The Steve and Debbie Vetter Dean’s Fellows Program is a premier leader-scholar program that offers distinctive opportunities to make a significant contribution to the community, while transforming personally and professionally.
The program enhances Vetter Fellows’ MBA experience through:
- Projects with impact: You will collaborate with your peers, as well as faculty, staff, alumni and others, on projects and initiatives that make a lasting impact, supporting local organizations and diverse communities across the state and country. Many of these projects support underserved populations and address issues related to social impact, economic development, and sustainability.
- Leadership development: Tailored, hands-on experiences to guide your personal and professional development, including an incoming student retreat, and a specially designed global learning experience. Vetter Fellows also have access to $500 per year in individual reimbursable professional development funds.
- Recruiting: Vetter Fellows have access to a dedicated Career Coach, who will help shape your career goals and prepare you for internship and post-MBA recruiting. Vetter Fellows also attend special events with employers throughout the year, providing an advantage in your post-MBA career search.
- Networking: Vetter Fellows build lasting relationships by connecting with numerous stakeholders who are committed to their education, growth and career. During a variety of special events, you’ll network with other classmates, School leaders, faculty and staff, alumni and business leaders.
- Giving back: Vetter Fellows collaborate with faculty and staff on projects and initiatives of high importance to the dean, and engage in community service projects, making a lasting impact on the UNC Kenan-Flagler and local community.
You have the opportunity to apply for the Vetter Dean’s Fellows Program as part of your admissions application. The selection committee typically chooses approximately 30 Vetter Fellows for each incoming class and looks for students with a passion to make an impact in the community as well as those with strong academic success and/or relevant leadership experience.
Learn what it takes to join the UNC-Kenan Flagler Full-Time MBA program.
"You have so much to look forward to as a Vetter Fellow - recruiting and networking opportunities, regularly scheduled meetings with the Dean, giving back to the community, and even opportunities for international travel. This spring, my Vetter Fellow class spent a week in Rwanda getting to know the local business environment and culture. It is an opportunity I would never have been able to take advantage of without the support of UNC Kenan-Flagler."
Vetter Dean’s Fellows program benefits
As a Vetter Fellow, you have access to a variety of exclusive enrichment experiences where you hone and apply leadership skills and enhance your personal growth through projects and interaction with UNC faculty, staff, alumni, employers and distinguished guests. Each experiences is intentionally connected to the program pillars: leadership development, recruiting, networking and giving back, as well as UNC Kenan-Flagler’s core values of Integrity, Inclusion, Innovation and Impact.
Signature experiences
- Incoming student retreat: Prior to orientation, you’ll attend a weekend retreat. It kicks off with a social networking event, where you’ll get to know the Vetters, program staff and your fellow students. The weekend also includes a foundational team-building experience with your Vetter Fellows peers, a session with your dedicated Career Coaching liaison, and a leadership workshop where you’ll explore your values, shape your personal development plan, and determine where you want to go after graduation.
- Global experience: This for-credit global experience, the majority of which is funded through the Vetter Deans Fellow program, will expose you to how business is done in a unique global destination. You’ll focus on responsible leadership and gain perspective from local experts and business leaders and engage in rewarding cultural experiences. In spring 2023, Vetter Fellows traveled to Rwanda to immerse themselves in the business and social culture of this rapidly growing nation.
- Early career coaching and resume book: Access to a dedicated Career Coach will help shape your career goals and prepare you for your internship and post-MBA recruiting. The career team also creates an electronic resume book for each Vetter Fellow, presenting them to potential employers in a highly professional way that gives them a competitive advantage in the job market.
- Exclusive programs with the dean and UNC Kenan-Flagler leadership: These semi-formal opportunities allow Vetter Fellows to engage in small group discussions with School leaders where you make important connections and receive advice and mentorship.
Additional annual programming
- Small Bites, Big Ideas: Small group discussions (six to eight Vetter Fellows) around a particular business topic, featuring special guest speakers
- Events with recruiters: Virtual coffee chats, small group discussions and one-on-one conversations allow you to explore career opportunities with employers from a wide variety of industries.
- Vetter Dean’s Fellows discussions: Student-led conversations around topics of interest, these discussions take a variety of formats and often engage faculty, alumni and business leaders.
- Vetter Dean’s Fellows projects: These impactful projects shape important innovation and progress at UNC Kenan-Flagler and within our local community. Recently, Vetter Fellows engaged in projects focused on renewable energy, affordable housing, food insecurity, and sustainability solutions in the fashion and textile industry, working with partner organizations across the state and country.
- Projects in recent years have also included research and recommendations to achieve gender parity in the MBA program at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, a UNC Executive Development learning and development research project to inform product offerings, and recommendations for MBA curriculum innovation and new academic concentrations.
- Social events: Cultivating lifelong network connections (and friendships) requires a healthy balance of work and play! Recent social events have included trivia, cooking classes, BBQ get-togethers hosted by Vetter Fellows and “Fridays on the Front Porch” at the Carolina Inn.
Stories from Vetter Dean’s Fellows alumni
Brittany Gulledge (MBA ’16)
Senior Market Access Manager, GlaxoSmithKline New Zealand
View Brittany’s LinkedIn profile
“The Dean’s Fellows Program has been very beneficial to me personally in three ways. First, it allowed me to spend time connecting with the most impressive students at UNC Kenan-Flagler in my year as well as the years above and below me through social events. Second, it provided me with an opportunity to give back to the School through a Dean’s Fellows Project, which shows that the School values my recommendations and gave me a great project to speak about with potential recruiters. Third, it gave me greater access to recruiters because my résumé was published in a Dean’s Fellows Résumé Book that showcases the best and brightest of Kenan-Flagler.”
Jermyn Davis (MBA ’20)
Strategic Initiatives Manager, Google
View Jermyn’s LinkedIn profile
“Through my Dean’s Fellow Project, my team and I felt extremely valued and appreciative of the opportunity to help develop the institution’s long-term strategy, particularly as it relates to our potential expansion into other international markets.”
Olivia Koziol (MBA ’22)
Associate, McKinsey & Co.
View Olivia’s LinkedIn profile
“I know the lessons I’ve learned as an MBA student at UNC Kenan-Flagler will forever impact my career, and the Vetter Dean’s Fellows program will do the same. It has offered me an incredible opportunity to build true connections with the top MBA candidates in my class while participating in projects that let me leave my mark on UNC Kenan-Flagler.”
Kyle Gibler (MBA ’13)
Partner, McKinsey & Company
View Kyle’s LinkedIn profile
“The Dean’s Fellows Program both attracted me to UNC Kenan-Flagler and enriched my time as a student. Through frequent social events, opportunities to connect to leaders in academia and industry, and an exciting practicum, the Dean’s Fellows Program provided me both a strong network and lifelong friends.”
Pranav Pimpley (MBA ’17)
Business Manager, Capital One
View Pranav’s LinkedIn profile
“Being a part of the Dean’s Fellows program helped me make meaningful connections at UNC Kenan-Flagler and in the UNC community. Working on a project to improve the business program and having a lasting impact on the Business School is a fulfilling experience as well.”
Vetter Dean’s Fellows Profiles
Vetter Dean’s Fellows student committee
Our student committee works alongside Business School leaders to shape the direction of the Vetter Fellows program. The committee designs events, assists with first-year Vetter Fellows projects, and facilitates engagement between first- and second-year Vetter Fellows.
