Akhil Behl was justifiably proud of landing a position in investment banking straight out of his undergraduate experience at Indiana University. But he wasn’t content to stop learning.

“Once I started working as an analyst,” he says, “I realized there were many complex areas of the financial markets and the broader business world—such as mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and corporate restructuring—that I was encountering daily but had not explored in depth academically.”

In addition, he realized that, beyond technical knowledge, earning a graduate degree in finance was a way to “grow holistically,” as he puts it. “I wanted to improve my soft skills, including communication, negotiation, and collaboration. And I wanted to learn from a diverse peer group. Ultimately, my goal was to become well rounded and better equipped to navigate future roles with both technical expertise and stronger interpersonal and strategic capabilities.”

Vanderbilt’s reputation for excellence in a close-knit community, its caliber and accessible faculty, and the opportunity to live and study in Nashville were all draws for Akhil, a native of Pune, India. “I appreciated how approachable and supportive the professors were, not only in the classroom but in informal conversations outside of it,” he says. “They created an environment where I felt comfortable asking questions, discussing complex financial topics, and brainstorming ideas beyond the scope of the syllabus.”

Just as he had hoped, the MSF program also helped Akhil develop holistically. For that, he particularly credits his participation in the Leadership Development Program. “It helped me become more aware of how I see myself versus how others experience me—something I hadn’t actively thought about before,” he says. “That kind of perspective was eye opening; it helped me recognize areas where I could grow professionally and personally. It also helped me understand the strengths I bring to a team or environment and how to lean into them more intentionally. That self-awareness will be incredibly valuable as I move forward in my career.”