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For Emily and Grant Vandenbussche, their time at the Tepper School of Business shaped far more than their careers. It sparked a partnership grounded in entrepreneurship, innovation, and similar career aspirations.

Emily earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in Food Science from Penn State University and began her career at Mondel膿z International, maker of brands including Oreo, Triscuit, and Cadbury. After four years in the industry, she realized she wanted to expand beyond the technical side of food science.

鈥淚 wanted to make sure that I could take a broader view and speak the same language as some of our business counterparts,鈥� Emily said. 鈥淚 loved food and everything related to that, and I wanted to shift my career to focus more on healthier living and healthier eating for all Americans.鈥�

Grant, who earned his undergraduate degree in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University, began his career at General Mills in Minneapolis working in commodities. Though he was considering an international role with the company, he found himself drawn to Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 entrepreneurial ecosystem instead.

鈥淚 was drawn to the entrepreneurship program and support at Carnegie Mellon, particularly the Swartz Center and Tepper School of Business,鈥� Grant said.

That shared entrepreneurial interest would ultimately bring them together, and their paths met when both arrived at the Tepper School from their respective corners of the consumer packaged goods industry.

Both Grant and Emily became involved with the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship and were active in the Tepper School鈥檚 startup community. Grant served as president of the Graduate Entrepreneurship Club, and both he and Emily became Swartz Fellows.

While completing their MBA鈥檚, both worked at Pittsburgh-based agricultural technology startup Fifth Season, where they gained firsthand experience building a high-growth company while balancing the demands of business school. Grant worked full time at the startup during his second year at the Tepper School while simultaneously leading the Graduate Entrepreneurship Club and completing his MBA coursework. Emily later joined the company during the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually led Fifth Season鈥檚 consumer products division.

After the company shut down in 2022, Grant transitioned into venture investing focused on food innovation and entrepreneurship. Emily moved into health and wellness strategy, first through Walmart鈥檚 former incubation arm, Store No. 8, before stepping into her current leadership role.

Today, Grant invests in entrepreneurs and funds shaping the future of food at Grupo Bimbo, one of the world鈥檚 largest baking companies. Emily鈥檚 work now centers on helping customers make healthier choices through digital tools and data-driven insights, serving as Senior Director of Strategy, Growth, and Business Operations at Walmart.

鈥淥ur goal is to provide digital tools to our customers to help them realize small changes they can make that can improve their life and their health,鈥� Emily said.

Beyond the classroom, both credit the Tepper School and the Swartz Center with creating an environment that encouraged collaboration across disciplines and pushed them outside their comfort zones.

Emily said the Tepper School also helped her build confidence in unfamiliar areas, particularly finance and communication. Grant recalled working alongside Carnegie Mellon robotics students on a space startup concept called CubeRover, an experience that highlighted the university鈥檚 interdisciplinary culture.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e connected with both graduate and undergraduate students, and multidisciplinary teams from across campus,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd years later those relationships are still part of your network.鈥�

The couple emphasized how the Tepper School community extends far beyond graduation. Their alumni group chats remain active years later, and both continue to stay deeply connected to Carnegie Mellon and Pittsburgh, having recently returned to campus for Reunion Weekend.

As they reflect on their experiences, both encourage current students to embrace discomfort, pursue ambitious goals, and take advantage of Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 collaborative culture.

鈥淕et comfortable being uncomfortable,鈥� Emily said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what will make you grow.鈥�

鈥淚 think most of the time the MBA students are so ambitious,鈥� Grant added. 鈥淭hey also have so much support around them.鈥�

Though their time at the Tepper School has come to a close, its impact continues to shape the careers, ambitions, and life Grant and Emily are building together.