It’s uncommon to find someone who double-majored in philosophy and finance in college. But Tristan Viegas’s choices make sense when he explains them. “Since I was an undergrad,” he says, “I’ve wanted to use finance as a force for good, to make a social impact.”

As he was investigating graduate programs in finance, the opportunity to make an impact made Vanderbilt stand out, after he noticed a course on impact investing in the curriculum.  

Vanderbilt soon rose to the top of his list for additional reasons. Coming from a small liberal arts school, Tristan found it challenging to attain his goal of launching a career in sell-side equity research. “It’s hard to put yourself on the map when recruiters don’t always know the name of your school. I needed a school that would help put my name on the map and validate that I am well equipped to be a finance professional.”

He also sought a program that could equip him in just one year. “I did not have the money or the backing to be able to do grad school for multiple years,” says Tristan, who was awarded a scholarship at Vanderbilt. “I also didn’t want to bet on what the job market would be like in two years; I felt more certain about one year.”

Related to that concern, Tristan wanted a program with a strong employment record. “I was going to be taking a chance with some other programs if I wanted to work in equity research, because the numbers were kind of up in the air, but that was not the case with Vanderbilt,” he says. “They have a strong record of sending students into their desired career paths across the country, not just in the South.”

An Illinois native and a self-described “Midwest guy,” Tristan wanted to return there for his career. At first, he says, he was unsure how much value the Vanderbilt name carried outside of the South. Those concerns melted away when he talked with Vanderbilt Business alums in Wisconsin and the Chicago area.

One year later, Tristan had embarked on the path he wanted, working in sell-side equity research in Chicago.

And the Impact Investing class, taught by Professor Eric Johnson, that originally caught his eye? It was the course he credits with making the most significant impact on him during the program. During the course, Tristan worked with Nashville entrepreneurs and startups engaged with underserved communities. “We helped build presentations and advocated for them to receive capital from Vanderbilt’s Impact Investing Fund.

“I’ve always been passionate about impact investing, and Vanderbilt is at the forefront of helping the next generation of business leaders bring about positive change in the world through finance."