Owen Graduate School of Management

Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management is a business school unlike others. Here you can shape your world, however you define it. Whether you are a prospective student looking to catapult your career, a faculty or staff member wanting to make an impact in your chosen profession, a recruiter needing top talent for your organization, or an alumnus—whom we value highly as part of this enduring community—you have Our Promise: a promise to do everything within our power to help you achieve your professional goals

Our Values:

We're building a new type
of business leader.

Vanderbilt exists for a certain type of student—the type that we think will change the world for the better. We're the B-school built for the persistent. The genuine. The professional who knows he or she hasn't heard it all before—and uses that humility to grow. To learn. To change. Where we come from, that's called wisdom.

We are competitive, not cutthroat.

This, we believe, is our defining strength. Because while we live to prove ourselves by competing, we also know that winning doesn't mean leaving others behind. At Vanderbilt, we grow the most when we learn from each other.

We solve problems collaboratively.

Our culture is collaborative above all else. And that's purposeful, because the business world thrives on teamwork. Which is good, because working together is what makes us stand out.

We lead with ideas, not egos.

It's just in our character to believe that effort will always outdo entitlement. So while Vanderbilt Business graduates will proudly display their diplomas on their office walls, they'd much rather get down to business than talk about their pedigree.

We dig deeper.

It starts with our faculty. You will find their work in top academic journals. But it doesn't stop there. Their ideas and expertise spill over into the classroom and influence ever-evolving business beliefs and practices. This curiosity to stretch, learn and grow is practiced by all members of the Owen community. Yes, it's extra effort. But the dividends are worth it.

We work harder than most.
(And like it that way.)

Knowledge is only half the equation. Effort is just as essential. And it's something that's often overlooked at top schools. We fill our school with people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do what it takes to get the job done. Going that extra mile is standard practice here, where the lights stay on late and the coffee brews before dawn.

We challenge the status quo.

Like many top business schools, we receive high marks and rankings. But that doesn't mean we're content. We're constantly looking ahead. (It's the best way not to get left behind.) We love to challenge assumptions. Many times we end up reinforcing long-held business rules. But often, we find a new way that's different and better—and we find it first.

We take business personally.

Most business schools place a big emphasis on numbers. Our passion is people. Talk to any Vanderbilt professor. Or student. Or staff member. Or alumnus. The first thing you'll notice is a genuine desire to help each member of our community succeed. That isn't accidental. In fact, it's part of our collective DNA. An emphasis on each individual is something we'll never lose.