When imagining military veterans, people often tend to picture the stereotypical image of an older male. Yet, what they don’t realize is that many veterans have marched into classrooms around the country, trading their military fatigues and rifles for pens and essays.
At Seton Hall, it’s no different.
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Photo courtesy of Mark Weber[/caption]
The Stillman School of Business accepted over ten percent of military veterans into its Masters in Business Administration class for the spring semester. This is the first time since 2016 that the program has seen such a large population of veteran graduate students.
Adam Hansinger and Mark Weber, both U.S. Army veterans, are a part of the veteran community on campus. Although commuting to classes and completing assignments may not be as rigorous as years of military experience, both students are finding that many of the skills they learned in the Army are translating in the classroom.
“In the military, we have incredibly complex mission sets that requires everyone to work together and do their job,” Weber said. ”Collaborating, or working as a team, to accomplish the mission is much more important than any single individual.”
Weber, who served in the Army as a Captain between 2003 and 2009, originally graduated from North Carolina State University in 2001.
Although it has been 17 years since Weber was a student, he said he believes that the M.B.A program at Seton Hall is perfectly suited for his passion for international affairs, investing and strategic planning.
“I am very proud to be a part of both the veteran community and the Seton Hall Stillman School of Business community,” Weber said. “Both communities have wonderful people that have really helped me improve professionally and personally. I am excited to be learning from professors that are not only experienced in both teaching and the professional world, but that truly care for my progress and success.”
Weber acknowledged that although his new term as a student may present obstacles, he does not expect to come across any that he is not prepared to handle.
He plans to finish the M.B.A program and make the transition from the defense industry to the finance industry. Despite this being a new work field Weber, he is driven by the experience he gained from the Army.
“You are constantly challenged while in the Military and it really brings out the best in you, Weber said. “It is the same thing at Seton Hall. You only get better by challenging yourself and pushing yourself while figuring out how to overcome any obstacle in your way.”
Hansinger served as a Captain in the Army from 2008 to 2013. Having graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 2008, it hasn’t been very long since he was last in a classroom.
He recommended that as long as veterans utilize the skills and training learned from the Army, then they can propel yourself forward.
Hansinger sees his fellow classmates as keys to the success of his mission.
“I use younger students as resources, especially for things like formatting research papers,” he said.
According to the Stillman School of Business website, the dean of the school, Dr. Joyce Strawser, sees this incoming class of veterans as beyond capable of paving the way not only for future veterans, but also for the students they learn beside.
"We strive to recruit a diverse mix of students for our business programs because we recognize the value of having students share their unique experiences and perspectives,” Strawser said. "We are confident that the contributions of our military veteran M.B.A.'s will greatly enrich the classroom dynamic."
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