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Founder and Lead Consultant, J. Gowdy Consulting
By the time he was 28, Jeff Gowdy had more life experiences than many people manage in a lifetime. He'd lived on six continents, run a Habitat camp in the Bahamas, been a ranch hand in Wyoming, backpacked much of the Appalachian Trail and learned to surf while working in Portugal.
But, he says, "I felt I wasn't fully utilizing my skills or aligning my personal values with my professional work." He sought to build a career around his interest in natural resources and sustainability. To get the business knowledge to complement his environmental experience, the engineering major selected Vanderbilt over five other schools.
Not only did Owen offer an environmental/sustainability program, Jeff says, but the faculty allowed him to completely craft his own educational experience through the General Management track—including classes in the Law, Education, Divinity and Engineering Schools as well as the College of Arts and Science.
Now that he's running his own environmental sustainability firm, Jeff stays involved in that community—returning to guest lecture, discussing career opportunities with students and soliciting advice from Dean Bradford and other faculty. "Owen," says Jeff, "is still a major part of my life."
Jeff Gowdy
Vanderbilt MBA 2006Founder and Lead Consultant, J. Gowdy Consulting
Crafting His Own Experience
Owen Helped Gowdy Align Career with ValuesBy the time he was 28, Jeff Gowdy had more life experiences than many people manage in a lifetime. He'd lived on six continents, run a Habitat camp in the Bahamas, been a ranch hand in Wyoming, backpacked much of the Appalachian Trail and learned to surf while working in Portugal.
But, he says, "I felt I wasn't fully utilizing my skills or aligning my personal values with my professional work." He sought to build a career around his interest in natural resources and sustainability. To get the business knowledge to complement his environmental experience, the engineering major selected Vanderbilt over five other schools.
Not only did Owen offer an environmental/sustainability program, Jeff says, but the faculty allowed him to completely craft his own educational experience through the General Management track—including classes in the Law, Education, Divinity and Engineering Schools as well as the College of Arts and Science.
Now that he's running his own environmental sustainability firm, Jeff stays involved in that community—returning to guest lecture, discussing career opportunities with students and soliciting advice from Dean Bradford and other faculty. "Owen," says Jeff, "is still a major part of my life."
