Building Business Skills on a Foundation of Military Service – NC State Poole College of Management

Building Business Skills on a Foundation of Military Service  NC State Poole College of Management

An Army Ranger preparing for retirement, a Marine Corps veteran pursuing accounting and two Army veterans studying analytics share how NC State’s graduate business programs are helping them pursue their professional goals. Across NC State’s Poole College of Management, military members and veterans pursue graduate degrees for different reasons. Some are preparing to leave active duty. Others have already entered the private sector and want additional expertise or a different profession. In recognition of Veterans Day, four students in the Jenkins Graduate Programs share how they are building on their service through studies in business administration, accounting, marketing analytics and risk and analytics. Military service has shaped their goals, while classmates, faculty, and family members help them navigate graduate school and prepare for what comes next.

Before a new class holds its first session, Cristobal Cruz is already getting to work. He opens the course roster and creates a group chat where classmates share ideas, arrange study meetings and ask for help. After 19 years in the Army, much of his service in the 75th Ranger Regiment, looking out for fellow students in the Jenkins MBA program came naturally. He entered the graduate program to prepare for civilian life. He is expected to retire from service in September 2027. “In the summer of 2023, I knew I was about four