Brooke Ellis

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

“Energetic contributor, continuous learner, and do-anything outside enthusiast.”

Hometown: Miami, FL

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a Double ‘Dore!

Undergraduate School and Major: Vanderbilt University, Science Communication

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Silicon Ranch, Solar Project Development

What has been your favorite part of Nashville so far? Why? I’ve lived in Nashville now for almost ten years and each of those have brought about new adventure. Despite its accelerated development, the city has kept a “big town” feel. Everybody you meet is kind, the culinary scene is igniting, live music plays at all hours, and renowned hiking trails are a day trip away.

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? Owen’s unique emphasis on embedding impact into business drew me back to Vanderbilt. Businesses at their core exist to help people and to solve problems. The school’s partnership with the broader university’s Turner Center for Social Ventures focuses equally on the former just as much as the traditional latter. However, I would be remiss to not mention that what keeps me most happy on campus are my peers. The student body is incredibly diverse and eclectic – representing almost every country, professional background, or branch of the military. I’ve enjoyed making friends with those who have perspectives entirely different from mine.

What course, club, or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Vanderbilt Owen? This semester, I enrolled in an Impact Investing field study. Teams conduct “due diligence” and present to a real investment committee select entrepreneurs who are candidates for a loan but are oftentimes underestimated. It is rewarding to support neighbors by helping earn them already well-deserved capital.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Every day on the job, I’m proud of the role my colleagues and I play to bring clean, renewable, and cost-effective energy to communities across the U.S. As a developer for utility-scale solar projects, I am fortunate that our work helps supply reliable power sources while sustaining a healthy planet. From a personal standpoint, I’d consider a notable achievement to be continuing my education while still growing in this industry, by keeping a part-time position at the same company. Balancing both work and school keeps me busy but enables direct application of course material in practice.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? I’m really excited this year to act as an External Affairs chair for Board Fellows, an organization that pairs students with nonprofit boards to serve year-long terms as non-voting members. Outside of Owen, I coach swimming and co-chair Special Olympics TN’s Young Professionals Board, which has given me intimate appreciation for the importance of maintaining strong nonprofit Boards of Directors. Allowing MBAs the opportunity to gain invaluable governance experience and deepen their philanthropic involvement within a local community is unlike any other extracurricular offered at the graduate level.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? In the Fall, Women Business Association (WBA) hosted a golf clinic for beginners. What I admittedly initially thought of as cliché for budding businesswomen turned out to be an informative and fun bonding activity, while developing a skill that boosts confidence for future corporate outings. Definitely did not hurt that it was a sunny day in what was an otherwise dreary season!

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