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. Vetter Fellows participate in special events and tailored programming, including an incoming student retreat, a fully-funded global learning experience, small group discussions with leaders and special guests of the business school, and intimate events with recruiters.
The program enhances Vetter Fellows’ MBA experience through these four pillars:
- Leadership development: Unique, 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 $1,000 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 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 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. All students selected as Vetter Fellows receive partial to full fellowship support in recognition of their achievements and potential.
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, 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 experience 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 2-day retreat and have the chance to network with 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.
- Tailored leadership course: This course leverages organizational behavior insights to bridge your professional and academic experiences, challenging students to analyze what they’ve learned and apply those skills effectively in internships and future roles. You’ll engage in practical discussions, hands-on activities, and tailored feedback to support your growth as a leader. Key objectives include enhancing impact, building strong relationships, aligning actions with organizational goals, and navigating uncertainty so you’re prepared to drive meaningful outcomes in your post-MBA career.
- Global experience: This fully funded for-credit global experience 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 2025, Vetter Fellows traveled to Cape Town, South Africa to immerse themselves in the business and social culture of this unique region.
- 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 UNC Kenan-Flagler leadership: These semi-formal opportunities allow Vetter Fellows to engage in small group discussions with Business 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.
- Social events: Cultivating lifelong network connections (and friendships) requires a healthy balance of work and play! Recent social events have included trivia, cooking classes, escape rooms and BBQ get-togethers hosted by Vetter Fellows.
Impressive employment outcomes
Hundreds of companies hire our Full-Time MBA students each year. Here is a list of the top companies who hired our Vetter Fellows in the last five years.
| Internships | Post-MBA Employers |
| Dell Deloitte Consulting Ecolab Goldman Sachs JPMorgan Chase & Co McKinsey & Company Microsoft |
Amazon Bank of America Dell Deloitte Consulting EY McKinsey & Company NextEra Energy, Inc. |
Get to know our Vetter Fellows
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 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.
