Open MenuHide Menu
  • Careers
    • About Vanguard
    • Pressroom
    • Other Vanguard Sites
    • Personal Investors
    • Retirement Plan Participants
    • Institutional Investors
    • Financial Advisors
    • Non-U.S. Investors
    • Small Business Online
    • My Plan Manager
    • Institutional Trading
Vanguard
Vanguard Careers
  • About Vanguard
  • Why Vanguard
  • Our Teams
    • Client Services
    • Corporate Support
    • Data & Analytics
    • Financial Advisor & Investment Management
    • Marketing
    • Sales
    • Technology
  • Students & Recent Graduates
    • EXPLORE Days
    • Internships
    • Client Services
    • Information Technology
    • Leadership Development Programs
    • MBA Programs
  • Careers Blog
  • Job Search
Mission driven to help others

Mission driven to help others

I was first introduced to Vanguard as a cadet at West Point. My father had recently heard about Roth IRAs and target-date funds on AM radio while driving home from work. He urged me to open an account with Vanguard, based on its reputation as an honest company with low costs. At West Point, I had many classmates and instructors who were interested in swapping hot stock tips and investment philosophies. One thing that stood out the most to me was a strategy championed by Vanguard’s founder Jack Bogle that urges investors to regularly invest in low-cost, broadly-diversified, index funds, while sticking to an investment plan regardless of market conditions. I was hooked.

Following graduation, I had the privilege of leading armor, infantry, and recruiting Army units both stateside and in Afghanistan. Many of my soldiers came from disadvantaged backgrounds. For some, it was their first time ever having a substantial income in their lives. They would often confide in me as their leader for guidance on things like creating a budget or investing for the future. Time and time again, I shared Mr. Bogle’s strategy and urged my soldiers to open a Vanguard account because I believed it was a company they could trust.

Following my transition from active duty, I was looking for a career opportunity that aligned with my values and was mission driven. When I discovered Vanguard’s MBA Development Program, I knew I’d found exactly what I’d been looking for. I had the opportunity to take on meaningful, strategic work over the course of three, five-month assignments. The program also included a significant amount of mentorship from peers, senior leaders, and executives—something validated by program alums who were more than willing to connect as I sought to learn more about the program during the recruiting process.

I’ve heard the saying: you don’t want to meet your heroes, lest they disappoint. In this instance, the adage is mistaken. I write this blog post enroute to the MBA Veterans Conference to represent Vanguard’s commitment to foster career opportunities for top military veterans and drive a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. I’m wholeheartedly thrilled to share my Vanguard story with the next cadre of service members who seek a new mission of taking a stand for all investors, treating them fairly, and giving them the best chance for investment success.

– Mike S.

Recent Posts

  • Trading Tanks for Vanguard: Finding Fulfillment as a Transitioning Veteran
  • Mission driven to help others
  • Disrupting the gender gap in IT
  • Celebrating My Story and Culture/ Celebrando Mi Historia y Cultura
  • A non-traditional pathway to becoming a developer

Share this entry

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Linkedin

More career blogs you may have missed

#LifeAtVanguard

Culture, Training & education Technology

My experience at last year’s Grace Hopper Conference

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/08/22092844/GettyImages-590241964-scaled.jpg 1709 2560 manikantashetty https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png manikantashetty2022-08-24 10:10:022022-08-24 15:57:33My experience at last year’s Grace Hopper Conference
Culture, Diversity & inclusion, Voyage to Vanguard Specialized Leader

Serving on the Women in ETFs U.S. board

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/07/19181434/Jackson_Janel_21_f.jpg 1400 2099 manikantashetty https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png manikantashetty2022-07-20 13:24:072022-07-20 13:24:07Serving on the Women in ETFs U.S. board
Culture, Training & education

My personal development journey through Vanguard Toastmasters

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/07/01075209/Dulemba_Monica_19.jpg 1500 2250 manikantashetty https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png manikantashetty2022-07-06 11:41:532022-07-06 11:41:53My personal development journey through Vanguard Toastmasters
Culture, Diversity & inclusion

