Boardroom: Washington, D.C.
Position while enrolled: Prospective Executive Officer, VP-1, United States Navy
Undergraduate studies: Economics, U.S. Naval Academy
“I was so lucky to be a part of the D.C. boardroom and to have met so many impressive individuals across multiple industries. I learned so much from them.”
As my career in the Navy wound down, I thought about what I wanted to do when I transitioned from the military into corporate life. I felt that an MBA program would give me an opportunity to explore the business world, network, and give me an idea what my next career would look like.
I have been educated exclusively by the military since I was 17, so I really wanted a civilian graduate degree to balance out my military training. Cornell University has a reputation that comes with being in the Ivy League, and it is a top-notch university that I’ll be proud to be an alumnus of.
The boardroom format was a major reason why I chose to pursue my MBA in Cornell’s Executive MBA Americas program. Our boardroom really became a family as we spent time together every other weekend. We celebrated birthdays and had baby showers—all while helping each other throughout the program. I was so lucky to be a part of the D.C. boardroom and to have met so many impressive individuals across multiple industries. I learned so much from them.
The connections I’ve made within my boardroom will last a lifetime. The experiences we have gone through together will provide stories we will laugh at for many years to come. As for classmates from other boardrooms, I know that if I ever needed anything, I could reach out and they would provide any assistance they could to help—we’ve all been through so much together.
The residential sessions are crucial as you’re getting to know everyone in the program. Even though you are able to interact with classmates across multiple industries from all over North and South America, the majority of the time is spent with your boardroom and everyone else is a face on video screen. Because I have never worked in an industry other than the military, the in-person residential sessions gave me the opportunity to find out so much about my classmates’ careers and why they are pursuing their MBAs.
I actually found that balancing the program with my professional and personal commitments was a little easier than I expected because of the support from my family, friends, and boardroom. Before committing to the program, my wife and I discussed how busy things would be, and true to form, professional commitments increased significantly, including a move from D.C. to Florida, and we were blessed with a baby boy during the program.
Throughout the adventure, I leaned on my boardroom (who I can never thank enough for stepping up and helping me through the crazy times) and always had the support of my family while I would stay on Zoom until late into the night working through group projects. I would not have been able to do it by myself, and the balance only occurred by asking for help when I needed it.
I absolutely know I want to pursue a career in finance in New York City. I hope to use the knowledge I have gained and the network I have cultivated and transfer that into an opportunity for future employment.