Severin Walstad

Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management

“Volunteer, spontaneous, outdoor/active guy who tries to live life to its fullest every day.”

Hometown: Anna Maria, Florida

Fun Fact About Yourself: I performed stand-up comedy a few times when I was at University of Florida. Maybe I will do it at Vanderbilt as long as there are no cameras; I’m a professional now!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Florida, Bachelor of Science in Public Relations

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: United States Navy, Flag Aide (executive assistant to an Admiral)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Serving as a Navigator on a guided-missile destroyer in the Western Pacific (mostly deployed around Korea and Japan).

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? I would describe my Owen classmates as pleasantly ambitious. By that, I mean everyone I have met has been extremely motivated and successful in their career, and they each want to help you too. Whether it is through networking, telling you about their career path and what they have learned, or just helping you out in a pinch, you know they are going to support you get to the next step…not because it benefits them, but because they want to help you.

Aside from your classmates, 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? The key factor was the community at Owen. It has that small school feel, so you are in an environment where you know everyone. Furthermore, it is a place where you are collaborating to help each classmate reach their full potential. When I look back, I know Owen is a place I can call home and that I want to stay involved with the rest of my life.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? The Consulting Club, since I would like to pursue a career in management consulting, and I still have a lot to learn before the application process.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? Tell me about a failure at work, how you dealt with it, and how that experience helped you with future problems you encountered in life.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I have always been interested in earning an MBA. Before that though, I wanted to serve at least four years in the military. I just finished my fifth year this July, and I knew it was time for me to go and hone my business skills so I could transition successfully to the private sector.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I also applied to Harvard, NYU Stern, and University of Washington.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I prioritized culture, location, and what types of companies recruited on-campus. I used US News, Poets and Quants, and good old-fashioned Googling. For the culture piece, I think it’s really important to try and get to know the city you will be living in, then start to look at the schools in that city and what their goals are for students. If you can’t strongly identify with the city or the school’s mission, then it might not be the right choice. Don’t just focus on school rankings to determine where to apply. I knew Owen was the right school for my career goals because it builds leaders who enjoy being challenged, focuses on general management education, and (especially important for management consulting) encourages a collaborative approach to solving tough problems.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment was when I chose to serve in the United States Navy. While on active duty, I dealt with a helicopter crash, search and rescue for a fatal ship collision near Japan, and everyday challenges that come with leadership in our military. I made a lot of mistakes, but I know that without those errors and the opportunities given to me to learn from them, I would not be able to apply and earn my MBA at Owen. The military has opened up so many doors for me, and I will forever be grateful. To those who still serve, thank you for providing me the freedom to go to school and enjoy this next part of my life.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself leading a management consulting firm with employees advising global businesses on strategic changes that will lead to bottom-line financial growth.