Meet the MBA Class of 2023: Brandon Valentine, Vanderbilt University (Owen)

Brandon Valentine

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

A driven, inclusive, energetic, competitor with positive energy and a passion to serve.”

Hometown: Austell, Georgia

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am an avid obstacle course race junky. I participate in at least one Spartan race a year.

Undergraduate School and Major: Rhodes College, BA Business Administration, MS Accounting

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: FedEx, Accounting Advisor

What has been your favorite part of Nashville so far? When people think of Nashville, most people probably think of country music, partying on Broadway, and party buses driving all over the city. While there is plenty of that, my favorite part of Nashville has been the sense of community, growth, and excitement that is not advertised as much. There are building cranes everywhere! There is no better time to be in Nashville!

Why?

I want to be in the “room where it happens,” and things are happening in Nashville. Nashville is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, attracting people from all over the nation. AllianceBernstein’s headquarters moved from New York to Nashville. Oracle Corp. is building a second global headquarters in Nashville. Nashville is the healthcare capital of the United States. More tangibly for me, Vanderbilt Owen is amid a $55M facility renovation and expansion.

There are also several great neighborhoods within the metro area that have their own unique personality such as the Nations, East Nashville, Meharry/Fisk, Sylvan Park, 12 South, Wedgewood-Houston, and more. Whether I am in the mood for a brewery, waterfall hike, dive bar, rooftop restaurant, art gala, or startup community, I can find what I am looking for.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Vanderbilt Owen’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The ability to test out of some core classes and immediately focus on some concentration classes was a huge selling point for me. However, the Vanderbilt Board Fellows Program was probably the biggest selling point. The Board Fellows Program is partnership between Vanderbilt Owen and several not-for-profit organizations in the Nashville Metro area. Owen MBA students join these not-for-profits as non-voting board members. As a professional who has worked with not-for-profit boards in the past, I have seen how valuable board experience is for personal development and professional networking development. The Board Fellows Program will allow me to get plugged into the Nashville community, expand my professional network, apply lessons learned in class to real world situations, and serve the Nashville community. It is a win all around in my opinion and I am excited to begin participating.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Vanderbilt Owen? The course that has set the tone for me and my business school experience has been Managerial and Organizational Effectiveness (MOE) taught by Ranga Ramanujam. MOE was a class that focused on the building blocks of what makes an organization “successful.” I put successful in quotes because we learned that success can have different meanings for different people and departments within an organization. Ranga guided us through a progression of learning how to manage ourselves and being self-aware to managing information to managing people upwards and downwards. What I loved about the class is that it was student-led. Ranga provided us with readings and cases to warm up our minds, but the greatest lessons learned in class were from students of different backgrounds being open vulnerable and transparent with their past experiences and their future goals. This class was great confirmation on my desire to attend B-school.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Becoming a certified public accountant (CPA). The Journal of Accountancy released a podcast on April 12, 2021, stating that 669k people are CPAs and only 2% of CPAs are of African American descent. When I look at the history of African American CPAs a few things stand out:

* John W. Cromwell Jr was the nation’s first Black CPA in 1921.

* Mary T. Washington Wylie became the nation’s first Black woman to earn the CPA license in 1943.

* Elmer J. Whiting Jr. became the first Black partner of one of the nation’s largest accounting firms in 1971.

Becoming a CPA was a huge accomplishment for me, those who came before me, and those who will come after me. Not only did I become a CPA, but I was a contributor in other professional facets as well. I was the youngest member on several business development teams that secured several new client wins: one being the National Civil Rights Museum. I was also able to help recruit other people of color into professional accounting roles.

The combination of my exams, years of experience in the accounting industry, and passion for learning has created a very strong business foundation for me. My contributions and potential beyond accounting are what get me excited about my business school experience. I look forward to adding more skills to my business toolbox and making an impact on my class, my future employer, and my communities.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? Being named a National Black MBA Fellow and an endowed Dean Samuel B. and Evelyn R. Richmond Scholarship Recipient. 2021 was Vanderbilt Owen’s inaugural year as a Diamond-Level partner with the National Black MBA Association. It is an honor to be selected to this cohort. It is also an honor to represent former Owen Dean Richmond and his family. It is an awesome feeling to see my previous work come to fruition in the form of acceptance into Vanderbilt Owen, in addition to Vanderbilt Owen having confidence in me to represent myself and their institution. The Owen class is very deep and talented, so I do not take these accomplishments for granted.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? It was my experience serving clients in my time in accounting. There is a misconception that accounting is a “bean counter” job. While there is a lot of number crunching and reviewing, the most successful accountants provide more than financial statements and tax returns. Client service is the true name of the game. They were holistic financial partners and advisors to their clients.

I am using business school as an opportunity to expand my horizons to become a better client-centric representative, and a better leader for my community and future employer. In the short term, I look forward to working in the banking or real estate industries. Long term, I look forward to working with small businesses especially with company owners and leaders from underrepresented backgrounds and communities.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Vanderbilt Owen’s MBA program? My advice to candidates is to be genuine about your desire to learn at Vanderbilt Owen, passionate about your interests, skillset, and future goals, and intentional with how Vanderbilt Owen can get you there.

I would also advise reaching out to as many students and staff as you feel comfortable. I think it is important to make as many touchpoints with Owen as possible. This will help candidates get to know the Owen community on a personal level. Owen has a list of diverse and bright recruiting & admissions fellows, including myself, that are available to speak with potential candidates.

Finally, please note that applicants and admitted students are the ones driving their careers; the school faculty and staff are here to teach and support you in your endeavors.

DON’T MISS: MEET VANDERBILT OWEN’S MBA CLASS OF 2023

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