Early into his career in private wealth management, Jushan Samra realized that it was not the career he wanted for the long term. As he began to explore various options in his native California, he came across the Vanderbilt MSF program.

“The first thing that jumped out to me,” he says, “was the career outcomes—especially since I was targeting a career like investment banking and saw that so many people in the program had successfully followed that career path. Then, once I got to know the program a little better, got to talk to some faculty and students, and saw how well versed everyone was, I felt really confident that coming to Vanderbilt was the right move for me.”

Once he arrived on campus, Jushan discovered a different validation for his choice. “The thing that makes Vanderbilt so special is the teamwork and the camaraderie that’s built throughout the year,” he says. “As an MSF student, you’re not limited to just working with other MSF students. You’re working with MBA students and Master of Accountancy students. It’s a very collegial environment where there is a lot of teamwork and everyone is pursuing the same goal.

“Being around so many ambitious individuals pushing each other to succeed has helped me develop many skills necessary for my future. Being in this environment has also taught me new ways to grow individually and in a team setting.”

The teamwork, Jushan found, extended to former students as well as current ones. “The Vanderbilt network is an invaluable resource,” he says. “I saw that power immediately when I began my job search. People were very receptive and were willing to give back. A number of them stated that they had received help from the Vanderbilt network itself. It's just invaluable to have so many professionals out there to help you reach your career goals.”

Fun Fact: Jushan played two years of junior college basketball.

It's just invaluable to have so many professionals out there to help you reach your career goals.