As we get ready for VBR’s 2025-26 year, the editor team decided to take a look back at some of the highlights of this past year. Although we had many strong articles, here we have decided to spotlight some of the articles that especially stood out to us, whether it be due to subject matter, the amount of analysis and information contained in them, or both.
Is CAVA the Next Chipotle?
When you think about non-dining hall lunch spots that Vanderbilt students frequent, CAVA and Chipotle both are at the top of the list. This article gets into the nitty gritty of CAVA’s rise, and how it compares to Chipotle both in terms of business model and finances. The analysis is not only in depth, but it also uses its subject matter to introduce a lot of information about the stock market in general, giving the reader an excellent opportunity to expand their knowledge. And, they surveyed over 1,200 Vanderbilt students on their preference, finding that Chipotle slightly edges CAVA with a 50.7% pick rate.
The Economics of Why You Should Stay in Nashville After Graduating
Perhaps one of the biggest choices Vanderbilt students will make is where to go after graduation. While many end up going back home or to hubs like New York, an increasing number stay in the music city post grad. This article provides a large amount of objective reasons for even more Vandy grads to consider making Nashville their permanent home.
Realtor Compensation Gets Overhauled: How Does It Affect Nashville?
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is a realtor trade association with well over a million members, having massive influence on the practices of realtors and how they work together with homeowners. And while most Vanderbilt students probably don’t own property in Nashville, this article provides a great, well-researched look at how a court case involving the commissions practices of NAR realtors had potentially caused unfair outcomes for homebuyers. This article takes a deep look at how the outcome of this case will impact the real estate industry, and even interviews some Vanderbilt professors.
The Rise of the New Kings of Wall Street: How Quant Firms Are Redefining the Financial Landscape and Their Impact on College Students
Whilst working in the finance industry is certainly a common path for Vanderbilt students, this article looks into a less common career path that many may not have ever even heard of, despite its financial success. In the past traditional investment banking prospered on Wall Street. Today, quantitative trading firms have seen a huge surge in success, using technology and data driven strategies to dominate the market. This article examines how quantitative trading works, as well as how this new frontier of finance impacts current college students looking to work in the industry.
The Money Behind the Madness: How does the NCAA Tournament Affect Colleges Financially?
Sports, especially at the collegiate level, is one of the fastest growing and quickest evolving industries in America. Each year, March Madness is an event that takes American culture by storm, which surely means high revenues, but how exactly do schools benefit from this tournament? This article explains what March Madness really means for schools financially, and sheds some light on how schools like Vanderbilt benefit from the tournament financially.
Vanderbilt Beat Alabama… Now What?
Any Vanderbilt student who was on campus the day when Vanderbilt upset No. 1 ranked Alabama 40-35 knows the magical feeling that descended upon campus. However, as the win began to cool off, many were left wondering what such a victory actually meant for the university. This article examines the potential financial impacts such a win has on Vanderbilt, as well as how recent changes to how collegiate athletics operates have impacted both Vanderbilt sports and NCAA sports as a whole. For anyone who this win marked a deepening of their interest in collegiate athletics, this article provides a great way to feed this newfound interest whilst learning more about the business of college sports.