Vanderbilt Business Magazine Fall 2024

Owen Graduate School of Management

Dear Vanderbilt Business Community,

I am delighted to share that we have crafted a new mission statement through a collaboration with faculty, staff, and alumni over the past 6 months:

Creating opportunities to discover, grow, and thrive in business and beyond.

Throughout the development process, we were inspired by numerous stories that vividly illustrated Owen's transformative impact. Faculty shared how Owen empowered them to explore scholarly work across nontraditional boundaries. Students recounted attracting significant venture capital for businesses launched while studying here. Staff members highlighted their daily efforts to create opportunities for personal growth and lifelong learning. Numerous alumni reflected on how Owen set them on a path to professional and personal success beyond their wildest dreams.

These stories underscore the profound and personal nature of our work, reinforcing why we do what we do. Our new mission statement captures our current ethos and embraces our aspirational spirit. It acknowledges discovery in its many forms—scholarly research, intellectual curiosity, and curricular learning—while celebrating the unique human experiences of connecting with others, finding meaning in our work and relationships, and creating something new.

At Owen, transformation is foundational. We are a place where opportunities are not only envisioned but realized. We open doors and encourage every community member to pursue paths of discovery and growth, always striving to become the best versions of themselves.

As we embark on a new academic year, let’s collectively embrace the art of becoming—a journey that celebrates choosing our paths, striving for excellence, and building meaningful relationships. And let’s inspire each other to reach new heights and make a meaningful impact in our professional and personal endeavors.

I wish you all the best in the year ahead.

Best wishes,

Thomas J. Steenburgh Ralph Owen Dean Professor of Marketing

FALL 2024

Editor and Director of

Marketing & Communications

Alicia Mott

Design and Art Direction

Mary Alice Bernal, FINN Partners

Managing Editor

Anne Rawlins

Copy Editor

Victoria Burns

Magazine Content Team

Arial Starks

Lacie Blankenship

Kate Silva

Andrea Valladares

Photography

Chad Driver

Terry Wyatt

Joe Howell

Contributors

Arial Starks

Lacie Blankenship

Ellian Chalfant

Morgan Kroll

Aimee Levitt

Olivia Robertson

Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

Dean

Thomas J. Steenburgh, Ralph Owen

Dean and Professor of Marketing

14 Maria Renz: From Design Undergrad to Google GM and VP of Commerce

Highlights from the remarkable career journey of Maria Renz (MBA‘96).

COVER STORY:

24 New Mission Statement Builds Upon Owen’s Momentum and Sets the Course for Future Endeavors

Owen has embarked on a transformative journey with the unveiling of a new mission statement.

16 INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL Understanding neurodiversity and how to support neurodivergent professionals in the workplace, along with research on the impact of student participation in the learning process.

36 CLASS ACTS

40 LEADERSHIP LESSONS ON THE COVER Illustration by Davide

Vanderbilt Business is published annually by the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in cooperation with Vanderbilt University Communications and Marketing, Loews Vanderbilt Office Complex, 2100 West End Ave., Ste. 1100, Nashville, TN  37203. The editorial office mailing address is PMB 357737, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37235-7737. Telephone: (615) 322-1003.

Please direct alumni inquiries to the Owen Alumni Engagement Office at owen.alum@vanderbilt.edu.

28 AI: Where to Start?

Jesse A. Blocher, Associate Professor of the Practice of Data Science and Finance, discusses his thoughts on how to interact with AI and how businesses can implement AI into their day to day to improve efficiency and employee satisfaction.

32 FY24 Owen Development and Alumni Relations Report

An overview of Owen’s giving campaigns, events, and other initiatives this past fiscal year (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024), along with a map of alums in key global markets.

Bonazzi

Graduates gathered on stage to take photos with their classmates after the 2024 Commencement ceremony

BY OLIVIA ROBERTSON

Good People and a Commitment to Community Makes for Good Business: Michael Mettee, CFO of FirstBank Highlights from Owen’s Distinguished Speaker Series

As part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, Thomas J. Steenburgh, Ralph Owen Dean and Professor of Marketing at the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management sat down

with FirstBank’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Michael Mettee, to discuss his career journey and leadership insight.

Mettee started his career in a nontraditional fashion. Upon graduating with his bachelor’s degree, he went on to work as a stockbroker and financial advisor, only to find that the banking environment at the time was not a fit for his desired career path. From there, he transitioned to capital markets, where he found success and continued in the field for more than 10 years.

In 2010, Mettee completed his MBA, which expanded his mindset and allowed him to pivot toward a career in banking while implementing a holistic approach to this newfound career path.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mettee was given the chance to help FirstBank kickstart its involvement in capital markets. He saw the opportunity as something he could build from scratch and make his own, satisfying his interest in entrepreneurship. While working with FirstBank to build its capital markets area, he assisted with the migration of FirstBank from West Tennessee to Nashville and aided the company in going public. He values these experiences, stating that you don't often get these types of opportunities working for a larger, more established company.

In 2020, Mettee was named Chief Financial Officer of FirstBank. Since taking on this role, he has overseen 2 mergers and assisted the company in $100 million in sub-debt offerings. He has also remained in charge of capital markets, allowing the company to make $100 million in mortgage revenue through related activities.

Vanderbilt and FirstBank:

A Relationship Rooted in Community

One of FirstBank’s values—which Mettee emphasized throughout his time speaking with Dean Steenburgh—is its commitment to uplifting its community which is what brought about the relationship with Vanderbilt. FirstBank was in the market for a community partner in the Nashville area and viewed Vanderbilt as a pillar of the community. From there, the relationship evolved with the naming of FirstBank Stadium, home of the Vanderbilt Commodores football team.

Leadership Tips from a Chief Financial Officer

At the end of the DSS discussion, Mettee shared leadership insights from his perspective as someone who climbed the business ladder to become CFO of one of the most prominent financial institutions in the U.S.

Remain Willing to Take on the Next Challenge

Mettee stressed the importance of playing the long game when it comes to your career, stating that many people are more concerned with short-term returns than long-term opportunities. To bolster this, he stated that it is necessary to keep in mind that it may take a while for something to pay off. Always evaluate which is better—the immediate satisfaction you will receive from a short-term payoff or the potential long-term career benefits of exhibiting patience.

“The Closest to the Broom Sweeps the Floor”

Mettee highlighted the importance of being willing to do any job or task necessary. He provided a personal anecdote of this, sharing that he has never—and will never—ask one of his peers to complete a task that he is not willing to do himself. To him, it is easy to follow this rule by simply recalling 3 words instilled in us from childhood: “Be good people.”

It's About Who You Surround Yourself With

Finally, Mettee shared this key to success: surround yourself with people who are smarter than you—experts in their field whom you can trust to do their jobs correctly and better than you could. This way, you can learn from them and have a mutually beneficial relationship by complementing each other’s skill sets.

From the Bench to the Boardroom:

Michelle Kennedy

Nashville Predators President, COO, and Alternate Governor

As part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, Dean Steenburgh sat down with Michelle Kennedy, President, COO, and Alternate Governor of the Nashville Predators, to discuss her journey navigating the world of sports, entertainment, law, and business. Growing up in a small town in Kentucky prior to achieving a top position in professional sports, Kennedy has valuable and inspiring lessons to share.

Kennedy grew up in Hawesville, Kentucky, as a studentathlete who was true to the title. She was skilled in academia and basketball and landed a spot on Vanderbilt University’s women’s basketball team from 1988 to 1992. During her time at Vanderbilt, she was inspired to follow a career in sports entertainment.

After graduation, Kennedy landed a job at KPMG International with the goal of gaining exposure to a variety of business practices. Halfway through her fourth year at KPMG, Kennedy knew she was ready to move forward in her sports entertainment career, and she transitioned to a position with Vanderbilt Athletics.

Kennedy joined Vanderbilt Athletics in a business manager role, where she developed a close relationship with Lauren Brisky, the former Vice Chancellor for Administration and CFO at Vanderbilt University.

Around 6 years into her position as Vanderbilt Athletics’ Business Manager, Kennedy received offers to serve as the athletic director for different programs. However, she knew it was time to lean into her fascination for the legal profession and apply to law school at Vanderbilt.

While Kennedy was a law student, her mentor from her time with Vanderbilt Athletics, Lauren Brisky, mentioned her name to the President of Business Operations for the Nashville Predators. At the time, the program was in the process of hiring their first-ever in-house counsel as they transitioned from sole ownership to group ownership. At Brisky's recommendation, Lang brought her on to assist with legal matters and become familiar with the program. During this season, Kennedy split her time as a law student, performing consulting services for

Vanderbilt and working in the legal department for the Predators. This hard work led to her receiving a job offer to become the first-ever in-house counsel for the Nashville Predators.

Leadership Tips From a Sports Executive

To close out the discussion with Dean Steenburgh, Kennedy shared words of wisdom for success in a professional setting.

There is Always a Place for Laughter

Kennedy noted that though an executive position can often seem daunting and stuffy, there is always room for fun. She said that she and her colleagues often joke that they are in the business of “hotdogs and hockey tickets,” a reminder not to take themselves or their positions too seriously. This way, they can keep their relationships cordial and collaborative while maintaining a positive work environment.

“Take More Responsibility Than You Take Credit”

Kennedy shared that, for those looking to succeed, it is crucial to remember that what you do is more important than what you take credit for doing. Boasting about success does not lead to future success; instead, it is the responsibilities you take on without demanding recognition in return. If you are confident in yourself and perform in a way that is true to who you are, you won’t need to boast or seek validation.

Disregard Traditional Norms

One of the most significant pieces of advice that Kennedy offered is to disregard traditional workplace norms. Being a woman did not stop her from accepting positions historically held by men, from sitting at male-dominated tables, and from becoming one of the most inspiring names in professional sports entertainment.

OWEN NEWS

CURATED BY LACIE BLANKENSHIP & ARIAL STARKS

VANDERBILT BUSINESS 2024 COMMENCEMENT

Maria Renz (MBA’96) delivers remarks to Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management Class of 2024 during the May 10 ceremony

Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management celebrated Commencement Day for the Class of 2024 on May 10. Gathered in the Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center Field House, 141 students were awarded their Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree; 91 earned a Master of Finance (MSF) degree; 37 were awarded a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree; 71 were awarded a Master of Marketing (MMark) degree; and 37 were awarded an Executive MBA (EMBA) degree. Thirty-two students from the Master of Management in Health Care (MMHC) program also participated in the ceremony; current MMHC students will complete their degrees later this year.

Thomas Steenburgh , Ralph Owen Dean and Professor of Marketing, opened the ceremony with a note of personal gratitude, nodding to the conclusion of his first academic year with Vanderbilt Business. “I want to express my gratitude for the warm welcome I received since arriving at Owen. I’ve enjoyed getting to know all of you and learning more about what makes this a unique community,” he said. “Owen is a remarkable place where we look out for one another and support each other’s success.”

Steenburgh transitioned to a celebratory note, recognizing the Vanderbilt Business faculty and staff before introducing Maria Renz, the keynote speaker. “I want to celebrate the strength of the community; behind every student’s accomplishments stands a dedicated team of faculty and staff whose commitment and guidance have been unwavering,” he said.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Commencement speaker, Maria Renz (MBA’96), Vice President and General Manager of Commerce for Google, echoed similar praise for the Vanderbilt community as she greeted the graduates and their friends and family.

