May 28, 2014

Post-Script: Tuck Military Visit Day

Tuck’s first Military Visit Day was, by all accounts, a rousing success. Twenty-six veterans and partners visited Tuck on May 12th and were treated to a great introduction to what an MBA and two years at Tuck could be like.

Even the weather got into the act, with beautiful blue skies and moderate temperatures as participants began to arrive Sunday night. The group started the visit at Murphy’s, a local pub, with current Tuckies who served in the Armed Forces prior to starting their MBA, and some who continue to serve in the Reserves.  The group was treated to a warm welcome and speech from Nigel, Murphy’s owner and father of a military veteran.

On Monday morning, attendees gathered for breakfast early (at 7:30, which was probably a late start compared to their normal routine).   The veterans then sat in on an Operations Management course, part of the first-year core curriculum, while their partners enjoyed a coffee chat with current Tuck partners.  Post-class/coffee, everyone got back together for some advice and Q&A with current Tuckies and Tuck Partners.  With the morning passing in a flash, like all Tuck mornings seem to, it was time for lunch with a variety of current students, faculty, and staff, many of who were veterans themselves.  The afternoon brought multiple panels aimed at helping the veterans understand how to approach, attack and conquer not only the b-school application process, but also financial aid, student life and summer internship recruiting.

It’s impossible to distill all the information and counsel from the day down to a few paragraphs, but if we had to pick out some main themes, it would be these:

• Military veterans have great skills and business leadership potential that MBA programs and recruiters are looking for.
• MBA programs offer a business foundation that can open doors in your career, in both the short-term and the long-term.
• It’s important to do your research on what you want and what programs fit your needs.
• Two of the best ways to research: talk to students and alumni from schools and visit your top choice schools.
• Assess the support you’ll get from the school and the alumni network. These are critical to a successful experience during the program and career growth after you graduate.

This was a huge team effort, with students from the Tuck Veterans Club, staff, and faculty volunteering their time to help veterans understand the myriad issues facing them in the transition from service to school. Thanks to everyone for making the day so successful!

The 2014 Military Visit Day Planning Committee:
Adam Ranson T’14 (USMC)
Dan Bleicher T’15 (US Navy)
Dan Kleberg T’15 (USMC)
Jen Tietz T’15 (US Navy)
Kell Anderson T’15 (US Army)
Gelsey Tolosa, Tuck Admissions Coordinator
Kristin Roth, Tuck Admissions Military Liaison