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 commissioned from the United States Military Academy in 2019 as an Engineer officer. After attending Sapper Leader Course at Fort Leonard Wood, I took my first assignment at Fort Campbell with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT). While at the 101st, I served as a Sapper Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer during 2BCT’s operational deployment to Romania after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. After promotion to Captain and completion of Engineer Captains Career Course, I moved to Fort Knox, where I finished my service as the Operations Officer for 19th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade. Throughout my time in the military, I have always valued the relationships and community of the Army and, more specifically, the Army Engineer community. I was fortunate to have great mentors throughout my career and always tried to mentor younger officers in the engineer regiment.
What are your thoughts on mentoring other students while at Vanderbilt? As a role model, what values do you want to share?
I grew up in a military family, so I have been around the Army for my entire life. I have seen and worked with many great leaders, and I am excited to share the lessons I have learned from those leaders with other students at Vanderbilt. From my own leadership experience, trust and resiliency stand out as two of the most critical values to success, and I hope to demonstrate those values to fellow Vanderbilt students throughout my time at Owen.
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 am currently part of the Owen Graduate School of Management’s Full-Time MBA Program. I intend to concentrate in Operations & Analytics and Strategy while at Owen. These concentrations best compliment my leadership experience and engineering background, while providing the necessary business knowledge to succeed after graduation. I currently plan to go into strategy consulting here in Nashville after completing Owen’s two-year program.
What would you tell other veterans about the Bass Military Scholars Program?
The Bass Military Scholars Program helps preserve some of the best attributes of being in the military and alleviates some of the biggest challenges with transitioning. It allows veterans to remain connected to the military community and connect with other highly motivated veterans across Vanderbilt programs. It also helps veterans continue to serve the local community in meaningful ways, providing continued purpose and inspiration in a period of transition.