“Your Vanderbilt degree is a passport to all kinds of exciting opportunities,” she said. “It’s an achievement that signifies that you are committed to growing personally and professionally… Your degree is tangible proof that you have dared yourself to grow.”

traveled.” Renz also discussed overcoming self-doubt, taking risks, and the Owen community’s continued impact on her personal and professional life.

“At my commencement ceremony, I had no idea the role this community would play in my life. Trust me, neither do you,” she said. “Know that you are part of something special—a legacy of excellence that extends around the world. Cherish the friendships you have made, the mentors that have guided you, and the daring that your degree affords you.”

Renz emphasized the versatility of the Dare to Grow concept and encouraged graduates to embrace the notion as a personal philosophy post-graduation. “[The Dare to Grow philosophy] implies self-awareness, resilience, and adaptability, and it isn’t easy,” she said. “Daring to grow means embarking on the road less

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS

Jennifer Edson Escalas, Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Dean Samuel B. and Evelyn R. Richmond Chair, Professor of Marketing, recognized the 2024 Founder’s Medalist and recipients of the Dean’s Awards for Academic Excellence.

Founder’s Medalist

University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier awarded Branson Horn (MBA’24) the Founder’s Medal for Vanderbilt Business. This annual Commencement Day award, initially endowed by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1877, is given to the MBA graduate who achieves the strongest record in personal, professional, and academic performance.

Dean’s Awards for Academic Excellence

Andrew Martin received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in Master of Accountancy.

Wan-Yu Lin received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in Master of Marketing.

William Wei Teng Wu received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in Master of Science in Finance.

Margaret Emley received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in Executive MBA.

Elizabeth Snyder received the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in Master of Management in Health Care.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION FOR FACULTY Excellence in Teaching Award

Brian T. McCann, Faculty Director of the Executive MBA Program, David K. Wilson Professorship, Professor of Management, and Faculty Director, Turner Family Center for Social Ventures, was presented the James A. Webb Excellence in Teaching Award by Evelyn Ward (MBA’24), Owen Student Government Association President Class of 2024.

Executive MBA Faculty Teaching Award

Mumin Kurtulus , Associate Professor of Operations Management, was presented the Executive MBA Faculty Teaching Award by Margaret Emley (EMBA'24).

Dean’s Faculty Awards

Richard H. Willis , Associate Provost for Research and Innovation, Anne Marie and Thomas B. Walker, Jr., Professor of Accounting, and Senior Associate Dean for the Faculty, announced the recipients of the Dean’s Faculty Awards.

Kelly L. Haws , Anne Marie and Thomas B. Walker Chair and Professor of Marketing, received the Faculty Research Impact Award in recognition of her sustained contributions to the field.

Daniel Cohen , Frances Hampton Currey Chair and Professor of Accounting, received the Faculty Research Productivity Award in recognition of his prolific scholarly contributions.

Daniel Bias , Assistant Professor of Finance, received the Faculty Teaching Award in recognition of his innovative approach to teaching, including the development of a virtual teaching assistant based on ChatGPT.

Emeritus Status

Willis also recognized 3 faculty members who have been bestowed Emeritus status by the University’s Provost, Chancellor, and Board of Trust.

Mark A. Cohen , Justice Potter Professor of American Competitive Enterprise, Emeritus

Luke M. Froeb , William C. Oehmig Professor in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Emeritus

Craig M. Lewis , Madison S. Wigginton Professor of Finance, Emeritus

OTHER

AWARDS, RECOGNITION, AND CELEBRATIONS

At ceremonies held on Thursday, May 9, several other students were recognized for their achievements.

Martin S. Geisel Leadership Award

Ty Black (MBA’24) was recognized with the Martin S. Geisel Leadership Award, awarded to a graduating student who demonstrated strong leadership.

Matt Wigginton Finance Award

James Keck (MBA’24) received the Matt Wigginton Finance Award, awarded for outstanding performance in finance.

H. Igor Ansoff Award

Evelyn Ward (MBA’24) was presented with the H. Igor Ansoff Award, which recognizes original and creative contributions to the school.

Flournoy A. Coles Jr. Prize

Ishan Desai (MBA’24) was awarded the Flournoy A. Coles Jr. Prize in recognition of international studies.

Financial Executives Institute Award

Alex Reynolds (MBA’24) was recognized with the Financial Executives Institute Award for outstanding academic performance in accounting and finance.

Owen Service Award

Seventeen graduating students received the Owen Service Award for outstanding effort and energy in leadership, community involvement, and student life.

Mohamed Hamza Abbassi (MSF’24)

Kevin Deng (MAcc’24)

Therese Donnelly (MBA’24)

Ishan Desai (MBA’24)

Samuel Ederle (MBA’24)

Elizabeth Eason (MBA’24)

Belle Gates (MMark’24)

Matthew Gordon (MBA’24)

Samantha Hoefs (MBA’24)

Jeffrey Kohl (MBA’24)

Gabriela Moran (MBA’24)

Mackenzie Murray (MBA’24)

Tanishka Parker (MBA’24)

Austin Simmons (MSF’24)

Alexander Sproviero (MBA’24)

Stephen Theisen (MBA’24)

Jack Wang (MSF’24)

Kurtulus

VANDERBILT BUSINESS HOSTS INAUGURAL OWEN COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY

100% Owen united the Vanderbilt Business community with 7 local service organizations for a day of giving back

Vanderbilt Business hosted the first annual Owen Community Service Day on March 22, 2024. While philanthropy has always been a key value of the community, student organization 100% Owen was behind the day dedicated to uniting the community in service.

“As members of the Vanderbilt Business community, we see the importance of making a positive impact beyond our campus,” said Matt Gordon (MBA’24), one of the students who spearheaded the day of service. “Establishing an annual day of service embodies our commitment to giving back and strengthening our ties in the Nashville community. It is exciting to see Vanderbilt Business unite to make a difference.”

100% Owen

100% Owen is a student organization that aims to enrich the Vanderbilt Business experience for students, faculty, and staff. The organization is committed to community service and fundraising in the Nashville Community. 100% Owen directs Owen Board Fellows, a program that equips MBA students for nonprofit board leadership in their careers.

2024 Owen Community Service Day

More than 75 Vanderbilt Business students, faculty, staff, and local alumni participated in the day of the service across 7 different partner organizations.

AbleVoices

AbleVoices aims to foster inclusion for individuals with disabilities by amplifying their voices through photography.

Book ‘em

Book ‘em strives to improve literacy in Nashville by igniting children’s passion for reading through book ownership and engagement.

Metro Animal Care

Metro Animal Care is a shelter known for advocating for wrongfully stereotyped bully breeds, medical dogs, and mamas and puppies often overlooked or at risk due to overcrowding.

PENCIL

PENCIL is committed to meeting the needs of Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) to ensure equitable access to education for all students.

Second Harvest

Second Harvest provides a central distribution center for companies, groups, and individuals who provide food to people facing hunger in Middle Tennessee.

The Nashville Food Project

The Nashville Food Project unites people to grow, cook, and share while alleviating hunger in the area.

The Store

The Store allows people to shop for their basic needs in a way that protects dignity and fosters hope.

VANDERBILT BUSINESS TEAM WINS 2024 SEC MBA CASE COMPETITION

For the second year in a row, a team of 4 Vanderbilt MBAs takes home the grand prize after placing first in the annual SEC MBA Case Competition

A team of 4 Vanderbilt Business students— Andrew Winter (MBA’25), Monica Traniello (MBA’25), Robert Rickard (MBA’25), and Zach Terry (MBA’25)— secured first place at the 2024 SEC MBA Case Competition.

“It’s a great feeling to earn the win and earn it for Vanderbilt,” said Winter. “For Vanderbilt to win these past two years, we have a chance to build from that success and continue to build the Vanderbilt brand.”

The Case

In early April, the College of Business at Mississippi State University hosted the 11th Annual SEC MBA Case Competition. The case study came out of FedEx Corporation; FedEx also sponsored the event.

“It’s always fun to bring home a win as well. The opportunity to work on one of FedEx’s major business initiatives was very rewarding, and I’m grateful for my stellar teammates,” said Traniello.

Once case information was distributed, the teams had nearly 24 hours to compose their recommendations and prepare for divisional and final presentations. FedEx executives were tasked with watching each presentation and selecting 4 teams to advance to the final rounds. From there, the same executives ranked the final 4 teams, all while student identities and university affiliations were kept anonymous to ensure impartiality.

The Prize

The first-place prize was $10,000.

“I am grateful for the valuable learning experience and was proud to represent Vanderbilt and Owen at the competition,” said Rickard.

The team was selected to represent Vanderbilt Business through an application process facilitated by team advisors.

“The SEC case competition was a wonderful experience. The case from FedEx was interesting, the judges provided thoughtful feedback, and it was enjoyable to meet other MBA students from across the SEC,” said Terry.

2025 SEC MBA Case Competition

Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management will have the pleasure of hosting the 2025 SEC MBA Case Competition. More information to come as Vanderbilt Business invites next year’s competing teams to Music City.

From left to right: Robert Rickard, Andrew Winter, Monica Traniello, and Zachary Terry

VANDERBILT BUSINESS WELCOMES 6 NEW FULL-TIME FACULTY MEMBERS IN FALL 2024

New full-time faculty members bring expertise and new insight in Accounting, Finance, Management, and Operations to Vanderbilt Business

Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management is excited to announce that the 2024-2025 academic year will begin with 6 new full-time faculty members. “At Owen, we strive to have a lasting impact on not only our students but business and society at large,” says Thomas J. Steenburgh, Ralph Owen Dean and Professor of Marketing. “We are thrilled to welcome this group of exceptional scholars into our faculty and look forward to seeing what innovative contributions they will make through their teaching and research.” Read more here.

ACCOUNTING

Bin Li , Associate Professor of Accounting

Bin Li joins Vanderbilt Business as an Associate Professor of Accounting. Li earned his PhD in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting from Duke University. Before joining Owen, he was an Assistant Professor of Accounting and a Bauer Research Fellow at The University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business. Li also previously held positions at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at Dallas.

FINANCE

Anna Helmke, Assistant Professor of Finance

Anna Helmke joins Vanderbilt Business as an Assistant Professor of Finance. Helmke earned her PhD in Finance from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Prior to earning her PhD, Helmke earned her MSc in Financial Economics from the University of Oxford. In 2019, Helmke was awarded the Miller Fellowship for attaining the top score in Wharton’s PhD preliminary exam. She has also completed PhD research fellowships at the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

MANAGEMENT

Richard Florida , Distinguished Visiting Professor of Management

Richard Florida joins Vanderbilt Business as a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Management while on leave from the University of Toronto, where he serves as University Professor, Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy, and Distinguished Scholar-inResidence at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management. Florida earned his PhD in Urban Planning from Columbia University and has held professorships at Carnegie Mellon and George Mason, along with visiting professor roles at Harvard and MIT.

