Meet Vanderbilt Owen's MBA Class of 2019

Emily Redfield

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: A transformative leader, with an eye for insights, that inspires through positivity and strategic ingenuity.

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself: I discovered as a twenty-two-year-old adult that I was only born with one kidney. It finally makes sense why I’ve always felt a little lopsided.

Undergraduate School and Major: Indiana University – Marketing and International Business

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Frito-Lay North America, Inc. – Associate Manager – Portfolio Insights Strategy & Analytics

PepsiCo, Inc. – Associate Manager – Global Insights Strategy Development

Frito-Lay North America, Inc. – Analyst / Senior Analyst – Special Projects & Premium Brands Insights

Frito-Lay North America, Inc. – Associate Analyst / Analyst – Cheetos & Doritos Innovation Insights

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Working on multiple successful innovation launches was a huge accomplishment. It is incredible to watch a product transform from concept to launch. There is no better experience than walking into a grocery store and seeing people purchase the product you have worked on for years. Cheetos Sweetos is a seasonal innovation that was a particular passion project of mine.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? It is never too early to talk to both MBA candidates and alums. I asked frank questions about the value others gained from their MBA, which helped me understand if the MBA was the right next-step in my career. During this Q&A dialogue, I gleaned early insights from their specific MBA experiences. This helped me understand the class culture, curriculum, recruiting opportunities, and general advice across various programs. These conversations were invaluable to narrowing down my choice and finding the perfect MBA match.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? After going to such a large undergraduate university, I knew I wanted a smaller program to build an intimate network with heightened access to faculty. Dean Johnson’s characterization of Owen as a global MBA program on a personal scale reaffirmed my interest in a smaller class size. I heard Dean Johnson’s vision for Owen during Discover Weekend (a weekend for prospective students to tour Owen). While at Discover Weekend, I met current students and other prospective students to get a pulse on the culture of the student body. After the weekend of meeting students and professors, touring the campus, learning about the curriculum, and exploring Nashville – I was sold on Owen.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Achieving both personal and professional growth after my first year of school would be a major success. I’m looking to stretch myself personally by getting involved in clubs and ascending to a leadership position. In terms of professional growth, I’m taking classes to challenge and expand my functional skill set beyond CPG consumer insights. This should be a fairly easy goal to accomplish at Owen given the diverse course load in Mod I and Mod II. I’m looking to supplement classwork with case competitions to bring the learning to life and cultivate relationships with my classmates.

Meet Vanderbilt Owen’s MBA Class of 2019

Emily Redfield

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

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