Within days of joining the Master of Finance program, Corrie Peterson had an experience that defined her time at Vanderbilt. As she tells the story: “During Mod 0, one of the second-year MBAs, Elle Mears, was helping us with a presentation we had to give. She mentioned she was in consulting. Since I was looking for information on all of the career opportunities out there, I asked her if she would get coffee with me. After we met, she connected me with every other second-year MBA who was in a similar field so I could get a better picture of it.

“It was only the first week of school, and having someone who wasn’t even in the finance program go out of their way for me demonstrated how strong the Vanderbilt community is.”

That feeling of community was what she came to Vanderbilt from California to find. “After attending a large school as an undergrad, I really wanted a more personalized and hands-on experience,” she says. “I liked that [Vanderbilt] supports their students all the way through the job process and provides individual guidance on resumes, interviewing, and figuring out which way to go with your career. It’s one of the biggest reasons I went to business school. And having personal career coaches and professors who all knew my name and genuinely cared about my success allowed me to excel academically and professionally.”

Because Corrie was the first in her family to go through a graduate school experience, being part of a community devoted to her success was especially important to her. Looking back, it was everything she had hoped for. “Vanderbilt helped me develop a stronger finance background and hone my marketable skills and guided me on how to communicate them to employers. It has given me confidence in the workplace and improved my ability to work within groups, and it has given me a clearer sense of the career opportunities out there and what interests me.

“If you’re looking for a supportive community, strong business expertise, and the ability to challenge yourself each day, Vanderbilt is the best place to be.”

Fun Fact: Corrie has enjoyed skiing near her hometown of Reno, NV, and surfing near San Diego, where she completed her undergraduate studies.

“If you’re looking for a supportive community, strong business expertise, and the ability to challenge yourself each day, Vanderbilt is the best place to be.”