What’s life like as an MBA student in Nashville?

With its strong reputation for career advancement, it’s no surprise that an MBA is one of the most popular choices for business school applicants—with 35% of candidates favoring the program, according to our latest Prospective Students Survey. An MBA equips you with the skills to succeed in business, including leadership, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and communication.

Not only does an MBA expand your skillset, by meeting new people and connecting with alumni and professors, you’ll grow your network—leading to personal connections, professional opportunities, and contacts to answer questions and provide advice.

Opting to study in Nashville, Tennessee Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management, also situates you in a dynamic business environment where you can learn to apply the skills gained during your MBA and build meaningful connections. 

“Studying in Nashville is energizing and exciting because the city is rapidly growing,” says Mengyang He, a second-year MBA student at Owen (pictured). “The city’s expansion in technology and entrepreneurship creates opportunities to interact with founders, executives, and investors.”

We spoke to Mengyang and other students from the MBA class at Owen to find out more about what it’s like to study an MBA in Nashville.

You’ll build business skills and confidence

While an MBA can equip you with the hard skills and technical expertise needed to level up your career, soft skills such as adaptability, resilience, and confidence are necessary for overcoming challenges and leading effectively. 

Soft skills including communication and emotional intelligence are among the most important skills to employers, according to our latest Corporate Recruiters Survey.
“From the moment I walked into Owen, everything I’ve done has been targeted at helping me build my confidence as a professional,” says Priscilla Agboada, a second-year MBA student at Owen (pictured). “It’s been designed towards helping me feel like I can achieve anything I want to achieve.” 

Aaron Varella, also a second-year MBA student, agrees: “Before the MBA, I was not as confident at approaching business problems as I am now.”

At Owen, students have the opportunity to tailor the MBA experience through electives and concentrations, depending on which skills they’re looking to build and which roles to target.

“I came into the program wanting to concentrate in strategy, since I'm pivoting into consulting,” says second-year MBA student Emily Johnson (pictured). “We’ve had great professors to help you look at how businesses grow or fail through a strategic lens, which has helped in ways I could actually see myself applying in future roles.”

You’ll have leadership development opportunities

Developing leadership skills is a priority for many business school students, with 66% of applicants citing leadership as one of the most important skills for business school graduates according to the Prospective Students Survey.

At Owen, there are a range of leadership opportunities available to help students refine these skills—from roles in the student body to peer coaching.

“Student leadership roles serve as applied learning opportunities, as organizing events with corporate partners requires planning and stakeholder management, which allows us to apply classroom concepts in real life,” explains Mengyang.

“Mentoring has become one of the most meaningful parts of my experience because I can support someone else’s growth,” he adds.

Student-led organizations, such as the student government association, provide an environment for students to apply their leadership skills in a practical setting and develop confidence managing teams and projects.

“As student body president, I get to apply the learnings of leading a team and working on impactful events for the community,” explains Aaron (pictured). 
In addition to these hands-on opportunities, an MBA can help you develop leadership skills through workshops and individual coaching. At Owen, the Leadership Development Program connects students with a one-to-one leadership coach, who helps them address and overcome challenges, while enhancing their leadership skills.

You’ll engage with students and alumni

One of the most invaluable aspects of the MBA experience is the strong community and network you can access. These contacts can provide support, guidance, and even career opportunities that extend beyond graduation.

“I chose Owen because of its close-knit community,” explains Mengyang. “During my conversations with students and alumni, I felt that people were genuinely invested in each other’s success.”
Establishing connections with a strong alumni network is particularly beneficial, as a source of career advice, mentorship, and professional opportunities.

“You connect with this broader, worldwide community of alumni, which is really helpful when looking for jobs,” explains Aaron. “Nine out of 10 times, alumni I reached out to replied to me immediately.” 

Outside of connecting with professors and alumni to develop their professional network, Owen offers a range of social events to help students build relationships with their classmates and build their community in Nashville. 

“Owen does a really good job of helping students socialize outside of school,” says Emily. “Every week we have ‘closing bells’, where the school puts on food and drinks for everyone to get together after classes are done for the week, which helps everyone maintain friendships.”

“Closing bells have been a great way to meet other students you might not have classes with, and to celebrate the community,” adds Aaron.

Although these events occur outside the classroom, they still reflect one of the biggest benefits of studying an MBA—building a strong, diverse, and collaborative network. 

“Everyone’s here to get an MBA, but the people who get the most out of the program are those who put the time in to join clubs or attend extra social activities,” explains Emily. “That’s how I’ve made a lot of my friendships and connections.”

Mengyang agrees: “Owen provides incredible resources, but the students who benefit most are those who actively engage, whether by leading organizations, building relationships with alumni, or taking on challenging projects. If you invest in the community, the community invests in you.”