Meet Students and Alumni
Explore the following stories of military students at Owen and discover how their degrees helped prepare them for success in both the military and business worlds.
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Kyle Clay
Vanderbilt MBA 2009
Regional Operations Director, DaVita
During his second tour in Iraq, Captain Kyle Clay led a unit of combat engineers engaged in "route clearance"—removing bombs and IEDs from roads. Perhaps that is where he refined a valuable strength—the ability to "keep a posit... More of Kyle Clay’s Story
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Jesse Marsalis
Vanderbilt Executive MBA 2009
Assistant Program Manager -- Fire Support, United States Army
Unlike many students, Jesse Marsalis didn't pursue an Executive MBA to seek a promotion and additional career responsibility but, rather, because of them.... More of Jesse Marsalis’s Story
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Janet Nelson
Vanderbilt MBA 2007
HR Manager, Procter & Gamble
Janet Nelson imagined that her undergraduate degree would end her formal career preparation. Her friends saw the spark of something more—and encouraged her to seek the added education to give it fuel.... More of Janet Nelson’s Story
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Michael Osborne
Vanderbilt MBA 2011
MBA Intern, HCA (Hospital Corporation of America)
After graduating from West Point, classically trained pianist Michael Osborne spent five years as an officer with the Army's 101st Airborne Division. His service included 26 months in Iraq, where he eventually was responsible for all combat operatio... More of Michael Osborne’s Story
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John Robella
Vanderbilt MBA 2010
Financial Analyst, ExxonMobil
John Robella, a nationally ranked collegiate gymnast during his days at West Point, knows a thing or two about nimble moves. One of his most adroit ones came after five years in the Army and two combat tours in Iraq: earning an MBA. ... More of John Robella’s Story
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Michael Strupe
Vanderbilt MBA 2009
Treasury Services Internship, JPMorgan Chase
Michael Strupe knows how to assess new terrain quickly. That was part of his job when he served in the United States Marine Corps as an operator in a Force Reconnaissance Platoon.... More of Michael Strupe’s Story
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Lindsey White
Vanderbilt MBA 2010
Presidential Management Fellow - Operations Division at Broadcasting Board of Governors
If you've ever stood admiringly in front of the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, you have a sense for the work Lindsey White once managed. She was a project coordinator for WET Design, which built the Bellagio fountains and other large-scale ... More of Lindsey White’s Story