I’ve always been interested in the intersection of public opinion and discourse and governmental, military decision making. I was working in public affairs for the Air Force, but I wanted to transition into the decision-making side of things, and business school seemed like a great way to do it. The private sector offers a lot of power to be a true agent of change and to be more dynamic and responsive. I wanted the skillset that an MBA would give me, and SOM stood out, because it really is the business school that exists at the intersection of business and society.
I’m coming from the Air Force, which is a very mission-oriented organization that works with very diverse teams on very different and challenging problems that are very dynamic. This adaptability and flexibility has been something that I’ve found to be a really strong asset in business school, and I think it will continue to be in the private sector. In a field like consulting, where your team changes frequently, you have to learn to lead in different situations with different people in totally different geographies and projects. My military background helped give me a head start.
Yale SOM students are very passionate about the school, about their peers, and about achieving things beyond just a top-paying job after graduation or working for a certain company. I’ve broadened my perspective here and learned to think in a more integrated way. Part of it stems from the integrated curriculum, and part of it just comes from the conversations that I’ve had with such diverse people and the fact that we’re all going through this experience together. If you’re looking for a transformative experience and a school that will push you to think in new ways—in addition to receiving an amazing and diverse education with incredible people—SOM could be for you.
