On the January weekend that Brittany Hunter came to visit Vanderbilt, a snowstorm closed down the school. None of the administrators she had been scheduled to meet with were able to get to campus that day. Instead, she spent her time with second-year MBA students.

“I loved them,” says Brittany, who worked in education and nonprofits after completing her Master’s degree in sports management, and who was ready to take on the challenge of entering the corporate world. “Everyone was beyond welcoming and genuine.”

That wintry day, she recalls, “I got to go to the Ryman for a show and meet the Dean’s scholars of the class. Not only was the show amazing, but even the most ‘elite’ students were very engaging and excited to meet a new face.”

Brittany was sold. “Overall,” she says, “my classmates are the reason that I came here.”

During her first year, Brittany says, she particularly loved her classes with Professors Mumin Kurtulus, Richard Willis, and Jessica Kennedy—“they were funny and engaging experiences,” she says. Her interactions with her diverse classmates elevated her experience even further. She counts being part of the Humans of Owen series—inclusive, student-initiated events that enable people to share their stories and cultures—as a highlight. In her second year, she’s serving as VP of Diversity & Inclusion and as president of the Out & Allied Club.

Just as it did during her time as a college basketball player, the team experience at Vanderbilt, Brittany says, is helping to shape her as an individual. “This is all a stress test, and I try to be aware of how I come across under stress, especially since we work in teams so much,” Brittany says. “I am learning a lot about my temperament and that of others.”

Fun Fact: Brittany was the No. 1-rated high-school basketball player in the country in 2003. Collegiately, she played for both Duke and UConn.

“My classmates are the reason that I came here.”