
Niko Vasilopoulos Thrives as DJ and Student Body President
Friday, January 31, 2025
By Charly Haley and Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
Whether he’s working as a party DJ or as the Carlson School’s undergraduate student body president, senior Niko Vasilopoulos is all about community.
Double-majoring in International Business and Marketing, with minors in Spanish, Strategic Management, and Managing People in Organizations, Vasilopoulos boasts a lengthy resume—and he credits his family for motivating him to get involved and grow as a leader.
“I’m 100% Greek, and my family’s culture is super important to me,” says Vasilopoulos, who is from Chicago. “Growing up in a Greek household where community is vital to everything that we do, I think that really influenced my perspective on leadership and on community engagement throughout elementary school, high school, and now at the Carlson School of Management.”
Vasilopoulos started to DJ when he was 10 years old—first at family parties, and then for clients’ weddings and other events. “Thinking back to it,” he says, “I’m not sure who is hiring a 12-year-old to DJ their weddings, but they did, and it’s been so much fun.”
Being a DJ has helped shape Vasilopoulos as a leader by teaching him to cater to the needs of individuals and the crowd as a whole, he says. His Carlson School education and experiences on the Carlson Business Board, the school’s student government, have further sharpened those leadership skills.
“When I think about my role as president at Carlson, so much of my job is to help make sure that the student body as a whole gets where we need to go and has an incredible experience, even though each individual student might be here for a different reason,” he says.

As much as Vasilopoulos has worked to contribute to the Carlson School community, he says he’s received the same support from peers, faculty, and staff.
“The Carlson School encourages and enables students—whether they’re a first-year student working on a client project or a senior leading an organization—to make an impact on their community,” Vasilopoulos says. “And what I love about that is that you don’t have to have a formal title or be in a specific position to make that impact. You’re encouraged to do so from your first day on campus.”
When he graduates in Spring 2025, Vasilopoulos plans to move back home to Chicago and take a job in strategy consulting. As he continues growing as a leader, he says he won’t forget his connection to the Carlson School. “I’m really excited to go back home and spend time with family, and join Carlson’s expansive alumni network,” he says.