At DU, Veterans Bring Shared Experience to the MBA Classroom

When a friend texted John Moreland earlier this year to ask whether he knew any veterans interested in studying business, he was quick to answer.  

“I was like, ‘I’m interested!’” he recalls with a laugh. Moreland is a 29-year veteran of the Air Force and served two years as a deputy group commander in the Colorado Air National Guard. He had long dreamed of attending either law school or business school, and the program his friend mentioned—a new Veterans MBA (VMBA) at the Daniels College of Business—seemed like a great fit. 

“What really attracted me was the opportunity to study with other veterans, with people who would be speaking the same language as me,” he says.  

Now two months into his studies, Moreland is part of the program’s first cohort, which includes veterans from the Army, Air Force, and Navy. The group meets every other weekend on Fridays and Saturdays to master the principles of business and prepare for careers in the defense industry, including with companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Martin Marietta.  

Michael Myers, director of the VMBA and a teaching professor in the program, says many veterans pursue work in the business world after their service ends, but few MBA programs in the U.S. are tailored to meet their needs. The VMBA allows veterans to earn their degrees in just one year while connecting them to industries where they can put their military experience to work. 

“Companies like Northrop Grumman are looking for workers with military experience,” says Myers. “We’ve also run into students who are on the last year of their GI Bill benefits, so this program helps them get everything they need in that one year.”  

The VMBA is the latest in a wide range of initiatives to support veteran students at DU. As a fully funded Yellow Ribbon institution, DU covers all tuition and fees that exceed the GI Bill cap for students who are 100% GI Bill eligible, meaning they can attend school tuition-free. This year, DU was recognized as a “Best College for Veterans” by U.S. News and World Report, and a “Top Veteran School” by U.S. Veterans Magazine—not just for its Yellow Ribbon program but for other support for veterans like the Office of Veterans and Military Resources; the Student Veterans Association; the Sturm Center, a behavioral health center specifically for veterans and their families; and a peer-to-peer networking program. 

All of this factored into Moreland’s decision to come to DU, and Myers is glad he did.  

“One thing I’ve noticed in our veteran students at DU is their ability to execute tasks in a dedicated and meaningful way,” says Myers. “This is probably one of the most engaged cohorts I’ve had in over 16 years of teaching.” 

 
Learning on common ground 

The material covered in the VMBA is the same as that of Daniels’ other MBA programs, but its accelerated pace and biweekly schedule makes it an ideal fit for veterans who are balancing work, service, and family life. Moreland, who has a doctorate in ministry with a concentration in leadership, is pursuing his VMBA while working as a public speaker and leadership consultant. Myers says students in this cohort have an average of 12 years of work experience under their belts—and they’re taking what they learn back to the office.  

“At Daniels, we teach you things that you can take to work and use, instead of just theory,” says Myers.  

Moreland has personally enjoyed getting to network with local business leaders through the program. In the first two months of class, his professors have hosted multiple guest speakers, many of whom are veterans themselves.  

“[Our guests] have given us a real-life picture of what we can do,” says Moreland. “They’re proof of what a transition to civilian life and civilian companies can look like.”   

Moreland says the biggest benefit so far has been learning in a group that recognizes and values the veteran experience. Everyone in his classes understands the same military terms and the highs and lows of public service.    

“The rapport that I’ve been able to build with these individuals, and the speed at which I’ve been able to do it, just makes the learning process even more enjoyable,” says Moreland. “My advice to any veterans considering this program is: Do it. Most of us have been deployed for a year—if you made it through that, you can do this. And the knowledge and skills you’ll gain in this program are priceless.”