Finance was always Ryan Wan’s focus. He majored in that subject at the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Gator Financial Analyst Club, the Student Finance Group and the Student Investment Club.

But he believed he needed even more training and knowledge to pursue the kind of career he sought in investment banking. “I felt the Vanderbilt MSF was my best opportunity to break in,” he says.

Nine months after he enrolled, Ryan had what he calls his “dream job” as an investment banking analyst. Looking back on the experience, he distributes the credit for his success rather widely.

“The program prepared me by providing the technical skills to perform my job at a high level,” Ryan says. “It also opened my eyes to various cultures and personalities [among my classmates]. There were so many people with different backgrounds and experiences I could learn from.”

The support he received even extended to starting his career. “Blake Gore (of the Career Management Center) and (Professor) Cherrie Clark performed a vital role in getting my job offer,” Ryan says. Another professor, who teaches a class in negotiations, provided valuable insights about the career and about work/life balance and helped Ryan negotiate his job offer.

Among the ways that Ryan found that balance: During his year in Nashville, he found time to train for the half-marathon, and he made a hobby of trying out one or two new restaurants every week. That experience led him to offer prospective students some advice: “School and recruiting are very important, but also enjoy your time in Nashville; it goes by so quickly.”