Carrine (Rinn) Wright

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

“Closing doors on this little brown girl only makes her knock harder.”

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN

Fun Fact About Yourself: I speak 5 different languages and am currently teaching myself one more

Undergraduate School and Major: Ohio State University, International Relations & Diplomacy

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Procter and Gamble, Senior Marketing Specialist

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the school’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? It was the number of opportunities that I knew existed for me to make a difference and impact. From early on, I was told that all the women coming in were a part of the WBA (Women’s Business Association), and you’d get assigned a 2nd year buddy to basically help guide you through your first year as a woman in school. I knew instantly that was something I wanted to do as well in my 2nd year.

At Owen, you are part of one of the most dynamic business environments in the country. What has made Nashville such a great place to live and learn for you? As a foodie, my first thought is instantly the food, but also realizing how much of a melting pot Nashville actually is. Prior to business school, I had never been to Nashville. Being here now, I’m consistently surprised by the variety of cultures I find myself bumping into.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? I’m not going to lie, from a D&I perspective (as a black woman from the far North, lol) it was a little shocking at first to not see a lot of representation. What I immediately saw after that initial shock was the acknowledgement of both the faculty and students and an eagerness to cultivate change.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I helped lead a strategic marketing event for Tampax and Target where we partnered with multiple Historically Black Colleges. It was aimed at helping support young African American women in their college careers as well as normalizing Feminine Care in the African American community.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? I would say honestly just being here at only 22 is a big enough accomplishment enough for me. However, it’s probably the intense way that I challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone at times when I feel like my voice isn’t the loudest in the room.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I wasn’t an undergrad business major. Once I ended up in a marketing role within CPG, I realized I actually really loved the corporate setting and wanted to go back to business school to “build my brand.” Right now seemed like the best time do so and learn a lot of new virtual world skills that would be super beneficial post-MBA.

What was your defining moment and how did it prepare you for business school? Immigrating to the United States, being separated from my mother, and losing my father shortly after shaped me into who I am today. It’s always pushed me to constantly accomplish more in multiple aspects of my life. Neither of my parents were high school or college graduates, so pursuing an MBA isn’t something that I’m doing for myself, but my entire family. And that alone pushes me to constantly keep achieving.

DON’T MISS: Meet Vanderbilt Owen’s MBA Class Of 2022