring 2007}
Event Continues Details:
to the Present

8. 10 Core Essay 1 11
understood landmine-warning symbols. spirit, but it hasn’t taught me everything.
I understand that there are many steps Through an MBA education I could
that I need to take before I can run a complement my experiences with classes
I have discovered that innovation can successful company. Just as I have from international money markets to
W riting these essays has been
very difficult for me, not because
I dislike writing essays or that I am
solve problems as basic as drawing
people into an event or as complex
as designing a building system from
steeped myself in the culture and
education of design to become a better
designer, I feel that to be a successful
operations management, skills that would
take me years and multiple jobs to learn
on my own.
having problems defining answers to recycled materials. businessperson, it is imperative to
the questions, but because the essays become immersed in the theory and After earning an MBA I would like to
have to be composed inside a Microsoft Ultimately, I would like to run my own techniques of successful management work as a group leader at a design
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
Word Document. The problem with the innovation and design consultancy and other business practices that an consultancy such as Metaphase, creators
Microsoft Word Document format is that and think-tank, performing research MBA education can provide. Working as of Microsoft’s first ergonomic mouse
it doesn’t allow for innovative type or and developing workable solutions a freelance design consultant has taught or IDEO, designers of the Palm V PDA.
layout design. Microsoft Word makes it for diverse problems from designing me about brand worth, client relations, These companies have been able to
difficult to adjust the spaces between the better pen grips to more universally and the importance of the entrepreneurial combine business, innovation and design
individual letters in words or finesse the into products that have changed the world
spaces between the lines of text; to most and improved peoples’ lives. Working
people these are minor and trivial things, at either of these companies or another
but I have spent weeks in class studying similar to them, I feel would give me the
these basic type design elements and experience necessary to lead a group of
how they lead to innovative typographic problem solvers to transform outlandish
solutions for a more enjoyable experience ideas into workable solutions, and prepare
for the reader. me for my future goal of running my own
company.
Developing creative solutions to
problems is my career goal. During my I feel that my career goals are ambitious
undergraduate studies at Washington but are still within my reach. I have had
University, I have been devoted to learning some business experience, but feel that
about design and creating visual solutions the advanced business education an MBA
to help information travel between could provide would transform me into the
businesses and consumers. Through leader I feel that I can become. An MBA
freelance design consultant jobs I have education would allow me to use skills
been able to put my learning into practice and training in innovation and design to
in fields from baked goods to hydrogen change the world for the better.
research. Through these experiences

9. 12 Core Essay 2 13
of the week. The only mandatory event at had garnered some inherent authority
the bakery was a weekly meeting where amongst the other bakery workers by
all the bakery members would gather virtue of experience. I decided to work
and expand its business. After visiting to collectively discuss what products directly with the experienced workers
the bakery I knew that I could use my would be produced during the week, what to run the meetings. I taught the
Anarchy. For some people,
images of
black flags with red stars and idealistic
training in visual communications
to help in its transformation and
ingredients needed to be ordered, and
any other decision that would affect the
experienced workers brainstorming
tools and stepped back as they worked
immediately offered my services as a bakery. together to develop solid ideas that I
teenagers wearing Che Guevara t-shirts design consultant. could then develop into finished designs.
come to mind. However, when I think of When I first attended these meetings Whenever I made independent decisions
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
Anarchy, I think of fresh baked oatmeal People often joke that their to discuss ways to update the bakery’s I handed them to the more experienced
raisin cookies, good coffee, and the workplaces descend into anarchy visual identity, there was a lot of friction, bakery members to be presented and
importance of being a flexible leader. when the boss goes on vacation or because I was trying to lead in a system discussed by the group, so the changes
a project approaches its deadline, that frowned upon authority. During the appeared to happen from within the
I met a member of the Black Bear Bakery, however the Black Bear Bakery truly meetings each bakery member would community. I became less frustrated
an anarchist bakery collective, during was an anarchic organization. There propose disparate design directions that with having to incorporate many
a Washington University night school were no bosses, managers or shift would be difficult to combine into a unified individuals’ viewpoints and less conflict
course about social entrepreneurship. leaders. Each bakery member made design. When I would make independent occurred when I needed to make
The member talked to me about how the his or her own hours and received an decisions to unify design elements, the independent design decisions.
bakery was working to evolve its image equal share of the revenue at the end bakery members became defensive
because they felt like an outsider was Once I became a flexible leader, the
forcing decisions upon them. After design process progressed much faster.
several weeks of making little progress I The bakery members were able to have
had to think of a way to reconcile my need a voice in the direction they wanted
to exercise my training as a designer and to move their bakery’s visual identity
position as a consultant with the bakery’s and I was able to create a functional
culture of consensus. design identity. A system of labels was
developed that could be applied to all
After spending some time in the bakery I the bakery’s products, an attractive
discovered that all the workers were not menu was designed that stood out both
equal; some worked only a few hours a in the bakery and at farmers’ markets
week while others worked from open to and a sales kit was developed that
close almost every day. I realized that the allowed them to expand their wholesale
workers who spent more time in the shop business to new customers.

