Meet some new members of Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Business in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students.
175 students joined the Vanderbilt Owen MBA Class of 2026. Twenty-nine percent of the new cohort are women and 30 percent are international. Nineteen percent of U.S. citizens identify as minorities and 10 percent as underrepresented minorities.
During their undergraduate years, the class reported a median GPA of 3.4. Forty percent had majored in business/economics and 13 percent in engineering. Eleven percent earned degrees in humanities/fine arts followed by social sciences at 10 percent.
New Vanderbilt Owen students arrived on campus with an average of six years of work experience. Twelve percent hailed from financial services. Consulting, healthcare and tech each cover 10 percent of the class’s pre-MBA professional history. Six percent had worked in media/entertainment/lodging before matriculating.
When it came time to take the GMAT, the test takers averaged a score of 703. The middle 80 percent of scores ranged from 680 to 730. For those who took the GRE, they landed an average Quant score of 159 and the same in the Verbal section.
Beyond the class profile, we hear from new members of the Vanderbilt Owen MBA Class of 2026, who bring a wide variety of experiences and ambitions to the program.
To start, Abby Sparrow, a Nashville native, comes with a background in strategic finance and corporate development, excited to contribute her knowledge of Nashville’s business landscape. Prachi Parundekar from India brings expertise in tax and strategy, and is eager to transition into management consulting while benefiting from Owen’s close-knit, supportive environment. We then meet Isaac Shiman, a former professional musician turned entrepreneur. He chose Owen to strengthen his business fundamentals and explore new challenges in consulting. Additionally, Peter Witte, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, selected Owen for its authentic and supportive veteran network, looking forward to transitioning into leadership roles in consulting or development programs. Selena Martin, a successful entrepreneur, is drawn to Owen’s Center for Social Ventures, aiming to grow her businesses with a focus on social impact. Lastly, Wilson Sithole from Zimbabwe brings a unique blend of technology and clean energy experience, excited about Owen’s entrepreneurial resources and leadership development programs as he prepares to pivot into management consulting.
This class exemplifies Owen’s collaborative culture and entrepreneurial spirit, with students from varied backgrounds ready to make a mark in their industries. Read through the following pages for more about their stories.
