Sean Su already had a master’s degree before he came to Vanderbilt. After completing an undergraduate degree in advertising, he earned an MS in business analytics. Then he returned to his native Taipei, where, after four months of mandatory military training, he worked for an E-commerce platform based in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Still, he felt like there were key gaps in his career preparation. “I have always had a passion for marketing,” Sean says. “But I was never properly trained for it. I believed the Master of Marketing program could help me bridge the gap between my undergraduate and first master’s degree and the role I want to fill.”

He chose Vanderbilt, he says, because “the curriculum is a nice balance between theoretical and practical. It offers the best of both worlds, as well as some analytical components, which I enjoyed a lot.”

Sean also took advantage of additional resources offered through the program, including the Career Management Center and executive coaching through the Leadership Development Program. “The CMC provided me with a lot of help and guidance through every step of my search journey,” Sean says. “They are absolutely amazing—they’re so caring and pay a lot of attention to what students want individually.”

Executive coaching, he adds, “has helped me develop my personal approach to my career.”

The community, Sean says, played a significant role in his preparation for the next phase of that career. “I had the opportunity to be surrounded by so many talented people every day. I felt extremely lucky. It was great to have such a tightly knit community. It allowed me to know my classmates well and have support and encouragement throughout my journey.

“If you enjoy the process of growth, Vanderbilt is for you. Every single person you meet will offer you help and support in ways you never would have imagined.”