Jeremy Hendricks, MBA 16, U.S. Army Special Forces
This year, Berkeley-Haas has 68 U.S. military veterans in our MBA and undergraduate programs—up from 60 last year, and still climbing. Their unique perspectives on leadership and commitment are powerful reminders of the Berkeley-Haas defining principle of Beyond Yourself.
In this video, student vets in the full-time, evening & weekend, and executive programs share some of the experiences that have shaped who they are, and what they bring to the program.
For Veterans Day, some of the Haas student vets shared photos of their time in the military. This slideshow offers a window on those experiences:
The Haas Veterans Club also organized a panel this week for vets to share some of their experiences with classmates. Students packed a classroom to hear about why their classmates had joined the military, what they had learned about themselves, and where they found the courage to lead others in life-or-death situations. They also expressed support and respect.
"Most of us are used to making decisions from behind our computers or in a meeting. How did you learn to make decisions when adrenaline kicked in?," one student asked.
"When you're in a firefight, and you smell gunpowder and hear bullets whizzing over your head—you don't know ahead of time what you're going to do, and whether you'll be able to stand up and lead people. But when everything slows down, you're just thinking about those around you, and if you run and hide behind a bush, everyone will fall," came the reply from one panelist. "It's a surreal experience. I don't think it will ever apply to a boardroom."
Haas students and staff gave their full attention to veterans on the panel
Berkeley MBA Studies Help Military Servicemembers Take Flight
How Part-Time MBA Studies Strengthen Post-Military Careers