Ranjani Mosale Vijayakumar

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

“Driven, over-committer-in-chief, lifelong hobby collector, and an inclusive leader who loves building communities.”

Hometown: Mysuru, Karnataka, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: During my time at UIUC, I ran a monthly nonprofit kitchen fundraiser to build schools in underserved communities.

Undergraduate School and Major: B.Tech, Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, Surathkal
M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Senior Engineer, Corrpro Companies, Inc.

What has been your favorite part of Nashville so far? Why? As someone who loves the arts, I’ve found Nashville’s artist community incredibly welcoming and warm. Some of my favorite moments have been at the local pottery studio. My husband, baby, and I love exploring new brunch spots every Sunday and taking advantage of local parks for family hikes and walks. Nashville has a unique mix of community and ambition.

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? One aspect that stood out to me was Owen’s Leadership Development Program, which provides every student with a comprehensive evaluation through the Hogan Assessment and pairs us with an executive coach to guide our growth throughout the MBA. Having several years of professional experience, I wanted to make the most of my time back in school. The opportunity to receive structured coaching, reflection, and feedback while navigating the challenges of business school and recruiting has been incredibly valuable. It was important to me to attend a program that not only develops analytical skills through coursework but also invests in helping students grow into thoughtful and effective leaders.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Vanderbilt Owen? Two experiences come to mind. The first is Leading Teams and Organizations in my first module. I enjoy reading about behavioral economics, and learning from Professor Timothy Vogus has been a highlight of my time at Owen. He teaches with honesty and vulnerability, which makes his classes both engaging and impactful.

Second, being part of the Owen Strategy and Consulting Club has been incredibly rewarding. The club not only helped me build the skills needed for a successful recruiting season, but also gave me the opportunity to form meaningful relationships with second-year students whose mentorship I will carry throughout my professional journey.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of my biggest accomplishments has been earning my certification as a Cathodic Protection Specialist, a credential held by only about 400 professionals in the United States. Achieving this in a highly technical and male-dominated industry required years of dedication to developing deep technical expertise. As I grew in responsibility, I also realized the importance of supporting other women entering the field. I started a mentorship initiative within my organization to create a stronger support system for young women engineers navigating the industry. Seeing those engineers grow in confidence and capability has been incredibly fulfilling, and I hope to carry on this mentorship throughout my career.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? One of my proudest accomplishments during the MBA so far has been being elected by my peers to serve in leadership roles for the upcoming academic year. I was elected President of the Women in Business Association and to the board of the Owen Strategy and Consulting Club. These roles mean a lot to me because they reflect the trust my classmates have placed in me and my commitment to supporting others on their professional and personal development journeys. I am especially excited about creating spaces where students can learn from one another, build confidence, and navigate recruiting and career decisions together, living up to Owen’s motto of being competitive, not cutthroat.

As a mom in an MBA program, the advice and support of other women were incredibly important to my success. I hope to pay that forward by supporting incoming women and the broader student community at Owen.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? My best memory from my MBA so far has been Closing Bell, Owen’s weekly tradition, where the entire community comes together after classes. Each week, a different club hosts Closing Bell, and students, their families, professors, and staff gather to connect over food and drinks. Attending the Closing Bell with my husband, daughter, and in-laws was especially meaningful. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to attend as many as I would like yet, I’m looking forward to spending more Thursday evenings there.

DON’T MISS: MEET VANDERBILT OWEN’S MBA CLASS OF 2027

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