Prior to attending Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Management, Ania Sanchez (Owen, ‘22) worked in Marketing at Mary Kay Cosmetics in Mexico. While she enjoyed her experience, Ania realized that an MBA would help her build her decision making and leadership skills, and enrolled at Owen. During our conversation, Ania spoke about her decision to pursue an MBA, what she likes about her MBA experience at Owen, and her advice to prospective MBA students who are considering pursuing an MBA.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to apply to business school?
Life before Business School was fun. I was doing something that I am very passionate about, Marketing, in my hometown and one of my favorite cities in the world, Monterrey, Mexico. I was part of the Marketing team of Mary Kay Cosmetics Mexico where I was doing a little bit of everything. Sometimes I was doing the typical business reports but others I was writing scripts for commercials or giving conferences. At Mary Kay I had the opportunity to work with different teams within the company and started a small side-business at the same time. Those interactions made me apply for business school. I wanted to learn more about every aspect in a company in order to improve my decision-making and leadership skills. I’m happy to be part of Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management!
MBASchooled: What were the most important criteria to you when selecting MBA Programs to apply for?
The people! Being surrounded by minds that are so different from me but at the same time with similar goals was very important. I knew I wanted to be at a place where I could feel supported and that’s exactly what the Vanderbilt community offers. I felt part of the community even when I was still in Mexico!
MBASchooled: Based on your own specific career aspirations, what programs, resources or experiences at Owen were most important to you?
Being an international student can be challenging sometimes. You come from a different culture, background, and sometimes even a different language. Owen’s Leadership Development Program prepared me to be a better leader in a different country. In every meeting I had with my two classmates and the coach, we shared our previous experiences and different ways in which we could’ve approached the desired results. At the same time, we took a class called Managerial Communication in which we all had to give speeches and presentations. The professor and my classmates were very supportive, gave me helpful feedback and my confidence improved significantly! Those two were wonderful resources that helped me during my internship search.
MBASchooled: Think back to the MBA application process. What’s something you know now, that you wish you knew then?
Many schools offer similar resources for you to prepare for your future but it’s up to you to decide how involved you want to be in your MBA experience. It is all about being surrounded by the right people so choose your community wisely and ask questions, a lot of questions.
MBASchooled: Why did you choose to attend Owen?
Although the Owen community played an important role in my decision, the location was also an important factor. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee – one of the fastest growing cities in the US. You can listen to live country music everywhere! The food scene is also amazing and so many big companies are now migrating to Nashville. It is a great place to live and I enjoy every day here.
MBASchooled: What’s something you’ve learned about Owen this semester, that you didn’t know when you made your admissions decision last year?
Before coming to Owen I knew the school gives you the opportunity to choose your electives since your first semester but I didn’t know the impact this has on your future. You can start shaping your career since Mod 2 and preparing for your internship.
MBASchooled: Now that you’ve been at Owen for a semester, what’s been your favorite experience, and why?
Covid definitely impacted our experience in business school but Owen knew how to adapt and offered socially distanced in-person events. As the new Owen Student Government Association – VP of International Affairs, one of my favorite activities is to connect with my classmates. From food trucks to guest speakers, we always found a way to meet and enjoy some time together during our first year in Business School.
MBASchooled: Oftentimes, the word “culture” gets thrown around when talking about MBA programs. Can you characterize the culture at Owen?, and share an example of an experience that you think personifies this?
I started experiencing the culture at Owen even before classes started last year. The US embassies in almost every country were closed and it was practically impossible to get a student visa during COVID. One day, when I was in Mexico last summer, I refreshed the US embassy website and suddenly found an appointment to get my visa within two weeks! I had to pack everything and move to Nashville in just 10 days. During this time, many of my classmates, faculty and professors called or texted me offering their help and advice during this moving process. I always felt supported!
MBASchooled: What advice do you have, for students who are considering applying or applying to MBA programs right now?
Do it! This is an experience that will change your life and bring opportunities that you don’t even know are possible to achieve. Take the time to reflect on your past experiences, personal and professional, and trust yourself. Vanderbilt University is waiting for you and we are so excited to help you transform your future!