Michael and Allison Rees have invested $25 million to establish the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Center for Finance, which will position Vanderbilt as a premier destination for undergraduate students pursuing careers in finance. Anchored at the Owen Graduate School of Management, the center will help undergraduates navigate today’s accelerated and competitive recruiting environment by providing early academic preparation that bridges academic studies with finance-related career aspirations and offers individualized career coaching and connections with industry leaders and employers.
“Finance plays a consequential role in shaping businesses, markets and economies, and Vanderbilt has an important role to play in preparing the next generation of leaders in the field,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “This extraordinary gift will give our students the rigorous education, practical experience and early preparation they need to succeed in finance—and, over the course of their careers, to help shape its future.”
A lead gift to inspire broader support
The Reeses, parents of a current Vanderbilt student, witnessed the impact of Vandy 2 Wall Street firsthand. The Vanderbilt Career Center program uses immersive programming and strategic partnerships with alumni and employers to prepare students for competitive careers in finance. Inspired by that program, Michael and Allison Rees made their gift to significantly expand academic, career and experiential learning opportunities for Vanderbilt students.
“This extraordinary gift will give our students the rigorous education, practical experience and early preparation they need to succeed in finance—and, over the course of their careers, to help shape its future.”
The Vanderbilt Undergraduate Center for Finance will help students to prepare earlier, including for finance internships recruited as early as sophomore year, to build the technical and professional skills top employers demand, and to gain access to a broader network of opportunities. With recruiting timelines accelerating, particularly in New York City, this investment ensures that Vanderbilt students are ready to compete for the most sought-after roles when those doors open.
“Vanderbilt has extraordinary students with the talent and drive to compete for the most coveted careers in finance. We hope to accelerate their academic journey and practical preparation for these top careers,” Michael and Allison Rees said. “We encourage others who share that vision to join us in making it a reality.”
To fully bring the Center for Finance’s vision to life, Vanderbilt has set a goal of $50 million in philanthropic support. The Reeses’ visionary $25 million commitment serves as the lead gift, and they are challenging fellow supporters to join them in raising the remaining $25 million to build a center that will enrich students’ lives for decades to come.
An integrated hub for undergraduate finance
By bringing together academic enrichment, career advising and industry engagement, the center will create a coordinated path from the classroom to the workplace. A defining feature will be earlier, more structured exposure to finance. Vanderbilt plans to develop academic courses and programming for first- and second-year students that helps them build foundational knowledge well ahead of recruiting deadlines.
“Vanderbilt has extraordinary students with the talent and drive to compete for the most coveted careers in finance. We hope to accelerate their academic journey and practical preparation for these top careers. We encourage others who share that vision to join us in making it a reality.”
Students will gain earlier exposure to key finance concepts, structured opportunities to build both technical skill and professional aptitude, and guidance on the intricacies of internships and recruiting.
“The Center for Finance reflects Vanderbilt’s commitment to creating an undergraduate experience that connects rigorous academic learning with connectivity to the leading financial organizations on Wall Street and beyond,” Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver said. “By bringing together faculty expertise, career preparation and the growing opportunities created by Vanderbilt’s presence in New York, we can give students an even stronger foundation for pursuing careers in finance and contributing to the field.”
Faculty growth
The center will build the faculty and staff capacity needed to expand undergraduate finance education, including center leadership and new teaching resources. Initially, this will include a professor of the practice at Owen dedicated to undergraduate finance education, giving students access to instructors who understand both the discipline and the recruiting realities of the profession.
“By bringing together faculty expertise, career preparation and the growing opportunities created by Vanderbilt’s presence in New York, we can give students an even stronger foundation for pursuing careers in finance and contributing to the field.”
“This gift allows us to build something distinctive: a cohesive undergraduate finance experience that blends academic rigor with real-world relevance,” said Tom Steenburgh, Ralph Owen Dean. “By strengthening faculty capacity and creating a clear pathway for students, the Center for Finance will help Vanderbilt undergraduates compete for the most coveted roles on Wall Street and beyond, while deepening the university’s connections to leaders across the industry.”
Career development and industry engagement
The center will expand career advising and experiential learning through dedicated Career Center staff with expertise in finance, including staff based in New York City. These advisers will strengthen relationships with employers across the industry, particularly in New York, while supporting internship and permanent placement opportunities in the finance market and deepening connections among students, alumni and employers. This work will also enhance initiatives such as Vandy 2 Wall Street and support Vanderbilt’s broader presence in New York.
“The Center for Finance will create a more integrated path from classroom to career, one that reflects how students learn, prepare and succeed,” said Everette Fortner, vice provost for career advancement and engagement and Evans Family Executive Director of the Career Center. “With dedicated advisers and stronger and more expansive ties to the New York market, we will deliver more tailored advising, earlier preparation and deeper employer and alumni engagement to help students translate their Vanderbilt education into exceptional opportunities.”
An undergraduate career seminar
The center will also support an undergraduate career seminar focused on finance. This hands-on seminar covers industry knowledge, professional development, networking, interviewing and other career-readiness skills, complementing students’ coursework and individualized advising with a structured foundation for recruiting.
Preparing students to lead in finance
As finance recruiting evolves, the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Center for Finance will help students stand out through early academic exposure, integrated advising, applied learning and sustained engagement with finance leaders. The center will adapt alongside the industry to ensure that students are positioned to compete. It will become a signature strength of the undergraduate experience and a destination in its own right, attracting students who choose Vanderbilt knowing they will have access to the preparation, networks and opportunities needed to launch careers at the highest levels of finance.
“This gift allows us to build something distinctive: a cohesive undergraduate finance experience that blends academic rigor with real-world relevance.”
Vanderbilt alumni, parents, supporters and friends interested in supporting or partnering with the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Center for Finance are encouraged to email Kelli Edmond at kelli.j.edmond@vanderbilt.edu.
About the donors
Michael and Allison Rees are grateful for their two careers in finance. They reside in New Canaan, Connecticut and have two children. They hold volunteer leadership roles in Vanderbilt’s Chancellor’s Circle, a distinguished advisory community that partners with university leadership on consulting-style projects, as well as on the Chancellor’s Parent Council and the Parent Leadership Committee.
Michael Rees is co-president of Blue Owl Capital Inc., a member of the firm’s board of directors and head of its GP Strategic Capital platform. He previously founded Dyal Capital, the predecessor to Blue Owl’s GP Strategic Capital platform. Michael also serves on the board of directors of The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health.
He holds master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and technology policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and political science from the University of Pittsburgh.
Allison Rees serves on the Board of Trustees of the New Canaan Library and is a member of the National Charity League. She has also held leadership positions with the Newcomers Club and several New Canaan schools. Allison is a former sales and marketing executive at Bloomberg L.P. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Pennsylvania State University.
The Rees family’s philanthropic priorities include the Rees Chancellor Scholarship Program at the University of Pittsburgh, the New Canaan Library, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Geoffrey Canada Center for Cancer Disparities, the Opportunity Network, Northwell Health and Filling in the Blanks.
Dare to Grow
The Reeses’ investment was inspired by and contributed to the tremendous momentum of Vanderbilt’s historic Dare to Grow campaign. Support for Dare to Grow has fueled some of the university’s most groundbreaking initiatives, including the Institute of National Security, Vandy United, Vanderbilt’s enhanced presences in New York City, San Francisco, Chattanooga and West Palm Beach, and signature programs like Opportunity Vanderbilt and residential colleges.