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 served as an Infantry Officer with 3rd Marines in Hawaii and deployed to Afghanistan as an Afghan Army Advisor and later as a platoon commander for a deployment to Okinawa, Japan, conducting training with allied forces throughout the Pacific. I then served at the School of Infantry-West in California to train new Marines in basic combat skills. I remained on active duty for seven years and have been serving as an operations and plans officer in the Marine Corps reserves since 2017, focusing on the training and processes required for the mobilization and deployment of the Marine Corps reserves. I value the life and leadership lessons learned from serving with Marines from so many different walks of life. There’s no more diverse and unified organization than the United States military and it’s a privilege to continue to serve and learn from other Marines and servicemembers.
What are your thoughts on mentoring other students while at Vanderbilt? As a role model, what values do you want to share?
Some of the best memories from my master’s program were the opportunities to work with and mentor undergraduate students and I can’t wait to do that again in Nashville. The lessons I hope to share center around the Teach, Coach, Mentor model and range from being a servant leader to finding purpose and passion in their endeavors.
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 will be pursuing my J.D. while at Vanderbilt and am interested in learning how business and law are intertwined.
What would you tell other veterans about the Bass Military Scholars Program?
The opportunity to study at a world-class university with a dedicated and supporting tribe to guide and aid your transition is almost unparalleled. The Bass Military Scholars Program and Vanderbilt University have created a special environment that allows you to fulfill your goals while also giving back to help other students and members of the community reach theirs.