Gary Kimball , Sauereisen Director of the Hoogland Undergraduate Business Program, Professor of the Practice of Management

Gary Kimball, Sauereisen Director of the Hoogland Undergraduate Business Program, joins Vanderbilt Business as a Professor of the Practice of Management. Kimball graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BA in Economics and later earned his MBA at Vanderbilt. Kimball has served as the Sauereisen Director of the Hoogland Undergraduate Business Program since 2017 and previously served as the Acting Coordinator for businessrelated minors, as well as the Director of the Managerial Studies Program. Kimball has over 35 years of experience in board, executive, and leadership roles.

OPERATIONS

Antoine Feylessoufi , Assistant Professor of Operations

Antoine Feylessoufi joins Vanderbilt Business as Assistant Professor of Operations Management and Quantitative Methods. Feylessoufi earned his PhD in Management Science from the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. Before coming to Owen, Feylessoufi served as both a postdoctoral research fellow at University College London and a visiting professor at HEC Paris.

Sina Moghadas Khorasani , Assistant Professor of Operations

Sina Moghadas Khorasani joins Vanderbilt Business as Assistant Professor of Operations Management and Quantitative Methods. Khorasani earned his PhD in Business Administration, with a focus on Operations Management, from the University of Utah. He also holds a master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Before joining Vanderbilt, Khorasani worked as an Assistant Professor of Operations, Supply Chain Management, and Business Analytics at the University of Dayton.

NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER STARTUPS PRACTICUM AND 2024

Lauren Hatcher (MD/MBA’24) and Dean Steenburgh speak to the group attending the NEC event

entrepreneurs by serving as a hub for visionaries and offering vital resources to drive impact near and far.

What is the Vanderbilt Startups Practicum?

The Vanderbilt Startups Practicum is a new project-based course. It is a collaborative effort between the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, the Department of Health Policy at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, and Project Healthcare through the NEC.

Earlier this year, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (NEC) hosted an evening dedicated to healthcare innovations with the launch of the Vanderbilt Startups Practicum and a first look at the 2024 Project Healthcare cohort.

The event consisted of social networking opportunities, pitches from startup founders, and a glimpse into the collaborative programs offered in partnership through the NEC and Vanderbilt.

Tom Steenburgh , Ralph Owen Dean at Vanderbilt Business, was among the invited speakers at the kickoff event, notably discussing the thriving entrepreneurship scene in Nashville.

What is the NEC?

The NEC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to nurturing Nashville’s entrepreneurial spirit and ecosystem. Founded by business leaders, the NEC aims to support the next generation of

Teams of students from various schools across campus work closely with founders under faculty guidance, with assistance from experts in the local healthcare community. They will analyze, evaluate, and propose enhancements to the founders’ ideas for new healthcare products/ services. Led by Ranga Ramanujam , Richard M. and Betty Ruth Miller Chair, Professor of Management and Faculty Director of Health Care Programs at Vanderbilt Business, and Professor of Health Policy, and John Graves , Vanderbilt Professor of Health Policy, Medicine, and Management, the 2024 student teams will study 4 companies that were chosen to participate in this year’s practicum.

“The Vanderbilt Startups Practicum is an interdisciplinary affair,” says Ramanujam. “It aims to align our students’ desire for experiential learning in the health sector with the founders’ desire for independent assessments and advice.”

In the fall, the Vanderbilt Business Healthcare Association (VBHA) and the Owen Venture and Entrepreneurship Club (OVEC) hosted an event with the NEC where Ramanujam and Graves discussed their plans for the program and invited potential partner startups to deliver pitches to attendees.

LAUNCHES THE VANDERBILT PROJECT HEALTHCARE

Lauren Hatcher (MD/MBA’24) and Hannah Peterson , a Health Policy Data Analyst at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, were also actively involved in course planning and execution.

“There are incredible companies being launched out of the NEC, and it is a great place for students to apply their learning by engaging with industry,” says Hatcher, who worked at the NEC while finishing her Vanderbilt MBA and MD degrees. “There is also so much energy and community at the NEC, and it’s really fun to be a part of it. It’s been one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had while a student at Vanderbilt Business, and I know this formal partnership will allow other students to benefit, too.”

Who are the 2024 practicum companies?

Nashville Collaborative Counseling Center

The Nashville Collaborative Counseling Center improves access to quality mental health services in Tennessee by offering tailored individual therapy.

SageSurfer

SageSurfer is an omnichannel behavioral care coordination platform designed to smoothly manage everything from crisis care for individuals with complex needs to the engagement of large, diverse populations with mild to severe mental illnesses.

Care Sherpa

Care Sherpa guides healthcare providers to increased volumes and predictive revenue growth by managing the patient lead pipeline. By focusing on new patient acquisition, capturing critical data, and providing personalized ongoing support, Care Sherpa builds superior patient relationships.

PopCheck Technologies

PopCheck Technologies, short for Postoperative Check, creates AI-enabled remote patient monitoring wearables with a connected digital platform that non-invasively predicts the development of surgical complications such as venous clots in high-risk populations.

How can I get involved?

The Vanderbilt Startups Practicum is enabled by the support of an entire ecosystem of experts, innovators, and investors.

The practicum course (MGT 6505) is geared toward Vanderbilt Health Policy students and MBA students, but graduate students across Vanderbilt can register for it.

“From the faculty involved to the industry experts, students, and startups, the Vanderbilt Startups Practicum is a win-win for everyone involved,” says Graves.

What is Project Healthcare?

Project Healthcare is a 6-month NEC program that drives transformation in the healthcare industry. The program is optimized for high-

growth healthcare tech startups through a tailored hands-on curriculum where participants leverage Nashville’s healthcare giants for industry experts and resources.

Who is in the 2024 Project Healthcare cohort?

The 2024 Project Healthcare cohort employs over 160 full-time employees, and total lifetime equity raised amounts to $38.5M in the aggregate. The roster includes 17 companies that span healthcare education solutions, supply chain management, empowering home health efforts, maternal health equity tools, and more.

How can I get involved?

Like the Vanderbilt Startups Practicum, Project Healthcare thrives because of the support of advisors, investors, sponsors, and partners.

“Without a doubt, entrepreneurs will help shape the future of healthcare, and we are fortunate to have the sharpest minds in healthcare here in Nashville,” says Eric Thrailkill, former Chair of Project Healthcare. “It is paramount we embrace new thinking and innovative ideas to continue to move the industry forward.”

Contact the Project Healthcare team to learn more about joining the ecosystem of industry innovators, from entrepreneurs to corporate leaders, investors, government, media, and educators.

“The Vanderbilt Startups Practicum is an interdisciplinary affair. It aims to align our students’ desire for experiential learning in the health sector with the founders’ desire for independent assessments and advice.” – Professor Ranga Ramanujam

CHANCELLOR’S CUP AWARDED TO PROFESSOR MICHAEL LAPRÉ

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier awarded 2 deserving faculty members the 2023–24 Chancellor’s Cup for their remarkable teaching and mentorship of undergraduate students. Professor Michael A. Lapré was the first faculty member from Owen Graduate School of Management to ever receive this honor.

“Chancellor’s Cup recipients demonstrate extraordinary dedication to students and exemplify Vanderbilt’s deep commitment to helping students at all levels map their life paths,” Chancellor Diermeier said.

Established by the Nashville Vanderbilt Club in 1963, the Chancellor’s Cup is awarded for the greatest contribution outside the classroom to undergraduate student-faculty relationships in the recent past. The faculty member’s contribution is one of educational importance, relevant to the central purpose of the university.

“Chancellor’s Cup recipients demonstrate extraordinary dedication to students and exemplify Vanderbilt’s deep commitment to helping students at all levels map their life paths.” – Chancellor Diermeier

Lapré began teaching undergraduates in Boston in 1997, but in 2001, he took what he thought would be a brief detour to join Vanderbilt as a professor for the MBA program. “At the time, Vanderbilt didn’t have any presence in the undergraduate [business] space,” Lapré said. “So, we launched the undergraduate business minor in the fall of 2017, and I thought, ‘Okay, this is it. I can finally teach undergrads again.’ I developed

the managing operations course for the business minor, introduced it in 2017, and have been teaching it every year since. I’m as happy as a clam.”

Lapré is an avid sports fan. From soccer to F1 racing, he’s fascinated by the principles and strategies that make for successful (or unsuccessful) competitors. He’s married that passion with his love of research and invited students to join him in that work—bringing on 15 teaching assistants and research assistants from his undergraduate classes. Together, Lapré and his research assistants have produced 4 peerreviewed journal publications and a conference proceedings paper that look at how real-world sports decisions and outcomes can be applied to business.

Lapré’s office at Owen is a testament to his avid support of Vanderbilt women’s soccer: Photos with graduating team members, game schedules, and a woven scarf emblazoned with “Vanderbilt Soccer” are a few of the mementos that hint at his steadfast attendance at home and nearby away games. When asked about faculty who positively impacted their Vanderbilt experience, soccer student-athletes specifically mentioned Lapré—including a former student who now plays professionally for the National Women’s Soccer League. –

JACKIE GUTIERREZ-JONES

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier presented Professor Michael Lapré with the Chancellor’s Cup Award during a staff gathering.

Updates from Board Leaders

Owen Alumni Board

Owen alumni excel at change. This aligns with the progress of the Owen School and Vanderbilt University overall. We all appear on the same vector of growth—up and to the right. These are exciting moments in our history to evolve the way we engage, advance, and impact both those entering the workforce today and others who have been part of the university’s fabric for decades. Our stewardship of Owen and its 12,000+ strong alumni base is of critical importance. Using our talents to actively participate in the success of the university, we are focused on engaging more alumni, maturing as a committed pool of leaders, and coming together with a passion for the place that is uniquely Vanderbilt. Our desire to energize and advise is very important, and our approach, structure, and focus are preparing for a transformed Owen School. There is still a lot of work to be done, but to those of you who wish to engage, we welcome you.

– Matt Peterson (MBA’94)

Owen Alumni Board Chair

CEO, Ancillary and Individual, UnitedHealthcare

“These are exciting moments in our history to evolve the way we engage, advance, and impact both those entering the workforce today and others who have been part of the university’s fabric for decades.”

– Matt Peterson

Owen Asia Alumni Board

The Owen Asia Alumni Board has made significant progress in achieving our 3 primary goals: placing more students from Asia at Owen and Vanderbilt; facilitating job placements for graduates in Asia; and enhancing Vanderbilt’s brand across the region. These goals are not only in alignment with Chancellor Diermeier's Dare to Grow vision for Vanderbilt but also deeply resonate with Dean Steenburgh’s objectives for the school. Our board has been working closely with Dean Steenburgh as Owen advances the major initiatives for growth that the Dean has announced, and we are seeing that our attractiveness for new students from around the region and our brand development in Asia are continuing to improve.

“We are very honored that our board members support Owen with their resources, including not only time but also money.”

– Derek Young

We are very honored that our board members support Owen with their resources, including not only time but also money. Again this year, we had another board member, Xiaoyan Jiang and Prime Number Capital, who offered a match for our international Owen alumni for Giving Day. We are so proud of the active involvement of our Asia alumni in continuing to support the growth of Owen and Vanderbilt across the globe!

