Learning about the Accelerator Summer Business Immersion program wasn't hard for Claire Humphrey. Her mother, Shayna Humphrey, teaches as an adjunct professor in the communications program at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

A theatre major at Northwestern, Claire knew her public speaking and presentation skills were strong coming into the program. The individual coaching she received as her team prepared and rehearsed a case-study presentation on Red Bull helped her identify areas where she needed to develop and improve her skills, including in quantitative analysis. “My coach acknowledged what I was good at and challenged me to work on the things I wasn’t strong in yet,” she says. “I really appreciated his honesty with me.”

During her 3-week Accelerator experience, Claire had an opportunity to work on projects for HCA Healthcare, the Nashville Predators, and Red Bull. “These companies challenged us to discover creative solutions for complex problems, and they gave us invaluable feedback to fuel our growth,” she says. “We got intensive exposure to topics ranging from self-awareness to financial analysis to marketing to techniques in research to compelling storytelling and presentation skills. It’s hard to fully quantify the immense impact of Accelerator for personal and professional growth, teamwork, and real-world problem solving.”

Claire was encouraged to learn that “I bring something to the table, even if I haven’t had a traditional business education—my creativity and love of public speaking, learned from theater and mock trial, transferred to my work at Accelerator.”

The program also broadened the career paths she is considering. “I feel more confident about pursuing a career in consulting,” she says. “I know I need to build my quantitative skills and business vernacular, but I now have the tools to build those skills, plenty of books to read, and professors who are ready to answer my questions—professors who invested in us collectively and individually in Accelerator.”

She particularly relished working with her 5 Accelerator teammates. “I appreciated their kindness, work ethic, and energy during our 70-hour work weeks and loved growing alongside them,” she says. “I look forward to witnessing the positive impact that they each make on the professional world.”

Fun Fact: In 2021, Claire co-founded the Threshing Circle Theatre Company, which co-produces work with new artists in Nashville.

It’s hard to fully quantify the immense impact of Accelerator for personal and professional growth, teamwork, and real-world problem solving.