Amna Aslam

As Talent Manager, I am constantly grappling with topics around leadership behaviors, culture and talent development. A big priority for me is working to create an inclusive and psychologically safe environment where diverse talents shine and grow, gender diversity being a focus area. I have also been able to influence the organization in strategically planning for workforce of the future, keeping competencies at the forefront of how we hire, assess and develop talent. The courses I took at Peabody have significantly helped me tackle some of these topics and build programs from the ground up. For example, I was a key member of the People Analytics Team at Schneider, who tested new tools and processes and deployed them at a large scale. Another key benefit of my LOP degree has been dealing with ambiguity–when there is a big challenge or a vision but no clear direction, I like to get involved to create strategies from scratch and collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders. The hands-on consulting projects during the program have enhanced my problem-solving while keeping industry practices in mind. Given the Sustainability Efforts at Schneider Electric, I feel my work with Supply Chain helps deliver more value for our customer and, therefore, for the environment as well.

One of my favorite things about Peabody was the class size. While there was opportunity to meet with students of many disciplines through the courses offered, I really enjoyed the small cohorts, authenticity, meaningful relations and rich discussions. Moreover, the professors go the extra mile and offer nurturing and mentorship that can easily be lost in a larger cohort. Thanks to this, I was able to forge wonderful connections with some of the Peabody faculty and have been able to reach out to them for guidance after the program as well. There was great emphasis on sharing and giving back. Programs like Peer Career Mentoring gave me the opportunity to support incoming students, especially international students like me who were dealing with cultural transition and complex policies around entering the workforce.

Peabody and Vanderbilt helped me push myself beyond my comfort zone and participate in many different activities. I got to be an active member of the Turner Family Center for Social Ventures and at the Owen School of Business, where I served as a board member during my second year. This helped me interact with students from across Vanderbilt and to learn about social enterprise. In addition, I participated in the pilot cycle of Narrative Circles, where we used story-telling to explore each individual’s complex identities and offer support and affirmation. We also discovered ways of incorporating circles in our professions.

As a student, my voice mattered. I was actively engaged within my program to offer feedback on courses as well as program structure. After graduation, I have continued to enjoy connecting with students from Peabody, specially LOP, every chance I can get, and would love to support in future as well.