– Derek Young (MBA’91)

Owen Asia Alumni Board Chair

President of Fidelity International's Japan operations

MILESTONE MOMENTS

The Owen Event-In-A-Box launched in February 2024, and alumni have shown excitement in leading regional gatherings across the country. Event-In-A-Box is an initiative to encourage alumni collaboration and support connection-building through alumni-led events, keeping the Closing Bell spirit alive in your

communities! Audrey Ballentine (MBA’22), Cara Heilmann (MBA’94), Vibhav Veldore (EMBA’15), Shannon Daily (MBA’04), and Ann Salamy (MBA’04) are a few of the alumni who have organized alumni events in their areas.

For any US-based or international alumni interested in hosting an Owen event in their

4.

Event-In-A-Box

region, the Owen Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) will share an EventIn-A-Box that contains Owen-branded event materials and swag to organize your gathering.

If you are interested in hosting an event, please scan the QR code to fill out our interest form, and we will be in touch!

2: [L-R]: Jackson Schroeder (MBA’13), Brent “Thomas” Graeve (MBA’07), Dan Bresnahan (MBA’14), and Stephen Valentine

3: [L-R]: Jeorgia Whittaker (BA’16, MM’22), Rachel Wozniak (MBA’21), Bennet Hayes (MBA’18), and Alexa Bensy (BA’10, MAC’11)

4: [L-R]: Aaron Fung (MBA’12), Cleon Rice (MBA’18), and Julian-Ernesto Gonzalez Medina (MBA’23)

5: [L-R] Front: Tamanna “Tammy” Kazi (MBA’07), Amelia Generalis (MBA’98), Arun Devulapalli (MBA’14), Leslie Haas (MBA’16), Hui “Sophia” Jiang (MSF’15), and JulianErnesto Gonzalez Medina (MBA’23) [L-R] Back: Fazulul Haque Sheik (MBA’14), Vibhav Veldore (EMBA’15), Emory Skolkin (MBA’19), and Audrey Ballentine (MBA’22)

6: [L-R] Front: Cara Heilmann (MBA’94), Jeorgia Whittaker (BA’16, MM’22), Rachel Wozniak (MBA’21), Shihping “Nancy” Wang (MBA’05), and Julian-Ernesto Gonzalez Medina (MBA’23) [L-R] Middle: Rajeev Gupta (MBA’06), Alexa Bensy (BA’10, MAC’11), Sherry Sanders (MAC’18), John Lane (MBA’01), Sarah Eaton (MBA’17), and Leslie Haas (MBA’16) [L-R] Back: Aaron Fung (MBA’12), Bennet Hayes (MBA’18), Cleon Rice (MBA’18), and Vibhav Veldore (EMBA’15)

1.

1:

7: Bella Land Band, Vanderbilt Blair School of Music students

8: David Carlson (BA’02, MBA’10) rings the “closing bell” at the end of the night

9: [L-R]: Abdul-fatai Adetula (MBA’25), Neema Mehta (MBA’06), Mario Avila (MBA’12), and Ifeloluwa Adefolaju (MBA’25)

10: [L-R]: DAR team members Tonja Russo, Rachel Vernon, Drew Davenport, Ellian Chalfant, and Andrea Valladares (MMARK’23)

11: [L-R]: Ian Crawford (MBA’15) and Josef Chen (MBA’15)

12: [L-R]: Caitlin Zager (MBA’17), Kaela Smith (MBA’19), and Dr. James “Randall” Patrinely, Jr. (MBA’21, MD’22)

13: [L-R]: Lisa McKinnon (BA’78, MBA’87) and Dean Tom Steenburgh

7.

8. 10. 11.

Maria Renz: From Design Undergrad to Google GM and VP of Commerce

BY ARIAL STARKS

Follow Maria Renz’s remarkable journey from a design undergraduate to a pivotal figure in tech giants like Amazon and Google

Growing up as the daughter of a bookkeeper and an engineer, Maria Renz always associated business with accounting and crunching numbers, which did not sound enticing to her. She earned her undergraduate degree in design and began her career working as a project manager for a large headquarters renovation in Philadelphia, PA. In that role, Renz was assigned a project that completely changed her perspective on business. She was tasked with interviewing everyone at all levels of the company—from the security guard to the CEO—and determining their space needs and how they interacted with the other departments.

“By doing that, I got a better understanding of what business was,” Renz explained. “I could see the roles of the different departments and how the teams were coming together to create value for their customers. That really captured my imagination and led to me wanting to pursue business school.”

Furthering Her Education

In the fall of 1994, Renz began her journey of pursuing an MBA at Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management. She points to the quality of education and tight-knit Vanderbilt Business community that attracted her to the program.

“There weren’t many MBA students with a design background, so it was a little bit intimidating to apply and interview, but I felt very welcomed and like I would be supported during that transition period of my life,” she says.

Renz was instantly drawn to marketing while in the MBA program. “I was really fascinated with how all of this energy and work that happens within an organization was then translated to value—what is the value we offer to consumers.”

To combine her passion with a skillset she wanted to sharpen, Renz ultimately decided to pick up both a marketing and finance concentration while in the MBA program.

Jump-Starting a Career in Product Management

After earning her MBA in 1996, Renz launched into product management through a leadership program with Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, MO. After a little less than 2 years with the company, she moved on to work for Kraft Foods in New York in a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand management position. In that role, she worked on kids’ cereals, including Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles.

“I am fascinated by consumer behavior,” Renz explains. “When I’m in an airport, I’m always looking at what brands of shoes people are wearing. Details like that make me think about the insights into what customers are looking for and how, in my case, we can use technology to bring something to life.”

A 20-year Run with Amazon

After working with Kraft Foods for almost 2 years, Renz took a product manager role in the marketing department at Amazon in Seattle, WA.

“I was in the marketing department [at Amazon] for 2 years, but I realized that with CPG, you are really a general business manager, where you represent marketing as a function at the table with all of the other functions, whereas in a single-brand company like Amazon, marketing is more similar to a staff role.”

Renz spent the next 12 years of her career working in various roles on the retail side of Amazon. Some of her greatest achievements while

working with the e-commerce giant include launching and scaling several Amazon retail categories, being named CEO of an Amazon subsidiary company called Diapers.com, and making history serving as the first female technical advisor to Founder, Executive Chairman, and former CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos.

“Working alongside Jeff Bezos definitely made me realize that I was representing more than myself and that I was hopefully opening

payments, so she was eager to jump in and lead a team through such a monumental transformation.

“I consider myself a builder,” Renz says. “Business is all about growth, newness, and change, and I think you have to lean in and be an optimist about the future.”

Renz shares that one of her favorite characteristics about technology is the instant feedback you can receive from consumers: “You can launch

“Working alongside Jeff Bezos definitely made me realize that I was representing more than myself and that I was hopefully opening a path for many others across the organization to be in a similar role.”

a path for many others across the organization to be in a similar role,” she says.

In the last few years of her more than 20-plus-year career with Amazon, Renz worked in operations, running 4 different business entities leading directly and indirectly a team of roughly 80,000 employees. In that role, Renz was also a part of the team that created the 1-day Prime shipping program.

Reflecting on Her Career Journey

After 2 decades with Amazon, Renz was ready for her next adventure. In March of 2020, she left the company and began working as the Executive Vice President of Money, Invest, and Credit Card for SoFi, an American online personal finance company. After 2 years with that company, she briefly worked for a startup called Gopuff in Philadelphia, PA, when she got a call from where she currently serves as the VP of Commerce.

Renz joined Google right at the time when technology began shifting to the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). She notes that Google is positioned “incredibly well” to see how AI can revolutionize shopping and

something today and immediately know via reviews and social media what that feedback is. So, technology for me is this great playground to build new exciting things—it gives you a whole new toolset, and I think AI is just a new toolset to help solve problems for consumers.”

When looking at where she started and where her career journey has taken her, Renz says it all feels a bit “surreal.” While she sometimes struggles with imposter syndrome, Renz says she is proud to be able to look back over her career thus far and point to the ways she has impacted the world of business and helped those around her achieve some of their career aspirations.

“If you take the time to understand what gets you up out of bed in the morning, and then over time in your career try to make choices that get you closest to spending the most amount of time doing that thing you love, then it doesn’t feel like work…If you do that long enough over time, I think it’s amazing the places you can go. Now that’s the fun for me looking back and saying, ‘Wow, I didn’t expect this is where I would end up, but I’m grateful

INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

Managers, You Might Be Preventing Neurodivergent Professionals From

Reaching Their Potential

Understanding neurodiversity and rethinking expectations are crucial first steps leaders can take to support neurodivergent professionals in the workplace

BY LACIE BLANKENSHIP

Despite recent public challenges to the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the workplace, many companies continue to recognize DEI as integral to the overall success of organizations. These topics have rightfully become central tenets of professional development conversations; however, amidst these discussions, neurodiversity—especially within working adults—is often a crucial aspect that remains overlooked. By fostering an inclusive workplace, managers not only help neurodivergent professionals reach their potential but they can also see a workplace that benefits from the strengths of neurodivergent individuals.

Tim Vogus, Deputy Director, Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, and Faculty Director, Leadership Development Program, and Brownlee O. Currey Jr., Professor of Management, Vanderbilt Business, spoke at a Coaches Summit for Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) in late February.

Below, we delve into some of the complexities working neurodivergent professionals face, as discussed between Vogus and MLT coaches who aim to support diverse leaders and equitable workspaces.

Understanding the Terms: Neurodiversity, Neurodivergent and Neurotypical

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity or neurodiverse refers to a range of differences in brain function and behavioral traits and should be used when referring to groups of people, not individuals.

“It is important for people to reframe their thinking with the terminology surrounding neurodiversity,” says Vogus. “The concept of neurological differences is not the same as neurological deficits.”

What is neurodivergent?

Neurodivergent Adults Face Professional Challenges

Neurodivergent professionals encounter a multitude of challenges navigating a world catered toward the neurotypical. While there are some support systems in place for youth and young adults, neurodivergent adults are often forgotten. Upon concluding education, neurodivergent individuals see a significant decline in formalized support and are often left to fend for themselves in a workforce designed around neurotypical standards.

“The neurodiverse children who thrive with support in their youth grow up to have high unemployment rates and employment instability and lack career growth and leadership opportunities,” says Vogus.

In the professional world, neurodivergent individuals encounter challenges from the application and interview processes onward. These workers with valuable skills often find themselves misunderstood when communication issues arise due to differences in information processing and interpretation or overwhelmed due to sensory sensitivities, such as bright lights and background noise, or unwritten social expectations, like navigating small talk and office politics. These obstacles can create feelings of isolation, anxiety, and a need to mask differences in ways that can cause burnout, ultimately impeding professional growth and success in the workplace.

The term neurodivergent refers to an individual and means differing cognition or neurology from what is considered typical. Neurodivergence encompasses a range of neurological variations, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, tourettes, and more.

What is neurotypical?

The term neurotypical refers to thinking, processing information, and behaving in ways consistent with social expectations and is considered the norm.

Prioritizing Inclusion and Accommodations

In his presentation, Vogus carefully pointed out that different ways of thinking bring unique strengths to teams. For example, common strengths associated with autism include concentration, fine detail processing, memory, honesty, and sensory awareness. Workplaces that embrace neurodiversity often see increased innovation, creativity, and problem solving.

“There’s this untapped pool of talent and innovation that the world misses out on because we don’t create sufficient space and properly support people who think and process the world differently,” says Vogus.

