Austin Mills

Austin Mills

United States Army
MBA Candidate, Class of 2026
Owen Graduate School of Management

“The Bass Military Scholars Program gives students a sense of purpose. That purpose is continuing to serve others in and around the community.”


Tell us about your military service. What did you do? Where did you serve? What do you value the most about your military service?

Throughout the last eight years in the Army, I served as a Logistics Officer in the 1st Armored Division and the 101st Airborne Division. I held various roles during my tenure, but the most rewarding was being a Company Commander. What I value the most from my time in the Army are memories. These range from the people I worked with that have become family to the lessons I learned on the job while managing people. I am incredibly grateful for my time in the service.


What are your thoughts on mentoring other students while at Vanderbilt? As a role model, what values do you want to share?

Mentoring fellow students is mutually beneficial, and I am eager to get involved to learn from others in the same manner I hope to teach them. We, the whole student body, have incredibly diverse backgrounds to teach each other from. The value I hope to best demonstrate to my peers is selfless service. The concept of taking care of your team is simple, but it isn’t always easy.


While at Vanderbilt, what will be the focus of your studies and how do you plan to use this knowledge in your future career?

I plan to focus on strategy and operations while at Vanderbilt. This focus, combined with my military experience, will aid me in my goal of becoming a business consultant in the Nashville area following graduation.


What would you tell other veterans about the Bass Military Scholars Program?

The Bass Military Scholars Program (BMSP) gives veterans a tight knit group of people to navigate the transition process with. BMSP also gives students a sense of purpose. That purpose is continuing to serve others in and around the community. Serving others is a big reason people join the military. The BMSP plays a big role in assisting with the financial burden of the transition.