With another Commencement in the books and summer winding down, changes once again surround the Owen community. Graduates have become alumni, first-year students are trying out new careers in their summer internships, and incoming students are in the throes of … Continued
Last year had its share of challenges. The Owen family suffered the loss of several beloved members in 2016, three of whom died as the result of horrific terrorist attacks. And no matter what you thought of the presidential election, … Continued
It is hard to comprehend that since I last wrote this column, the Owen community twice has been tragically touched by terrorism. In March, Taylor Force, a first-year MBA student, was killed while on an immersion trip to Israel to … Continued
This year, I have been reflecting on the legacy of Bruce Henderson. A Vanderbilt alumnus (Class of 1937) and Owen School professor, Bruce was a pioneer in the business world, founding the Boston Consulting Group and participating in the creation … Continued
In my time at Vanderbilt—as dean and when I taught here as a professor in the 1990s—I’ve always considered the Owen School’s personal scale as one of its foundational strengths. To a prospective or current student, that benefit is immediately … Continued
Dean Johnson talks about people who perfectly capture the spirit of Owen right now: energetic, smart and engaged in ways that spur those around them to do great things.
But what excites me most about this new generation of leaders—in addition to celebrating their many successes—is what it says about the growing robustness of the Owen network.
It’s been 14 years since I was on faculty at Owen, and now that I’m back, things sure have changed. Beyond the plethora of great new restaurants and things to do in Nashville, Vanderbilt as an institution has solidified its … Continued
I’ve often said that this has been the hardest—yet most rewarding—job I’ve ever had.
This July, I took a bike trip with my oldest son through Glacier National Park and the Canadian Rockies. Having been to Glacier on photographic journeys before, I had a good appreciation for what I was about to experience. Or so I thought.
I’m pleased to report that Owen—as many of you already know—placed 25th in the latest MBA rankings published by U.S. News & World Report this past March. That showing marks our second-highest ranking in the history of this important survey and reflects the hard work and dedication of many in the Owen community. Together we have built great momentum for the school that I believe will soon put us in the top 20.
Innovation in education, much like in business, originates from intellectual curiosity—from asking “Why not?” and “What if?” in a structured and often empirical way. At Owen, our innovation is sparked by a business world that is always evolving.
This issue of Vanderbilt Business centers on two themes: (1) the amazing impact our finance faculty have made in the academic community and the financial markets, and (2) the entrepreneurial spark ignited in so many of our graduates by the Owen experience. It’s no coincidence the subjects are featured in the same issue. In fact, they share a common thread.
Inspiration comes in many forms and often from unexpected sources. As business leaders we plan, budget and dream, yet we often don’t find the needed spark in the incremental day-to-day events of life.
In these uncertain and sometimes maddening times, the students and business leaders who learn to see the world in a different way, to view and embrace challenging times as times of opportunity and new perspective, are the ones who will find ways to thrive.