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Role of Managers in Supporting Neurodivergent Professionals

Managers are pivotal in creating an inclusive workplace where neurodivergent professionals can thrive. It starts with a deep awareness and understanding of neurodiversity, recognizing that each person requires some level of customization that allows them to showcase their unique strengths and minimize challenges. One simple step managers can take is being clear and explicit about tasks and relational expectations on the job. Oftentimes, neurotypical managers misinterpret the actions of their neurodivergent employees as “poor fit” or “too gruff” because the manager has insufficiently set expectations and left what makes a good employee tacit. As such, it’s essential for managers to educate themselves and their teams about neurodiversity, fostering a culture of psychological safety.

This environment is necessary for people to feel safe disclosing diagnoses, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Communication is key in this regard, as it allows managers to identify their specific needs and tailor support accordingly. By creating inclusive work environments where people feel valued and respected, managers can help unlock the full potential of their team.

“There are a lot of simple changes employers and managers can implement that lead to the robust success of neurodiverse professionals—and organizations as a whole,” says Vogus.

to perform a job based on displays of their work rather than verbal explanations. After all, workplaces should aim to hire those who can do the job, not those who can talk about the job.

Vogus also suggests accommodations such as separating soft skills from role expectations and offering environmental changes depending on the employees’ needs, like remote work, private workspaces with no windows, noise-canceling headphones, and alternative communication methods.

When interpersonal collaboration is required, both parties to the interaction (neurotypical and neurodivergent) need to clarify their expectations and preferences. When these expectations and preferences are not explicit, misunderstandings about role duties and performance often follow. In environments where neurodivergent employees do not receive clear expectations, they may not have the same opportunities for professional advancement.

Training and Education for Managers

Workplace diversity training for professionals should include education on neurodiversity. You can learn more about educational opportunities and ongoing research at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation.

At the Frist Center, engineers, business scholars, and disability researchers unite with experts in neuroscience and education to

“There are a lot of simple changes employers and managers can implement that lead to the robust success of neurodiverse professionals—and organizations as a whole,” says Vogus.

Rethink Expectations and Leverage the Strengths of Neurodiverse Workers

When supporting the employment of neurodivergent professionals, it’s crucial for hiring teams, managers, and workplace leaders to rethink their expectations and approaches.

For the hiring process, Vogus suggests actions like providing interview questions in advance and asking for work samples or providing exercises for candidates to ensure they have the skillset needed for the job, instead of relying on traditional interview processes. Candidates can be more fairly evaluated on their ability

understand, maximize, and promote neurodivergent talent. The Center takes a strengths-based approach (as opposed to deficitbased) to understanding autism and neurodiversity. The Center offers employment readiness training, employment opportunities, employment coaching, and innovative technology that helps redesign the workplace to be more accepting and inclusive to neurodivergent professionals.

“At the Frist Center, we focus on filling the gaps and aim to make it so our world doesn’t miss out on the unique strengths and abilities of neurodivergent individuals,” says Vogus.

Celebrating Innovative Teaching: Vanderbilt Business Faculty Member Honored Nationally for Motivating Student Participation

BY LACIE BLANKENSHIP

We’ve all been in at least one of those painful meetings where the speaker asks a question and receives nothing but blank stares and crickets chirping in response. An engaged audience is a strong force behind the impact of any learning experience, and Jen Riley, Senior Lecturer of Marketing at Vanderbilt Business, knows just the strategy to drive student participation in her classes. In fact, Riley was among a team of scholars recognized with the 2023 Innovations in Teaching Award from the Society of Marketing Advances (SMA).

“This recognition is both an honor and an inspiration,” says Riley. “The award signifies a shared commitment to empowering students and embracing the concept that education is a collaborative and innovative adventure.”

Riley and Priscilla Peña, a PhD candidate in marketing at the University of Rhode Island, presented the strategy, “The Participation Competition,” in November at the SMA annual conference in Fort Worth, Texas. A paper on the strategy, written by Riley, Peña, and Nicole Davis, a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia, is forthcoming in a special edition of Marketing Education Review on innovative teaching.

The Participation Competition is a teaching strategy to increase student participation and learning by turning it into a competitive and engaging activity. One example is to break a classroom of students into groups; the groups operate as teams and can earn points through various participation activities. Teachers can enhance the competition by assigning different values to participation activities and displaying the team scores throughout the course to drive continued engagement.

“The Participation Competition is about instilling a love for learning in students,” says Riley. “We all have so much to learn from each other, and when students are active contributors to a lesson, everyone walks away feeling a stronger and lasting impact.”

This strategy encourages students to shift their mindset toward participation by leveraging the principles of gamification, making the learning process more enjoyable and interactive. Students are able to lean in on the intrinsic motivation of being in a dynamic environment.

The strategy was formally tested in marketing courses at the University of Rhode Island and the University of Georgia. The researchers found that students in classes that used the strategy were more engaged than students in classes that did not use the strategy.

This research was inspired by the observation that students in a post-pandemic era exhibited lower levels of classroom engagement than their predecessors, reports highlighting the pandemic’s impact on students’ socio-emotional development, and the potential influence of competition on dopamine levels, especially for individuals with ADHD.

“Gone are the days of a teacher or professor standing at the front of the room and lecturing for every class,” says Riley. “Our attention spans are shorter, and there is a need for dynamic learning environments, especially in marketing courses. By implementing this strategy into lesson plans, educators are adapting to today’s students.”

While The Participation Competition was tested on marketing university students, the strategy can be applied in all areas of academia, regardless of student age. Likewise, the strategy can be adapted in various non-classroom settings to enhance engagement, collaboration, and motivation.

“Although we present this strategy to benefit marketing classes, leaders of any group for all subjects and age groups can apply it to their presentation,” says Riley. It’s worth testing this strategy in scenarios outside the classroom since we’re all students in some way!”

INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

Professor Joshua T. White pushes students to think strategically about discussions and issues at the forefront of the finance world

BRIDGING THE GAP:

Professor Joshua T. White uses Reddit IPO case to take students from the classroom to the boardroom

BY OLIVIA ROBERTSON & LACIE BLANKENSHIP

Wall Street news has been booming with Reddit—a social media platform and online community where users can submit, comment on, and vote on content in various topic-based forums called subreddits—as a focal point. The social media platform recently announced the launch of the

Reddit IPO process, offering shares to the public for the first time, an announcement that has become one of the most highly anticipated Wall Street tech debuts of recent months. Reddit reserved 8% of its public shares for its users, moderators, and employees. This method is not uncommon

but is often seen as non-traditional and has been met with reluctance, as many of those who fall within this group who are eligible to purchase reserved stocks cite strained relations with Reddit’s management and concerns over the company’s financial health, which includes a cumulative loss

of $716.6 million. What can we expect from Reddit going public, and what can we predict will be the outcome of this reluctance of eligible purchasers to invest in the social media company?

Reddit IPO Case: Professor Joshua T. White Shares Expertise

In the article titled “Reddit power users balk at chance to participate in IPO as Wall Street debut nears,” CNBC asks the same question, calling on Joshua T. White, Assistant Professor of Finance and Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Dean’s Faculty Fellow at Vanderbilt Business and Former SEC Economist, to provide expert commentary on Reddit’s IPO. In doing so, he noted that Reddit’s directed share program (DSP), which reserves shares for high-reputation users and moderators, could be “nice stocking stuff,” referencing how similar programs have rewarded early participants in past IPOs. However, White cautioned that Reddit’s IPO is likely riskier than the tech IPOs of 2020 and 2021 due to the current market conditions and the general downturn in tech stock performance since early 2022.

Teaching Finance: Learning From the Reddit IPO Case

Being in the classroom with Professor Joshua T. White is a deeply immersive experience for many students. He enriches the learning environment by incorporating real-life scenarios, providing finance students with practical insights into situations they may encounter in their careers, such as the Reddit IPO case. In a recent discussion, Professor White elaborated on the advantages of integrating real-world examples into academic settings, his extensive experience in the finance sector at the U.S. Securities and Exchange

Commission (SEC), and how he combines the 2 to make for an educational experience that shows the clear connections between what his students are learning and what is happening in reality.

“I’ve found that one of the most effective methods to bridge the gap between the classroom and reality is to present public cases that I’ve been involved with or spoken with the media about to my students and allow them to work through the pros and cons and come to a solution on their own,” says White.

His guidance and involvement in the cases from an expert perspective allow him to moderate these classroom discussions while inviting students to explore solutions holistically.

“Professor White’s approach to letting student discussions guide the lecture has greatly enhanced my learning experience,” says Jocelyn Riopel (MSF’24). “His method encourages us to think critically and engage deeply with complex finance topics, making the classroom a dynamic and enriching environment. His use of real-life references and stories brought typically dry finance concepts to life, making them easier to understand and connect with.”

From Congress to the Classroom

White testified before the United States Congress on reforming the proxy process to safeguard investor interests in July 2023 and on the SEC’s climate disclosure rule in April 2024. White brought his congressional testimonies to his class, allowing the students to ask questions before and after to understand the key issues and, from there, to analyze the situation at hand and better comprehend how what they are learning is reflected in reality.

Continued on page 22

“Professor White’s approach to letting student discussions guide the lecture has greatly enhanced my learning experience,” says Jocelyn Riopel (MSF’24).

“His method encourages us to think critically and engage deeply with complex finance topics, making the classroom a dynamic and enriching environment. His use of reallife references and stories brought typically dry finance concepts to life, making them easier to understand and connect with.”

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Continued from last page

“We spent an entire class talking about why the SEC creates rules for disclosure. What are the costs? What are the benefits? And what the current issues are,” says White. “I think what the students like about this approach is that they not only learn finance, but they see how we arrived at these rules and regulations.”

White recognizes that in the classroom, students can be taught that a financial process—such as helping a company go public as an investment banker—is the way it is because lawmakers or regulators have determined it helps companies and protects investors. However, White wants his students to be able to dig deeper and understand why these processes and rules exist and where they came from.

“I can tell the students these processes are what investment bankers and managers must do at the IPO because the SEC rules require it,” says White. “Or, you can teach them that this is the way it used to be done because of prior SEC rules, and these are the technology changes that allow it to be done this way now. I think that adds some credibility to the instructor to convey why rules and regulations exist and why they have changed over time. It also gives students insight into how the world works now and how it might work in the future as technologies and regulations evolve.”

Encouraging Student Curiosity

White allows the students’ discussions to lead lectures, often inviting them to start

conversations surrounding teachable topics organically through their genuine curiosity.

“I try to take a very balanced approach to classroom discussion,” says White. “There’s usually no one right answer to a problem or an issue. If there were, it wouldn’t be controversial. I try to set up the discussion so that the students can identify the issues themselves—I don’t feed it to them,’” says White.

“As a student from a non-finance background, Professor White’s classes have been a fascinating and enriching experience,” says Vincent Alemede (MBA’25). “His ability to make complex financial concepts comprehensible and engaging has truly sparked my interest and eagerness to learn more.”

“His ability to make complex financial concepts comprehensible and engaging has truly sparked my interest and eagerness to learn more,” says Vincent Alemede (MBA’25).

Scholarly Research Inspired by Student Engagement

When asked about the benefit of implementing real-life experiences in the classroom, White focuses heavily on student involvement in new areas of research.

