Cally Biagini wanted to gain some business experience before pursuing her MBA. But whenever she thought it might be the right time to return to school, another opportunity for professional growth that was too good to turn down seemed to arise.

One of those opportunities brought Cally to Nashville, where she managed a team of sales representatives in the wine and spirits industry. Working in sales and distributor management piqued her interest in strategy, operations, and human and organizational performance—which led her to Vanderbilt.

She says she was attracted to the “collaborative and open community, alumnae network, and employment opportunities, as evidenced by the companies hiring previous graduates.” At the Women’s Symposium during Discover Weekend, she met a number of alumnae and was fascinated by their career paths and how their experience at Owen had shaped them. Besides, she adds, “I’d already lived in Nashville for over two years and didn’t want to leave!”

When she arrived as a student, Cally hadn’t seriously thought about consulting—the field she would enter after graduating from Owen. But that soon changed. “The MBA program provided me with exposure to career opportunities that I hadn’t considered,” she says. “It has shown me that the sky is the limit and helped me realized I don’t have to pigeonhole myself into any particular field or function.

“I can continue learning and growing and trying new things. That’s one reason I was drawn to consulting; I love the thought of having the opportunity to expand both the breadth and depth of my experience, not just in order to build my résumé, but also to refine my interests and expertise.”

Fun Fact: Until my streak ended in June 2018, I ran at least one 5k every month for 42 straight months!

“The MBA program provided me with exposure to career opportunities that I hadn’t considered. It helped me realize I don’t have to pigeonhole myself into any particular field or function.”