3 Vanderbilt University Alumni Who Are Playing in the MLB

David Price
Image: mlb.com

Scott Bushley is a Boston-based financial executive who served for more than a decade in varying capacities at BNY Mellon Investment Management before joining Granite Point Capital as a partner in 2018. Outside of his professional pursuits, Scott Bushley is a volunteer coach who is highly involved with Cohasset Youth Baseball and Softball Association. He is an alumnus of Vanderbilt University, which has produced more than 40 Major League Baseball (MLB) players. Below are three of the most prominent ones:

1. David Price – A first-round pick in the 2007 MLB Draft, Price began his big-league career the following year with the Tampa Bay Rays and has since pitched for the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox. Now in his 12th season, the left-handed pitcher boasts a win-loss record of 150-79 to go along with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.28 as of August 2.

2. Sonny Gray – Like Price, Gray was a first-round draft pick. The right-handed pitcher was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2011 and played five seasons with the team before being dealt to the New York Yankees in 2017. Now a member of the Cincinnati Reds, Gray has a career record of 65-58 and an ERA of 3.63 as of August 2.

3. Dansby Swanson – The first overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, Swanson is a shortstop who has played in more than 400 games with the Atlanta Braves since 2016. Now 25 years old, he is enjoying a career-best season in 2019. As of August 2, the Georgia native had 17 home runs and 57 RBIs, in addition to a .265 batting average.

The Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch Leadership Academy

Responsible for overseeing finance and business operations at Granite Point Capital, Scott Bushley has been a partner at the Boston firm since September 2018, prior to which he gained 20 years of relevant experience with multiple firms. While working at Atlantic Trust, Scott Bushley completed an MBA in finance at the Boston College Carroll Graduate School of Management.

Emphasizing real-world experience, the Carroll Graduate School of Management has several research centers at which students can network and engage in discussion with prominent thinkers and work together to address important social issues. One of these centers is the Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch Leadership Academy (LLA).

In partnership with the Lynch School of Education, the LLA was established for the purpose of improving education outcomes by developing a sustainable network of successful leaders. LLA members include principals and other educational leaders from schools in Boston and gateway cities throughout Massachusetts. Through fellowships for aspiring and sitting principals in addition to alumni coaching, the Academy seeks to disrupt inequity and increase opportunities for students, particularly those in underserved regions.

The LLA was founded in 2010 following the donation of a multi-year grant from the Lynch Foundation. It has since had 221 Fellows from 124 schools and impacted in excess of 90,000 students.

The 2019 Ironman World Championship

Triathlon
Image: Triathlon.org

Formerly serving as the head of business operations at BNY Mellon Investment Management, Scott Bushley joined Granite Point Capital as a partner responsible for finances and operations in 2018. Outside of his responsibilities in providing strategic direction and counsel for all of the firm’s operations, Scott Bushley enjoys athletic pursuits like hiking and biking. Moreover, he has participated in more than two-dozen triathlons.

The ultimate triathlon event of the year is the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. The annual event was first held in 1978 after Judy and John Collins thought to combine Hawaii’s three most demanding endurance races: the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112-mile Around-Oahu Bike Race, and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon. Fifteen people competed in the inaugural event, and now, more than 95,000 athletes seek to qualify for the World Championship at more than three dozen Ironman events per year.

The 2019 Ironman World Championship is sponsored by the plant-based nutrition brand Vega and will take place October 12 in Kailua-Kona. It will be broadcast live via IRONMAN NOW on Facebook Watch and on select regional TV networks, including NBC Sports in the US. Last year’s event had almost 20 million views on Facebook Watch.

How to Launch a Career in the Finance Sector with a Bachelor’s Degree

Graduation day Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

The recipient of a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University, Scott Bushley is an experienced investment-management professional who serves as partner at Granite Point Capital in Boston. Scott Bushley began his career in 1997 as a sales and operations assistant at Deutsche Bank Securities after completing his bachelor’s degree, later entering Boston College’s Carroll Graduate School of Management.

While an MBA can be a significant asset for a career in finance, it isn’t absolutely required. Graduates of bachelor’s programs can make up for a relative lack of educational merits by pursuing internship opportunities and leveraging their background to demonstrate their qualifications.

Seeking out internship opportunities while in college, between academic years, and even after graduating, can be beneficial. Many finance internships are paid, so it’s better to obtain one with a respected firm rather than working at unrelated jobs. While completing the menial tasks often assigned to interns might not feel rewarding, working in a high-pace environment can provide networking opportunities and professional references.

Regarding background, those who fall into groups that haven’t been traditionally associated with the finance sector can benefit from internships or entry-level training programs. Deutsche Bank, for instance, has an internship program that prefers military veterans or LGBTQ applicants, while Morgan Stanley offers a Black, Hispanic, and Native American Early Insights Program.

Another thing to consider is elective courses. Even if pursuing a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated subject, aiming to complete multiple numbers-oriented courses like applied mathematics or economics can be applicable. A knowledge of engineering or science can be useful for prospective research analysts or investment bankers who specialize in related industries.