“Typically, academic research is very specialized because we need to create new knowledge around a narrow topic that hasn’t been explored,” says White. “However, that is not the case in my class because it is closely aligned with my research program. I enjoy that because it allows me to both incorporate my studies in the course material and to generate new research ideas based on our classroom discussion. I get feedback from the students, and they get it from me, so we learn from each other’s experiences.”

White mentions that students have impacted his research, stating, “I’ve had students bring up questions as we talked about contemporaneous finance issues that resulted in starting new research projects, which eventually led to publications based on those conversations. So, I think the students value this 2-way exchange of information—I certainly value it.”

When speaking to White, it is clear that the value that his experience brings to the classroom—when combined with his students’ curiosity—is limitless and advantageous for his research and his students alike.

“When your research and work experience directly relate to what you’re teaching, it just creates a richer learning environment, such that everyone benefits. I benefit, the student benefits,” says White. “And, ultimately, the companies that they go to work for benefit, as they get an employee who possesses knowledge and real-world insights that most graduates wouldn’t have into how the SEC works, what issues are important now, and what issues will be significant down the road.”

White’s method of connecting classroom learning with real-world applications, as with the Reddit IPO case, is clearly centered on the students, giving them a sense of fulfillment and leaving them with pertinent questions for future sessions. This approach ensures that both White and his students are well-prepared with practical knowledge they can use in their finance careers. His aim is to encourage students to think innovatively and to challenge conventional wisdom, fostering a mindset that’s not confined by traditional methods.

Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management is excited to share that Joshua T. White, Assistant Professor of Finance and a Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Dean’s Faculty Fellow, will be taking a yearlong leave to serve as the Senior Advisor of Economic Analysis at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) in Washington, D.C., beginning in Summer 2024.

The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation established by Congress under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to oversee the audits of public companies. It ensures the protection of

“When your research and work experience directly relate to what you’re teaching, it just creates a richer learning environment, such that everyone benefits. I benefit, the student benefits,” says White.

investors and the public interest through the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. In addition, the PCAOB oversees the audits of brokers and dealers registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including compliance reports filed under federal securities laws.

White’s experience and expertise will be invaluable in supporting the PCAOB’s goals of modernizing standards, enhancing inspections, strengthening enforcement, and improving organizational effectiveness.

New Mission Statement Builds Upon Owen’s Momentum and Sets the Course for Future Endeavors

Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management has embarked on a transformative journey with the unveiling of a new mission statement : “Creating opportunities to discover, grow, and thrive in business and beyond.”

Centered upon the words “Discover, Grow, and Thrive,” this statement captures the essence of the school’s vision and aspirations. Through an inclusive and collaborative 6-month process, the Vanderbilt Business community has crafted a mission that not only reflects its current identity but also sets the course for future educational endeavors.

Creating Opportunities: A Collaborative Effort

The process of developing this mission statement was a meticulous and inclusive one, involving a committee consisting of Vanderbilt Business faculty, staff, and alumni. Richard Willis, Associate Provost for Research and Innovation, Anne Marie and Thomas B. Walker, Jr., Professor of Accounting, and Senior Associate Dean for the Faculty at Vanderbilt Business was a key member of the mission statement committee. He described the experience as both creative and organic. “We wanted to ensure that we captured as many voices as possible,” Willis explained. “Faculty, staff, and alumni were three sets of constituencies that we engaged with throughout the process.”

Dean Thomas Steenburgh reflected on the inspiring stories heard during the mission statement development: “We heard from a faculty member empowered to explore scholarly work across nontraditional boundaries, a student who secured venture capital for a startup, staff who create opportunities for personal growth and lifelong learning each day, and alumni who achieved career successes beyond their wildest dreams thanks to Owen. These experiences highlight the personal and meaningful impact of our work, capturing why we do what we do.”

Discover: Embracing Curiosity and Innovation

One pillar of the new mission statement, “Discover,” embodies the spirit of curiosity and innovation that defines Vanderbilt Business. “Discovering is about more than just acquiring knowledge,” Willis noted. “It’s about uncovering new aspects of oneself, exploring career aspirations, and gaining insights that can transform lives.”

Dean Steenburgh echoed this sentiment, highlighting the role of discovery in both academic and professional growth. “We wanted a mission statement that embraces the art of becoming. It is both aspirational and true to who we are. Our mission recognizes discovery in traditional forms, such as scholarly research, intellectual curiosity, and curricular learning. But it also celebrates discovery unique to the human experience, which is lived through a desire to choose our own paths, to seek excellence in our work, and to meaningfully connect with others.”

Neema Mehta, Owen Alumni Board member, shared her own connection to the word ‘Discover’: “I went through a career change, and discovery really helped me coming out of operations and going into HR. What I love about the discovery aspect of Owen is you can make your own impact and legacy here. Discovery helped me in creating the Leadership Development Program at Owen, which is a cornerstone of the Owen experience today.”

Grow: Nurturing Personal and Professional Development

A second pillar, “Grow,” speaks to the comprehensive development that Vanderbilt Business aims to foster in its community members. This growth is multifaceted, encompassing personal, professional, and intellectual dimensions.

“We view growth as a continuous process,” Willis explained. “It’s about expanding one’s abilities and capabilities, both during and beyond the time spent at Owen.”

Dean Steenburgh underscored the importance of growth in the context of lifelong learning. “Our mission is to provide an environment where individuals can grow throughout their lives. We believe in nurturing talent and helping our students and alumni achieve their full potential. Growth doesn't stop at graduation; it’s a lifelong journey.”

During one of the mission statement committee meetings, Cara Heilmann, Owen Alumni Board member,

recounted the tremendous opportunity for growth she has received as part of the Vanderbilt Business community. She came to Owen 30 years ago, with the main goal of finding an MBA program as far away from home as possible. “I was working at a bank in Hawaii and my boyfriend asked me, ‘Have you thought of getting your MBA?’ That set me in motion. I went to the public library and found Vanderbilt. I called them, applied, got interviewed, and then accepted. I showed up in flip-flops and a tank top for this amazing opportunity, and after 30 years, I’m sitting here saying ‘wow,’ this has been an amazing journey that has changed my life.”

Thrive: Achieving Success and Well-being

The final pillar, “Thrive,” represents the culmination of discovery and growth. It signifies not just professional success, but also personal well-being and fulfillment. “Thriving is about reaching a state where one can excel and find satisfaction in their endeavors,” Willis said. “It’s about creating a positive impact on one’s community and the world.”

“It’s about uncovering new aspects of oneself, exploring career aspirations, and gaining insights that can transform lives.”

– Richard Willis

For Dean Steenburgh, thriving is an integral part of the Owen experience. “We aim to equip our students with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. This means not only achieving career success but also leading meaningful lives. We want our graduates to be leaders who inspire others and take on the world's biggest challenges.”

Owen Alumni Board member Megan Teepe said the word “thrive” within the new mission statement really resonated with her Vanderbilt Business experience. “My experiences at Owen set me up to do things beyond what I initially envisioned I could do. The lessons I learned at Owen show up every day in my work. I carry my faculty's words in my head and heart that I then apply in my role.”

Business and Beyond: A Broader Perspective

One of the most distinctive aspects of the new mission statement is its inclusion of “business and beyond.” This phrase captures the broad applicability of business principles across various sectors and endeavors. “Business permeates everything we do,” Willis explained. “It’s not just about the bottom line. Running a university, a nonprofit organization, or even a household involves business principles.”

Dean Steenburgh expanded on this idea, emphasizing the broad nature of business education. “Our graduates go on to impact a wide range of fields—from healthcare to technology, from finance to social entrepreneurship. ‘Business and beyond’ reflects our commitment to preparing students for careers in whatever field they choose. It’s about thinking broadly and understanding that the skills we teach are valuable in any context.”

A New Chapter for Vanderbilt Business

The new mission statement marks a significant milestone for Vanderbilt Business, reflecting both its rich history and its forward-looking vision. As Dean Steenburgh put it, “This mission statement is more than just words; it’s a declaration of who we are and what we strive to achieve. It’s a commitment to our students, our faculty, our alumni, and our broader community.”

For Richard Willis and the rest of the committee, the process of developing this mission statement was both challenging and rewarding. “It was truly an honor to be part of this effort,” Willis said. “We wanted to create something that everyone could get behind, something that would inspire and guide us for years to come.”

In this new mission statement, Vanderbilt Business has found a succinct and powerful expression of its values and aspirations. This statement will undoubtedly serve as a guiding light for the school, helping to create opportunities for generations of students and professionals to discover, grow, and thrive in business and beyond.

AI: Where to Start?

BY OLIVIA ROBERTSON

Jesse A. Blocher, Associate Professor of the Practice of Data Science and Finance, discusses his thoughts on how to interact with AI and how businesses can implement AI into their day-to-day to improve efficiency and employee satisfaction.

The

Big Question: What will AI change, and how should we respond?

Where do we begin when thinking about AI?

Before digging into what AI will change and how businesses and individuals should react, it is important to understand how we should think about AI. AI is a general-purpose technology, like the internet.

Blocher suggests approaching AI like the internet in the late 1990s. AI is still so new that we are figuring out what it is, and we still need to learn the right questions to ask. Just like it took years to develop and refine advanced uses of the internet, AI will go through a similar period of growth and learning. “Right now, we’re essentially doing the same things we’ve always done, just better and faster, thanks to AI,” states Blocher. “This is just phase 0—we don’t know what

all it can do yet.” In saying this, Blocher nods to the notion that we do not yet know what business models or groundbreaking ideas will emerge that will completely change our understanding of AI’s potential. This evolution will unfold over the next 5-10 years, and much of this innovative work will be driven by institutions like Vanderbilt’s College of Connected Computing.

What should businesses do in response to advancements in AI?

Blocher provides insight regarding how businesses can react to the continually increasing discoveries about AI and their implementation into everyday life, touching on protecting proprietary information, employee satisfaction, and competition.

Ensure protection of proprietary information while using AI

When using the free version of AI chat models, users take on the responsibility that AI models will train on the information they share to fuel model improvement. Therefore, there are concerns that proprietary information entered into these chat interfaces puts that data in a position to be compromised. With paid subscriptions, there are assurances that training is not performed on users text input, but Blocher says you should be careful.

Instead, Blocher recommends businesses use AI to their advantage without putting confidential information at risk by building their own internal AI platform. Rather than purchasing a bulk AI subscription for all employees, the company should contract with companies like Microsoft or Amazon to build their platform with a chat interface inside a protected firewall. By putting AI into the hands of its employees, a company can learn the best use cases for this technology and, from there, create custom solutions to drive value while maintaining confidentiality.

Create a culture centered around protected discovery Many of AI’s best uses will be discovered by employees learning more about what the technology can do as they use it. Businesses need to create a culture where employees feel safe to share how AI has made their jobs easier without fear of being replaced with automation.

