At Vanderbilt, Yuto Kataoka not only learned about the healthcare business but also how an international network could help open new doors. When he arrived on campus, his plan was set: He wanted to equip himself for a career in Japan’s healthcare technology sector. “Many innovative technologies created in the US have been introduced to Japan,” he explains, “so I thought I should be familiar with the healthcare situation in the US [before returning to Japan].”

Owen appealed to him for its small, close-knit environment that “creates a sense of unity. I was convinced that I could grow in the community,” Yuto says. He particularly enjoyed serving as president of the Japan Business Club, where he managed a team that held various cultural events, including sushi-making and sake-tasting nights.

One door closed, Yuto says, “when I could not find a good fit with any internship opportunities” at a healthcare technology firm in Japan. So, Owen’s Career Management Center and alumni network helped him open a new door.

“When I asked for the CMC’s advice,” he says, “they introduced me to many Owen alumni working in the US and Japan. When I communicated with one of them who works for Amazon Web Services Japan, I was fascinated by their business and vision.”

Unfortunately, at the time, the company offered no internships for MBA students. But that didn’t stop Yuto. “I communicated with [the Owen alum at Amazon Web Services] and the HR Department, and they finally gave me a chance to take an interview,” he says. The CMC staff helped him prepare, and the interview led to an internship and ultimately a job in Tokyo after graduation.

“Without the Career Management Center’s close coordination with the alumni network and plenty of knowledge for the [interview] preparation,” Yuto says, “I would not have been able to realize my dream.”

Fun Fact: Yuto was part of a champion collegiate rowing team.

Without the Career Management Center’s close coordination with the alumni network…I would not have been able to realize my dream.