By Eigen Escario
The Owen Student Government Association (OSGA) represents the student body of the Vanderbilt Business community and the broader university. With the power to influence budgets and social programming, the OSGA executive board serves the important function of supporting the needs of graduate students at Owen.
Earlier this year, MBA students Max Hackenbrack and Emma Hicks were elected as President and Executive Vice President of the OSGA. After months of their administration, they reflect on their impact on the Owen student body, as well as the struggles and lessons that they learned along the way.
Converging Paths to Leadership
Max Hackenbrack
While Hackenbrack and Hicks took different roads to OSGA leadership, both were drawn to the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the Vanderbilt Business community.
“In my previous work experience as an engineer, I led a team of 7 individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, from mechanical to civil engineers coming from different backgrounds and geographic locations,” Hackenbrack said. “Through this experience, I found that I really enjoyed leadership and management, which ultimately led me to pursue an MBA. I’ve always valued making meaningful impacts wherever I am, whether working for the Department of Defense or leading at Owen.”
Hicks, although never intending to run for student government, gained direct experience in collegiate politics in her undergraduate years at the University of Utah.
“I started working at a small tech startup for 2 years before I ended up going to Owen, which is where I found myself acting as the leader, and I loved that. I still felt like I needed to polish my leadership skills, which led me to pursue the MBA,” Emma said. “I didn’t expect to run for student government again, but when Max approached me, I saw it as a chance to gain more leadership experience and to work with someone whose strengths complimented my own.”
A Vision for Change
Emma Hicks
The Hackenbrack-Hicks administration built its campaign on 3 pillars: communication, inclusion, and transparency. These guiding principles informed every initiative they pursued, starting with improving OSGA’s communication channels.
“OSGA had long struggled with letting students know what was happening behind the scenes, so we wanted to bridge that gap by ensuring all students—not just those directly involved—knew what we were doing and why it mattered,” Hackenbrack said. “For example, since about 30% of our student body is international, I want to make sure we have good representation from that community. We formalized multiple vice presidents covering international affairs to increase our buy-in with that group.”
Along the lines of inclusion, Hicks discussed their initiatives aimed to connecting students from the different graduate programs at Owen.
“Our goal is to ensure that every student feels welcomed and valued, no matter their background,” Hicks said. “The specialized master’s programs, for example, sometimes miss out on communication because they’re here for just one year. We are working to create systems, like centralized calendars and tailored outreach, that bring them into the fold.”
One of their standout achievements was revamping Cosmo Week, a celebration of the Vanderbilt Business international community.
“Last year, it was held during January’s recruitment season, which affected attendance,” Hackenbrack said. “By scheduling it earlier, we avoided those conflicts and saw record participation.”
“It was incredible to see domestic students genuinely engaging with their international classmates and learning from one another,” Hicks added.
Behind the Scenes
Emma Hicks (left) and Max Hackenbrack (right)
Hackenbrack and Hicks talked about their complimentary dynamics going into this term that have served them well as a leadership team.
“I tend to be more analytical and reserved, so I needed someone with a strong, engaging presence,” Hackenbrack said. “Emma brought that balance and so much energy to our team.”
“Max’s detail-oriented nature made us an efficient team,” Hicks said. “He had the vision and structure, and I focused on making connections and fostering relationships – together, it worked.”
One of the main responsibilities of the OSGA President and Executive Vice President is the appointment of the other vice presidents that oversee different committees.
“We wanted a team that reflected the diversity of Owen—not just in terms of demographics but also in perspectives,” Hackenbrack said. “For example, we created more flexibility in the OSGA constitution to ensure international students had stronger representation in leadership roles.”
These position picks allowed them to bolster areas of improvement, such as external affairs and outreach.
“We wanted events that brought people together in meaningful ways other than Closing Bell, whether that was collaborating with other Vanderbilt graduate schools or ensuring events catered to both domestic and international students,” Hicks said. “Seeing record-breaking attendance at our tailgates felt like a huge win.”
Lessons Learned
While their term has brought about many successes, Hackenbrack and Hicks reflect on the personal and professional challenges that they have faced while in office.
“In this role, you don’t have formalized power—you rely entirely on relationships and persuasion,” Hackenbrack said. “It’s taught me the importance of being intentional and thoughtful in how I ask for support.”
Hicks also highlights the fact that they are students and professionals first before their roles as executive members of the student government.
“The role can be exhausting, especially when you’re also a full-time student,” Hicks said. “I’ve learned that it’s okay to delegate and that self-care is essential to good leadership. Sometimes saying no is the best thing you can do for yourself and your team.”
However, both agree that this experience has taught them the importance of being grounded in leadership and the community.
“As a leader, showing up matters,” Hackenbrack said. “Whether it’s at cultural events or team meetings, being there sets the tone for others.”
“When people see you genuinely care, it motivates them to engage as well,” Hicks adds. “It’s about leading by example.”
Fun Facts
Emma Hicks (left) and Max Hackenbrack (right)
Beyond their leadership responsibilities, Hackenbrack and Hicks share some fun facts about their lives outside of Owen and OSGA.
Q: What’s your favorite place around campus for an amazing savory meal?
“Torchy’s breakfast tacos are my go-to, but if I’m in the mood for something more authentic, I love the butter chicken and garlic naan from Nawabi,” Hicks said.
“I think The Tavern on Broadway is a really good dinner spot—I got the steak last time, and it was excellent,” Hackenbrack said.
Q: If you didn’t have to worry about money, what would you want your career to be?
“I’d love to be a history professor, diving into topics like the American Civil War and the Roman Republic,” Hackenbrack said. “It’s a lifelong passion of mine.”
“I’d be an elementary school librarian, helping kids discover the joy of reading,” Hicks said. “There’s something so fulfilling about that.”
Q: Would you consider yourself a “city girl” or a “granola grandma?”
“Granola grandma on weekdays, city girl on the weekends,” Hicks said.
“Personally, I’m definitely much more granola grandma,” Hackenbrack said. “I can’t explain to you how much I love going to places like Broadway, but I’m definitely much more of a reserved, laid-back kind of figure and enjoy the quiet life most times.”
As both Hackenbrack and Hicks get ready to graduate next semester and pass on the torch to the next administration, their initiatives and guiding principles serve as a noble blueprint for the environment that Owen should facilitate and foster.
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