Blocher notes that many people fear that AI will take their job, and if not their job, then their friend’s job. He provides an example, stating, “If you are in the accounting department, and you figure out this cool new AI thing that makes your job easier, you aren't going to feel happy if the business implements your idea and 2 of your friends get let go as a result.” Many employees are using AI in secret to protect their jobs and livelihoods from being replaced by AI. With that in mind, what can firms do to assure their employees that AI will not push them out? Acknowledging that he is not an organizational behavior expert, Blocher suggests that for both the firm and its employees to reap the benefits of increased efficiency via AI in the workplace, the firm could implement shorter work weeks without a decrease in pay. This way, as employees find more ways to streamline their workflow and, as a result, simplify the company’s workflow as a whole, they are rewarded with what many believe AI was made for: life made easier. Blocher believes this is the immediate path forward, where

AI enhances human ability instead of replacing it. If businesses can understand the benefits of blending human power and AI power and can promote the disclosed use of AI among their employees by ensuring job security and increased benefits, they will likely see a significant increase in productivity and employee satisfaction.

What does this mean for the future?

It is hard to know where AI will take us—just like it was hard to know the future capabilities of the internet as it became widely available. However, we can learn from Blocher and other experts how we can best operate as humankind is still discovering what this technological phenomenon has to offer. With protecting ourselves, our information, and our businesses in mind, we can learn more about how AI can make our lives—both personal and professional—better across many different fields.

Vanderbilt’s College of Connected Computing

Vanderbilt University is taking a big step into the future by launching its new College of Connected Computing. This new college is all about the exciting worlds of computing, AI, and data science—it is a hub for cutting-edge research and education in these rapidly growing fields. By encouraging collaboration across different disciplines and engaging with the latest technology, the College of Connected Computing aims to give students the tools they need to thrive in our digital world. As the need for AI and data science experts keeps growing, Vanderbilt’s newest addition will become a key player in shaping the future of tech and innovation.

“This isn’t going to be just another college of computing,” says Blocher. “The idea is that this college will have a bigger impact on the parts of the university that are not as computational, such as archaeology, ancient French, law, sociology, political science—those are the areas where there is much to be gained.” Blocher highlights that this college is coming at a perfect time because data, data science, and AI will eventually impact every field, and the addition of the College of Connected Computing shows that Vanderbilt is taking early measures to make this technology a priority.

From

DARE TO GROW: GIVE. GO. HELP. SHARE.

As we kick off another exciting year at Vanderbilt, there has never been a better time to engage with the Owen community. Our historic Dare to Grow fundraising campaign is in full swing, and I invite you to consider ways you can engage and contribute your time, talent, or treasure. Alumni are vital partners as we accelerate the campaign’s momentum and set out to realize Dean Steenburgh’s vision for Owen’s future students, faculty, and alumni.

There are many ways to be a part of the Dare to Grow campaign and this transformative moment in our history:

Your philanthropic support can make an incredible impact. Your gift to the Owen Annual Fund, for example, can support areas of greatest need, such as scholarships or travel for case competitions. On the opposite page, you can read more about our campaign priorities—your generosity can help fuel these initiatives, driving the intersection of business with healthcare, entrepreneurship, real estate, artificial intelligence, and the creative economy.

Alumni, parents, and friends can give to Owen in a variety of ways, including one-time gifts, gifts of stocks and securities, and more. Many companies offer employer matching gift programs that could double or triple your gift. Additionally, planned gifts are a way to support Owen’s mission while accommodating your personal, financial, and estate-planning goals. I encourage you to consider supporting Owen in a way that is meaningful to you.

I also encourage you to join Vanderbilt and Owen events—on campus, across the country, around the globe, and online. Whether you want to reconnect, network, organize a Closing Bell, meet with prospective students, or learn from industry experts, there are countless ways to get involved. We will even provide an “Event-InA-Box” with Owen-branded materials to help you organize your own gatherings.

The Owen Volunteer Community is a group of highly connected alumni volunteers who serve as liaisons between their classmates and Owen. Roles like Class Agents and Class Secretaries help increase alumni engagement and encourage class participation. Our Dare to Grow campaign is thriving thanks to hands-on volunteers who help coordinate and drive connections. Our volunteers bring alumni together on campus and in cities around the world, help recruit and mentor talented students, and drive philanthropic support.

Share your expertise by presenting to a class or club, networking within the Owen community, or getting involved at alumni events. You can also help spread the word about Owen to your own networks—you are our greatest ambassadors!

Our Owen community is fueled by supporters dedicated to strengthening the school as a world-class business leader. As we embark on a new chapter, please join us to empower the next generation of Vanderbilt students, thought leaders and innovators. Let’s Dare to Grow together.

– Kelli J. Edmond Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Relations, Owen Graduate

School

of Management kelli.j.edmond@vanderbilt.edu

CHARTING OUR FUTURE: 5 KEY FUNDRAISING PRIORITIES

Just as Owen’s new mission embraces the art of becoming, donors can help propel Owen to new heights with a gift to support one of the school’s 5 key fundraising priorities. Philanthropic investments to support the following “right to win” areas will ultimately enrich our world-class business education, spur a new wave of student-led innovation and business development, and elevate the school’s reputation and impact.

No matter how you choose to direct your support—such as a current-use gift, endowed commitment, or inclusion in your estate plans—every contribution matters and every gift counts. For more information, contact Kelli Edmond, Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Relations, at 254-855-6831 or Kelli.J.Edmond@vanderbilt.edu.

1

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship at Owen has moved from the sidelines to the forefront. From the establishment of the Center for Entrepreneurship (C4E) in 2016 to the launch of the Vanderbilt Student Venture Fund in 2023 and the shift of the Hoogland Undergraduate Business Program under the leadership of Owen beginning in fall 2024, we have ushered in a new era of business education to empower future entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

2

Healthcare Nashville has emerged as a leader in U.S. healthcare delivery. By leveraging Nashville’s robust healthcare environment and assets such as the Center for Health Care Market Innovation, Owen is uniquely positioned to help physicians, nurses, and clinical and non-clinical administrators take their careers to the next level and shape the future of a complex and rapidly changing industry.

3

Real Estate

We are currently developing a real estate curriculum to equip undergraduate and graduate students with critical skills, business connections, and opportunities in a quickly evolving real estate sector. The program will be a differentiator in supporting students pursuing growth and wealth generation.

4

AI Understanding AI is crucial to a modern business education and will equip graduates with the tools and insights needed to harness the power of AI to drive efficiency, data-driven decision making, and cost savings in their organizations.

5

Creative Economy

Owen aims to be a leader in preparing students to engage in the rapidly changing creative economy, as brands and companies increasingly interact with consumers through social media and influencers.

FY24 OWEN DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI

$25M+ 6 250 $1.3M

Raised over $25M to support the work of Owen in areas of greatest opportunity: entrepreneurship, real estate, scholarships, and more.

Held a successful reunion in November 2023, with over 250 alumni and guests attending the weekend’s activities. Save the date for Reunion 2024 on November 7-10.

Launched the Vanderbilt Student Venture Fund, securing $700K in gift commitments, as well as $600K in matching funds, for a total of $1.3M.

Global Highlights of Owen alums in key markets:

Number of Owen alums by country

Attended 6 Dare to Grow Campaign events across the country, including NYC, Houston, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, and San Francisco. Nearly 100 Owen alums attended these events. There will be upcoming events this fall in Chicago, Washington D.C., and LA.

Sonya Waitman [Canada] Founder and Managing Director, Chilco Strategies, Vancouver, BC

“Attending Owen made it possible for me to achieve my dream of running my own company. Started during the pandemic, Chilco Strategies delivers marketing support to the world’s largest technology companies with a remote work force of senior professionals operating as individual subcontractors. My time at Owen, especially studying with Dave Owens, broadened my perspective to see the possibility of this model and it gave me the practical skillset to confidently make it a reality.”

RELATIONS REPORT

350 4 $900K

350 Owen alumni met with members of the Development & Alumni Relations team and Dean Steenburgh to share about their alumni experiences and how they would like to support the school.

The Owen Event-In-A-Box was launched, with 4 events taking place in the San Francisco area and Denver, in an effort to encourage alumni collaboration and support connection-building through alumniled events, keeping the Closing Bell spirit in your communities.

For the second year in a row, the Owen Annual Fund, which helps to provide unrestricted, current use funds, raised over $900K.

Founder/CEO, BlueKaktus, New Delhi

“Owen

Judy Song [South Korea] Chief Compliance Officer at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Seoul

“Owen opened many doors for my career: Vanderbilt has a big name not just in the U.S. but also my home country, and its robust business program was indispensable in finding my current career path.”

Managing Executive Officer & Division Director, Shinagawa Refractories Co., Ltd., Tokyo

“Owen MBA was far more than just a degree, but a true professional transformative journey that allowed me to gain diverse thinking and perspectives and improve communication skills. It continues through life-long learning across the school and our alumni community.”

Heiki Miki [Japan]

Gunish Jain [India]

Beth T Torres

Transforming Make-A-Wish and Inspiring Future Nonprofit Leaders

BY AIMEE LEVITT

Beth Torres (EMBA’11) is a passionate advocate for nonprofits, not just in her own work as President and CEO of the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee, but also as a member of the Nashville business community and the Vanderbilt Business Alumni Board, where she helped develop the Owen Board Fellows program to give Vanderbilt MBA students experience sitting on nonprofit boards.

Nonprofit work wasn’t always on her radar. Torres’s early jobs were in sports marketing, and she expected she would spend her entire career in corporate America. But then she worked at an organization that was poorly run and unsuccessful, which inspired what she calls a “karmic shift” and a search for something more meaningful. “I had to do something good in the world,” she says, “because my last job had been so miserable.”

Her first role in the nonprofit world was with Junior Achievement USA. She thought the work would be fun, fulfilling, and much easier than a corporate job. She was correct on the first 2 counts, but not the last: it was the hardest work she had ever done. And she loved it.

Initially, Torres believed that nonprofits were run by, as she put it, “really well-meaning people who don’t emphasize the business side, but the mission side.” Her boss at Junior Achievement USA showed her a very different reality—that a nonprofit could both do good in the world and run like a successful business. This revelation changed her perspective of nonprofit work and started her on a journey of advocacy. Her advocacy grew stronger as a student in Vanderbilt’s Executive MBA program. Torres was chosen as the 2009 recipient of the EMBA Nonprofit Management Scholarship, which provided the financial

resources she needed to join the program. Of the 50 students in her class, she was the only one from the nonprofit world. She wanted to change the narrative for nonprofits and help others see the incredible work and potential of organizations that were giving back to the world in successful and sustainable ways.

The main difference between corporate vs. nonprofit, as she sees it, is that when people invest in a corporation, they expect to get their money back (and then some). When people invest in a nonprofit, they’re investing in their community. “You have to believe that we’re going to do what we’re supposed to do, every year,” she says.

Shortly after Torres graduated in 2011, she was invited to apply for the CEO role at Make-a-Wish. At first, she was uncertain. She saw herself as more of a second-in-command kind of leader. Plus, Make-a-Wish had just gone through several years of turmoil and organizational challenges. However, she saw the ways she could

improve the organization based on what she had learned at Vanderbilt and believed it could be transformed with the right business mindset. And that’s exactly what happened. In the past 12 years, the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee has doubled both the staff (to 12) and the number of wishes granted per year (155) and tripled the revenue to $3.2 million.