10. 14 Core Essay 3 This question was posed to us What would this poster mean to the
15
Commemoration as well as showcase the
Q: Could an at the beginning of a class discussion
of race as a framework in art.
retirees at the Jewish Community Center
where I work out? Would the Bosnian
importance of diversity on campus. First
I reduced the amount of Dr.King imagery
African-American Obviously an African-American could
paint a landscape, but the question
immigrants down the street want to pick
up a book with this cover? Are these
in most of my designs, so people wouldn’t
view the event with preconceived notions.
paint a serious was really asking, could the African-
American’s painting escape from the
informational symbols communicative to
the stylists at the African hair salon where
Then to showcase the importance of
diversity I designed “diversity tags”.
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
traditional, connotations and history of the African
American and exist without any irony
I get my hair done? These tags were displayed in places
such as restrooms, classrooms, campus
romantic
or mockery of a traditionally white art When I was asked last year by Washington eateries and other places that had
form? Is it possible to break deep- University’s Dr. Martin Luther King historically been segregated. The tags
rooted norms and assumptions? Commemoration committee to design read, “This area has been desegregated
landscape? promotional material I thought it would for your benefit” and featured outlines
I address the issue of race and culture be a good opportunity to help diversify of people using the areas. Instead
whenever I begin a new design or what had traditionally been a rather of addressing specific races I filled
business project. Growing up as a homogeneous event. I started the project the outlines with different patterns to
biracial person in a neighborhood by interviewing a cross section of people reference the idea of being diverse without
with people of various ages, races, who did not attend the event. Some setting parameters for what diversity
and socioeconomic levels, diversity people didn’t attend the event because specifically is.
has always been an important part they felt that they had learned everything The tags were successful in attracting
of my life. When I began studying about Dr.King from their elementary and a more diverse audience to the Dr.King
visual communications, I realized middle school experiences. Other people Commemoration and several residential
that addressing diversity would help didn’t attend the event because they assistants used them in floor programs
tremendously with my work. The field thought diversity was no longer a major about campus diversity. Diversity is
of visual communications is primarily issue and didn’t need to be addressed or important and needs to be addressed
concerned with how to communicate celebrated. in our work and community. I look at
with people as clearly and effectively diversity to help solve problems and
as possible. When I begin a new The material I designed attempted discover new points of view, and will
project I try to approach it as if I were to address both these issues and continue to do so throughout my career.
trying to address diverse audiences: attract people both to the Dr.King

11. 16 School Specific Essay 17
Washington University I understand that Olin’s MBA program will
It never seems like there is enough find very useful from my undergraduate Ultimately though I am interested pursu-
be challenging, especially for someone
time; whether trying to savor the design curriculum. With unique pro- ing an MBA from the Olin School of Busi-
who has spent his undergraduate educa-
last five minutes before the alarm clock grams such as the intense Integrative ness because it will prepare me for the
tion in art studios, but I was relieved that
Case Experience Week I would have the career I aspire to as soon as possible.
shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
goes off or speeding a product to market Olin allows students to take appropriate
to beat the competition, time is very opportunity to solve previously unsolvable When I mapped out my career goals this
academic risks through its high-pass/
important. At the beginning of my search problems of major corporations and then past Spring I realized that I would need
pass/low-pass/no-pass grading system.
for MBA programs I was worried about not present the recommendations to corpo- an advanced business education, and Olin
I am looking forward to exploring new
having enough full-time work experience rate executives. No other business school stood out as the best school that would
classes like Capital Markets and becom-
that many programs required. I became provides such an opportunity to someone offer me the opportunity to earn such an
ing more proficient in underdeveloped
further discouraged at the prospect of who is still an undergraduate student. It education in an efficient manner. I feel
skills such as Statistics. This opportunity
building my career only to need to take a is a challenge that I am anxiously awaiting that after I graduate from Olin I will be
to be academically adventurous excited
break to pursue an immersive full-time to meet head-on. able to transform business in the same
me as I thought about how it would trans-
MBA experience. Everything changed way that Olin is transforming the MBA
form the way I learn and extract informa-
when I learned about the Olin School of I was also impressed by Olin’s genuine classroom. No other school gives me the
tion from a variety of business disciplines.
Business Young Leaders Program and the focus on teamwork and fostering a diverse same opportunity to combine my art edu-
Even before I applied to Olin I understood
3-2 MBA format. I was excited to learn business community where the goal is to cation with an advanced business educa-
the benefits that this system could bring.
that I had an opportunity to pursue an help each other attain success. Being an tion like the Olin School of Business.
During the accounting case study discus-
MBA while finishing my undergraduate art student trying to transition to a busi- sion at the recent Diversity Weekend, I
degree at Washington University. ness program I was really looking for a discovered that I enjoyed accounting and
MBA program where I could get support began seeking out other cases in newspa-
When I investigated Olin’s MBA program from and be challenged by both my faculty pers and magazines. If one hour in Simon
further, I was impressed by its innovative and peers. Even though I haven’t applied Hall can make me enjoy accounting, I am
curriculum. The Olin classroom is very yet I have already felt the warmth and ac- excited about what else I could learn dur-
research and application focused, it is not ceptance of the Olin students, faculty, and ing another two years with Olin.
just about taking tests and writing papers, administrators.
but applying learning from the classroom
to real-world problems, something that I

12. shay merritté | application | sweater vest supplement
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19

13. This book was designed and printed by Shay Merritté for
the Olin School of Business MBA application during the
fall and winter of 2007, using the typeface Din.