After working for several years in HR and talent acquisition, Matthew Arcuri came to a realization. “I wanted to be closer to creative problem solving and brand building,” he says. “I wanted to take my passion for people and use it to create experiences that resonate beyond the hiring process.”

So the North Carolina native returned to Vanderbilt, his alma mater, and embarked upon the Master of Marketing program, seeking to strengthen his strategy, consumer behavior, and digital communication skills. “I chose Vanderbilt because I wanted a program that was both rigorous and deeply human,” he says. “As an alum, I knew this was a place where I could grow.

“The smaller class sizes and strong faculty engagement made me feel seen, supported, and intellectually challenged. I also valued how real-world projects were woven into every class—from A/B testing Netflix’s password sharing to launching a hypothetical whiskey brand.”

In addition to the skills he gained in class, Matthew credits the Leadership Development Program with helping him better understand his leadership style and how he builds trust when working within teams. “These lessons are already helping me navigate my career,” he says.

He also learned through being part of a community that “helped me feel like I didn’t have to put on a front to be successful,” he says. “Whether it was classmates supporting each other during interviews or faculty encouraging us to be curious, I always felt I could bring my full self. That safety allowed me to take risks, speak up more, and grow as a lifelong learner and teammate. It reminded me that community isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an active choice.”

He left with a skillset that enabled him to make the career switch he wanted. “The program gave me the confidence to pursue a career in marketing with clarity and momentum,” Matthew says. “I now know how to apply strategic frameworks to real-world business problems and pair them with storytelling that connects. It also helped me define what kind of leader and teammate I want to be. I graduated with more than skills. I left with a sense of purpose.”