Proud sponsor for Reaching Out MBA

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/06/16224937/OWIB_2022_featured.jpg 225 300 jortega https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png jortega2022-06-22 19:57:542022-06-22 19:58:12Proud sponsor for Reaching Out MBA
Culture, Our mission, Voyage to Vanguard

A legacy of educators

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/05/19080749/Headshot-1_feature.jpeg 200 300 jortega https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png jortega2022-05-25 11:08:312022-05-26 11:09:39A legacy of educators
Crew benefits, Culture, Day in the Life

How Vanguard has supported my career as a first‑time Mom

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/05/10193330/Sperry_Talli_17-final-2017-feature.jpg 200 300 jortega https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png jortega2022-05-11 07:09:242022-10-25 11:02:02How Vanguard has supported my career as a first‑time Mom
Black man sitting on bed and thinking
Crew benefits

Support group "breaks down the stigma"

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/05/02073417/AdobeStock_420730512-scaled-1.jpeg 1707 2560 nitesh https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png nitesh2022-05-09 17:05:322022-05-09 17:05:38Support group "breaks down the stigma"
Career opportunities, Culture, Day in the Life

Women’s History Month 2022

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/05/05170559/WHM_insta-3-n.jpg 264 299 nitesh https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png nitesh2022-03-30 08:16:332022-05-05 17:10:44Women’s History Month 2022
Crew benefits

Vanguard’s innovative benefits support your well-being your way

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/03/26075450/GettyImages-1186680122-scaled-1.jpg 1707 2560 nitesh https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png nitesh2022-03-23 07:49:182022-08-10 12:03:58Vanguard’s innovative benefits support your well-being your way
Culture, Diversity & inclusion

Making technology accessible for all

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/03/26074603/Pic-4.jpeg 426 640 nitesh https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png nitesh2022-03-09 15:14:582022-08-18 14:40:28Making technology accessible for all
Culture, Diversity & inclusion

Vanguard’s enhanced Total Rewards package

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/03/26074008/GettyImages-1207517220-1030x687-1.jpeg 687 1030 nitesh https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png nitesh2022-03-02 15:52:282022-10-25 11:07:38Vanguard’s enhanced Total Rewards package
Culture, Diversity & inclusion

Living my passion in diversity recruiting

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2022/02/02050219/Kristy-3.jpeg 845 1284 yashsharma https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png yashsharma2022-02-02 14:14:212022-08-18 14:44:48Living my passion in diversity recruiting
Advice from crew, Culture, Day in the Life

Our top careers blogs from 2021

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2085/2021/12/16234745/careerblog_feature.jpg 225 300 balajivaradaraj https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png balajivaradaraj2021-12-15 06:42:132022-06-16 23:48:10Our top careers blogs from 2021
Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Culture

Making the leap to a second career—again

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1844/2021/12/15185015/Mr.-Bogle-autographing-book-for-me-2017-640x480-1.jpg 480 640 vanguardsync https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png vanguardsync2021-12-08 14:08:302022-10-25 11:13:40Making the leap to a second career—again
Culture, In the community

Every ____ counts

https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1844/2021/12/15185145/MicrosoftTeams-image-94.jpg 480 640 vanguardsync https://cdn-static.findly.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/841/2020/07/VG_WM_S_RGB_v3.png vanguardsync2021-12-02 20:32:052022-02-16 13:09:59Every ____ counts
PreviousNext
  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Site Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Careers
  • FAQs
  • Sitemap

CONNECT WITH US

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Vanguard Careers blog
Vanguard
© 1995–2021 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Your use of this site signifies that you accept our terms and conditions of use. - Enfold-Hodes-Accessible Theme by Kriesi
  • Site Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Disrupting the gender gap in IT Trading Tanks for Vanguard: Finding Fulfillment as a Transitioning Veteran
Scroll to top