Even when she was still in high school in Denver, Grace Lasarsky knew she wanted to pursue a career in marketing. With that focus in mind, she took dual-enrollment courses to get a head start on college and earn a degree in three years.

By that point, she already knew enough about branding to be attracted to Vanderbilt as the place to spend her fourth year in college obtaining a graduate marketing degree. “Vanderbilt has a strong brand,” Grace says. “That was appealing from the start. Then, as I dug a little deeper, I realized just how many opportunities there were here in terms of the Vanderbilt network and all the alumni who are willing to help you.”

Though she was always clear about her specific field, in some ways the opportunity to generalize at Vanderbilt made the MMark program especially compelling. “We were able to get our hands into every single part of marketing,” Grace says. “We took classes that focus on brand management, selling strategy, advertising, and quantitative methods. I felt like I was really sharpening my skills in marketing so that, no matter what position I’m in going forward, I will really be able to rock the job. And Vanderbilt’s program gave me the opportunity to see how marketing plays a role in every facet of life. From case studies to consulting projects, I saw just how important marketing is in the world of business.”

That same opportunity to go wider was how Grace approached the program overall. “I focused not just on the education but the entire experience,” she says. “With an emphasis on involvement and collaboration across the entire school, I knew that Owen would be a great place for me to continue to learn and grow as a person. Through the Women’s Business Association, Net Impact, the DAR [Development & Alumni Relations] Fellows, and Owen events, I was able to meet and connect with people from different walks of life. The people at Vanderbilt are all-hands-on-deck, ready to help and encourage. I am so thankful I made the decision to come here. It is a special community.”

Fun Fact: As a hobby, Grace enjoys doing “background work” in movies. While at Vanderbilt, she appeared in a music video by Hannah Ellis.

No matter what position I’m in going forward, I will really be able to rock the job.