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- Fantastic interview last night on @colbertreport about Nashville and the support for local book stores. http://t.co/FwKxme2u about 1 day ago from web ReplyRetweetFavorite
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Category Archives: Graduate Life
Independent Studies
Independent Studies are common here at Owen. The faculty and administration encourage them as they provide students with the practical experience of heading a project with little guidance—no better preparation for the “real world*.”
*The real world as in the actual world, not the formerly popular MTV reality series.
Why an independent study?
Academic Credits – Independent studies are a good choice if the course offering isn’t to your liking or use. I, for example, am foregoing the corporate world to seek work in the arts following graduation, so not all courses are practical. (“So the only thing left is Bond Markets…Independent study it is.”) This past mod, I designed an independent study for myself that aligned with my educational and occupational goals; professors are usually willing to cooperate as advisors once you show that your proposed study is applicable and has merit.
Posted in Graduate Life, Ravi Venkataramani '12, Why Owen?
Tagged class, independent study, learning
1 Comment
Reflections on the First Semester…
We got through it! Despite all the concern about failing Finance and finding time for our personal lives, we all survived and thrived through the first semester. Granted, it was a little rough those first few weeks of Mod 1 until I realized that I would need to schedule personal tasks, like going to the gym or getting groceries, into my Outlook calendar or my time would quickly be filled with meeting requests and other things would be neglected. But eventually, I figured that out, and occasionally I actually got to do the personal things I tried to plan!
This Mod was when we really started getting to know our classmates, during Thursday Socials, Tailgating events, and just spending time together in and outside of class. We have a wonderful class, and it’s been amazing to hear so many different perspectives as we discuss cases. In my LTO class, we had a former NASA employee who could give us insight into the culture as we went over our NASA case!
Owen. Wired.
When you get tired of going to the Starbucks across the street, OwenBloggers has you covered.
Dose Coffee & Tea
Website: dosecoffeeandtea.com
Address: 3431 Murphy Road, Nashville, TN 37203
Hours: M-F 6a-7p; Sat 7a-7p; Sun 8a-7p
Seating: Very popular place that fills up quite often, but you can find a seat most days. If not, ask to share a booth or table with someone!
Selected Prices: Medium Coffee: $2.00, Medium Latte: $3.50, Cup of Tea: $2.25
Outlet availability: Ample thanks to several power strips throughout.
Wifi: Yes: Open network, no password required. Always a good connection.
Driving Distance from Owen: 1.8 miles
Parking (Car): Yes, but limited.
Parking (Bike): No.
Food: Cookies, Bagels, Breakfast Sandwiches, Small lunch menu, Treats, etc.
Scene: Mostly a mix of students and professionals. You’ll see lots of laptops open or business meetings being conducted at Dose.
Other Notes: In my opinion, the strongest coffee in Nashville. Great selection of tea. Best smelling coffee shop. Next door to Grand Cru Wine and Spirits who hosts wine tastings in Dose occasionally. I would go here way more if they were open past 7pm. As it stands, it splits time with Crema as my morning/afternoon coffee shop.
Posted in Doug Midkiff '12, Graduate Life, Nashville
Tagged coffee, cool places, Dose, study
1 Comment
Parenting at Owen
Guest Blogger Ben Meek, MBA 2012, gives some insights into being a parent while pursuing his MBA. If you’re a parent (or soon-to-be parent) thinking about coming to Owen and want to ask Ben or his wife Katie more about parenting as a student send an e-mail to: benjamin.meek@owen.vanderbilt.edu or reach out to the Owen Partners Association: OPA@owen.vanderbilt.edu
Ben and one of his kiddos
My wife Katie and I took a leap and moved from San Diego to Nashville despite knowing very little about the city. From a family perspective, we could hardly have made a better choice. I can’t weigh in too much on day care and schooling, but here’s what I can tell you about.
Kids – When we arrived, Katie was 6 months pregnant with our second son. We thought we’d be the only couple crazy enough to have a child during business school, but at least a couple of other Owen families did it as well this past year. (Tell you one thing that made that easier—the hospital is about a 5 minute walk from campus.) Our kids have really thrived here. There are plenty of good outdoorsy things to do, including some great hiking trails in Brentwood and elsewhere, and my 3-year old loved his first camping trip. If that’s not your cup of tea, there are plenty of good places to take the kids, play groups and the like. We’ve found Nashville to be a stellar family environment with plenty of young families.
Posted in Graduate Life, Guest & Alumni Bloggers, Partners & Sig-O's
Tagged family, kids, parenting
1 Comment
Education in India and the US: Top 10 differences
I’ve done all my schooling, from grade school through my undergraduate Engineering degree, in India. As such, I am quite familiar with the system of education there. After a semester of studying here in America I have noticed several differences between school here and in my home country.
Of course, I’ve never attended graduate school or business school in India, so some of my observations are like comparing apples to oranges, but overall I think these are the most obvious (and interesting!) differences:
- University structure – Owen is just one part of a huge university offering various courses and houses a renowned medical center on campus. This gives me the option to pick up courses from various other schools, such as the law school.
- Diversity – The diversity in the classroom here is quite an experience in itself. My education in India lacked the kind of diversity Owen offers and I find it as a welcome breath of fresh air. It really opens your eyes to the challenges of working in a global environment.
- In the Classroom – The classes here are very immersive. Most professors spend less time lecturing and more time illustrating principles with sound examples. Class is also made livelier with presentations, movies, product demonstrations and personal anecdotes.