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Student Military Veterans Speak at Yale SOM

Karen Guzman | November 21, 2014

On November 10, to commemorate Veterans Day, a Yale School of Management student panel of former and active military veterans shared their experiences of transitioning to business school with classmates. The veterans discussed why they left the military, how they chose Yale SOM, and their impressions of the the school.

From left: J.J. Wilson ’15, Sam Booth ’15, John Butler ’16, Ben March ’16, Monique Schoenthal ’16, and Daniel Kohnen ’15

J.J. Wilson '15, a U.S. Army veteran, talked about his experience:

The curriculum attracted me to SOM—the first year where you learn a lot of different skillsets and then the second year when you focus in on your areas of interest. For me, the Leadership Development Program stood out among the core courses. Out of necessity, the military has a very hierarchical and fixed structure. The LDP introduced me to different leadership styles and helped me think about some of the bad leaderships habits I’ve developed over time.

People sometimes make assumptions about veterans, but interacting with classmates gives us a chance to remove the mystique. The healthy approach for us is to view these things as teaching opportunities.

I also like the growth and forward momentum at SOM and the sense of camaraderie. The SOM community is fantastic.