Over the years, Torres became more involved in alumni affairs at Vanderbilt and observed that many of her former classmates were invited to sit on nonprofit boards as business leaders, though many had little to no experience working for nonprofit organizations or exposure to nonprofit management courses. This gave Torres an idea: What if Vanderbilt MBA students could learn about the nonprofit world and develop their community leadership skills by serving in internships on boards?

This idea developed into what is now known as the Owen Board Fellows program. Torres worked alongside Mario Avila (MBA’12), the director of Vanderbilt’s Center for Social Ventures, and Kathleen Fuchs Hritz (EMBA’22) to flesh out the details of the program, which matches 30-35 students each year with nonprofit organizations. Students serve on these nonprofit boards and take on special projects to improve the effectiveness of the organizations. Projects vary based on each student’s interests and the needs of the nonprofit they are working for; last year, for example, the board fellow assigned to Make-a-Wish, Bryan Chang

“A nonprofit should be adjusting all the time. That’s where business plays a role: how do you start up, when to merge, when to sunset, how to know when something has been realized and close it.”

–Beth Torres

(MBA‘24), helped outline the investment policy and RFP notes for financial advisors.

Torres believes the beauty of a well-run nonprofit is that there’s room for it to find a gap in the community and fill it. “A nonprofit should be adjusting all the time,” she says. “That’s where business plays a role: how do you start up, when to merge, when to sunset, how to know when something has been realized and close it.”

The Owen Board Fellows program is now in its fifth year. Every year, there are more applicants than available slots. “The students that are applying are doers,” says Torres. “The fact that these students want this opportunity speaks to the direction business leadership is going. This generation is more well-rounded, more balanced, and more community and socially aware.”

The program also gives the students a chance to represent Vanderbilt in the larger Nashville community and support the Center for Social Ventures’s larger goal of fostering social entrepreneurship and supporting nonprofits. It also shows them that the gap between nonprofit and for-profit businesses is not as large as it may seem.

“This generation may change businesses to be more responsive to the community,” says Torres. “And the leadership of nonprofits will be more business-savvy without losing heart. On my best days, that’s who I am. I want that for us. I want that for our industry. I want that for our community.”

Left to right: Nashville Predator

Left Wing Filip Forsberg, Beth Torres, and Wish Kid Asher at the Nashville Predators game

Beth Torres poses with Wish Kid Daziee

CLASS ACTS

’80

Dan Adkins , MBA , recently published a new book, Gifts From My Father. His words speak to the personal effects of dementia, addressing different levels of the disease while giving examples of 'gifts' drawn from conversations with his father.

’97In January of 2024, Thomas Sharpe , MBA , moved to Nashville with his wife, Jennifer Steltjes Sharpe (BA’96). Their twin sons, Thomas and Robert, are rising juniors at Vanderbilt. They remain involved in Vanderbilt parent groups (co-chairing Parent Campaign Cabinet) and are active members of the Vanderbilt Innovation Investment Committee, where they are investing Vanderbilt funds into innovators. He also launched the Dental Innovation Alliance VC Fund, investing in early-stage dental and health innovation.

Jamie Sheffler, MBA , moved to Naples, FL in November 2023 and is looking forward to star t ing a new business venture.

’99

Bill Norton , EMBA , recently landed on the coast of Antartica at Andvord Bay. He has now visited all 7 continents.

’07In the last decade, Rehan Choudhry, MBA , moved to Las Vegas to open The Cosmopolitan, a luxury hotel, founded the Life is Beautiful festival (acquired by Rolling Stone) and more recently founded Chptr, a mobile memorialization platform to gather, share , and hold memories for a lost loved one. It recently raised $1.5 million in seed funding. He also married Jessica Moore and had 2 babies, Nico and Coco.

Michael Clinton , MBA , and his business partner, Kamau Coleman, opened the Redline Venice Hotel this past spring. This is the only Black-owned hotel in Venice Beach, offering luxury while confronting redlining through its name.

’12Aft

er returning to Salt Lake City in 2020, Andy Rigby, MBA , and his wife Amanda purchased a small custom upholstery maker in Sandy, UT. After 3 years of building their local business, they decided to expand nationwide. Wild Willow Bespoke Furniture was launched in 2024 as a solution for customers who aren't willing to sacrifice on either quality or customization.

’13

Mackenzie Melvin Neal , BS’12, MSF, and John Neal were married in Arizona on March 9, 2024. She is a Financial Analyst in Chicago, and he is a Chemical Engineer.

’98

Donn Bullock , MBA , was named CEO of VSSL, a music streaming hardware and software company best known for its native streaming capabilities across all major music streaming services. He leads all sales, product marketing, product development, and channel GTM activities globally. He and his family now reside in St. George , UT.

’12

Kamal Malik , MBA , is working at Intuitive as Head of Clinical Marketing in New Delhi, India. Alongside his team, he works to improve surgical robotics. He also met alums and newly admitted Owen students at a dinner gathering in New Delhi.

’17

Andrew Corbett , MBA , completed an 80km ruck in Normandy, France on the 80th anniversary of D-Day to raise money for the Taylor Force Memorial Scholarship.

MBA, welcomed a son, William Arch “Archie” Holston, in February.

Leslie Gattuso , MBA , and John Gattuso welcomed John Battista "Johnnie" Gattuso III on February 21, 2024, in Atlanta, GA.

March 2, 2024.

Rebekah Staples , MBA , founded the Mental Health Matters summer camp for girls ages 11-13 in Laurel, Mississippi. In May 2024, 20 campers learned about building happy, healthy brains through themed activities each day, including horseback riding, bracelet making, going to art museums, learning about influential women in MS, and more.

Patrick Delaney, BA’14, MBA , and his wife, Kendra Osborn Delaney, (BA, MSN’17, PhD’21) welcomed a daughter, Caroline Adams Delaney, on Sept ember 19, 2023. They write, “Caroline is already enjoying cheering on the ‘Dores!”

DARE TO GROW CHICAGO

Tuesday, September 17

6:30-9:00 PM Central Time Art Institute of Chicago

DARE TO GROW WASHINGTON, D.C.

Monday, September 23

6:30-9:00 PM Eastern Time

National Portrait Gallery

DARE TO GROW LOS ANGELES

Tuesday, October 29

6:30-9:00 PM Pacific Time

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join Vanderbilt leaders and Dean Tom Steenburgh, along with members of the Vanderbilt community, at events across the country to learn about the transformative vision and momentum of the Dare to Grow campaign. Bringing together alumni, parents, and friends, these events showcase Vanderbilt’s exciting trajectory as we build our future and claim our place as the great university of this century.

Learn more about DTG at giving.vanderbilt.edu/events

Top left: Owen professor, Ranga Ramanujam, speaking at Dallas Campaign Roadshow.

Above: Atlanta Dare to Grow: Chancellor Daniel Diermeier speaks to guests at the Atlanta Campaign Roadshow.

OWEN LIFE

1. Cosmo Week Closing Bell included an authentic Nigerian party with dancing and infectious Afrobeats, famous Nigerian jollof rice, and a spirited celebration of Nigerian culture.

2. This spring we welcomed an international cohort of graduate students from our partner schools in Brazil, Mexico, and Canada as part of the Executive MBA Global Immersion Track.

3. OBSA hosted the Uncharted Speakers Series in February, featuring Vanderbilt EMBA alumna Ogechi Anyatonwu (pictured on left), CEO of Twisted Sistuhs Winery, a Nashville-based Black, female, Veteran-owned wine brand.

4. This spring, Owen students participated in the first Global Business Immersion to India, for which they received course credit.

5. The Executive Women in Leadership Panel included L-R: Allie Feiner, Jennifer Hutcheson, Candice Storey Lee, and Kimberly Pace.

6. The Great Room was full for the Executive Women in Leadership event hosted by Vanderbilt’s Executive Programs.

7. During Spring Break, a group of graduate students from multiple schools across Vanderbilt traveled with the Center for Social Ventures to Guatemala and Ecuador as part of Project Pyramid. This year, project clients included a water purification business, a female-owned eco-lodge, a natural skincare business, and a pollution-friendly stove business.

8. This year's Cosmo Week Closing Bell included a celebration of Nigerian culture.

9. Michelle Kennedy, President, COO, and Alternate Governor of the Nashville Predators, shared her journey navigating the world of sports, entertainment, law, and business with students as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series live event.

10. The Professor Panel during Cosmo Week in late January included, L-R: Daniel Bias, Yasin Alan, Xi Kang, Mumin Kurtulus, Johan Cassel Pegelow, and Ranga Ramanujam

11. This year's best dressed award winners for the Derby watch party— an MMHC tradition—were Conner Pera and Nicole Mei Tan.

How Innovation Plays a Role in an Organization’s Growth

One of the key components to growth and forward movement in any organization is embracing innovation and implementing change. Change is inevitable if an organization desires to maintain competitive advantage and thrive amid an ever-changing market. David Owens, Vanderbilt Professor for the Practice of Management and Innovation and Evans Family Executive Director for The Wond’ry Innovation Center, shares some insight into how innovation plays a role in the growth of business.

Should my organization innovate?

One of the first steps to deciding when and how to move an organization forward is to determine the type of innovation that is necessary for the area of business where you want to see growth. Owens points to the fact that change is always necessary in some capacity in business, but figuring out the right timing and type of innovation you will need to implement change is key.

David Owens

Owens says when deciding whether revolutionary or evolutionary innovation is appropriate for an organization’s change initiative, one should consider several factors, including cost and how to approach the different styles of change.

“There are different amounts of risk attached to evolutionary and revolutionary innovation. Depending on your ambition, you also have to account for the amount of risk that it will create for you, your employees, your shareholders, and/or customers,” says Owens.

Determining when to move an organization forward

Before deciding to move an organization forward, it is important to observe change in the market around you and to be able to identify what Owens refers to as ‘weak signals.’ Owens says it is also vital from a leadership standpoint to assess how innovation and change could both positively and negatively affect your organization.

“There are different amounts of risk attached to evolutionary and revolutionary innovation.”

– David Owens

“It’s looking at your own innovation capacity and then deciding whether it’s sufficient to get you where you need to go as an organization,” Owens says.

As a leader navigating a team through change and innovation, it can be difficult but necessary to work in the present while simultaneously thinking about the future. Owens believes to successfully achieve transformational growth, organization leaders must learn to balance maintaining what they have been doing and are good at while remaining open to change at the same time.

“Change is always going to be revolutionary or evolutionary, so the question is not ‘Do I need innovation’, but rather ‘Do I need an adaptive change or a radical change’,” Owens says.

“When trying to determine when to innovate, you have to think about how you can keep the core competencies that are paying the bills right now, and at the same time not cut off the things that would pay the bills in the future.”

NEVER STOP GROWING.

Professional development designed for you and your organization.

With proven, practical programs in leadership and management, Vanderbilt Executive Education equips you with the tools and skills to advance your career and achieve better stakeholder outcomes for your organization. Our programs empower you (and your team) to solve complex problems, implement effective strategies, adapt to change, and shape tomorrow’s outcomes. We offer a variety of formats (in person, online, hybrid) for your individual or team development needs.

PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS

CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONS

We’re here to help you advance your career and strengthen your organization. The first step is to schedule a consultation to discuss your goals. Email our team at execed@vanderbilt.edu.

Alumni SAVE 20% on programs for individuals with code ALUMNI.