Tell us about your military service. What did you do? Where did you serve? What do you value the most about your military service?
I graduated from the United States Military Academy and commissioned as an Infantry officer in 2012. I was first assigned to the 101st Airborne Division as a Rifle Platoon Leader. I then served as a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Assistant Operations Officer in the 3rd Ranger Battalion. Following the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course, I served in the 82nd Airborne Division as the 1st Brigade Chief of Operations and a Rifle Company Commander. I then served in 1st Ranger Battalion as the Battalion S1, Alpha Company Commander, and Assistant Operations Officer. During my career, I deployed eight times in support of our nation’s policies and objectives. I value my time spent learning from Non-Commissioned Officers. Every job was challenging – having an enlisted subject matter expert alongside me strengthened my tactical knowledge and leadership skillsets.
What are your thoughts on mentoring other students while at Vanderbilt? As a role model, what values do you want to share?
As a former student-athlete, I look forward to sharing my story with undergraduate students, as well as division one athletes at Vanderbilt. As a mentor, I hope to support growth, serve as a source of knowledge, offer encouragement, and be a trusted ally. Three values I want to share are trust, discipline, and integrity. I believe all three values are key to success in life. While I am truly excited to mentor other students, I’m thrilled to learn from them. Life has many challenges – I hope to help other students navigate their journey as they prepare to enter selected professions following graduation.
While at Vanderbilt, what will be the focus of your studies and how do you plan to use this knowledge in your future career?
While at Owen, I intend to focus on finance and strategy. I plan to use this knowledge to pursue a career in Investment Banking. I want to work in Investment Banking because it’s the fastest way to learn financial modeling, valuation, excel, and understand the nature of large corporate transactions. I want to be exposed to high profile transactions and continue working in fast paced environments as I did throughout my military career.
What would you tell other veterans about the Bass Military Scholars Program?
If you want to continue serving out of uniform, apply to the program. The program aims to help you transition to the business world while giving back to the community during your time at Vanderbilt. Prior to starting school, I connected with multiple Bass Scholars who offered insight on where to live, future internships, and career paths. The Bass Scholar network will continue growing, and I hope more veterans apply to join a prestigious group of individuals who put people first.