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Military in Business Association
Neil Duncan '17
Sgt, US Army (Ret.)
Sgt, US Army (Ret.)
I was able to get prosthetics and start to learn to walk again, but it obviously takes some time. No matter how much you train, how often you go to PT, there's no replication for the real world so getting out is just really important.
I got into mountain climbing just being athletic and wanting to push my own limitations. That started with, obviously, walking and then running, and then I started doing some hiking. I was presented with this opportunity to go to Africa and climb Mount Kilimanjaro. I was pretty unprepared and hadn't done a lot of research and failed completely; I got to 14,000 feet and just could not go any further.
So, I spent the next year training and planning logistics and contingency operations, and I took a team the next year. We called it “Three Guys One Leg”—there were two double amputees and a single amputee. We executed this plan that I had been working on and successfully got to the top.
It really started out as a way to push ourselves, a way to find my own upper limit, but I also saw this benefit of using mountain climbing for fund-raising and bringing attention to veterans, and it's been really successful.
Coree Mahoney '18
Lt, US Navy
Lt, US Navy
My biggest accomplishments have come when the junior sailors that work for me ask me to re-enlist them, or officially pin the warfare device—something they work hard to earn—onto their uniform. These are both huge milestones in their career and they choose an officer that they admire and respect to take part in them. Being asked to do these things is an honor and has given me the greatest sense of accomplishment, because I know that I have positively impacted their lives. I don’t think there’s anything more important than taking care of my team; when I take care of them, the mission gets done properly. It’s a win-win situation.
Paige Ford '17
Capt, US Army
Capt, US Army
Taking off my Army uniform for the first time in nine years was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. My uniform was my identity, and without it I feared I would lose sight of my path. The thought of entering a new career field, in a new environment, alongside individuals who might not be able to relate to what I’ve been through, was terrifying.
Philong Duong '17
Capt, US Marine Corps
Capt, US Marine Corps
I think at some point you just get tired. Not tired of the institution, but you get exhausted—physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Just being an active service member in the last 10 years, you're just constantly deploying. If you're not deploying, you're training to deploy. In the Marine Corps, we were deploying so often that I found that it was difficult making meaningful relationships personally and professionally.
Your entire life you think the military is your life's work, and if you find out it's not, what do you do? For me Columbia Business School was the perfect vehicle for me to find inspiration and redefine who I am.
Ron Bucca '17
Sgt. First Class, US Army Special Forces
Sgt. First Class, US Army Special Forces
When a roadside bomb goes off you always see the flash and then you actually feel the impact because the light travels faster. I always thought I'd have profound moments in situations like this. In one instance, when that happened I just remember being very mad in that split second. I thought that I just didn't want to have a life where I was focused on anger. I enjoyed helping people, more so than the combat aspect of the deployments. I thought, what else could I do to impact lives? That’s why I chose to apply to CBS and focus on social enterprise.
The Military in Business Association (MIBA), is the veteran community on campus for Columbia Business School students. MIBA builds a support system for veterans at Columbia Business School and helps its members tackle the challenges of business school and a creating a successful transition to a career outside of the military. The education, mentorship, and community provided by MIBA allows veteran students to make the most of their Columbia Business School experience.
MIBA works to connect with veteran alumni of Columbia Business School, provide access to career recruitment, and spearhead events to help advocate for veterans and educate classmates about the military. Additionally, MIBA offers outreach to prospective veteran students and works closely with the Office of Admissions.
Diversity Matters, an annual afternoon event highlighting diversity and inclusion at Columbia Business School, will be hosted in conjunction with the Black Business Students Association, Columbia Women in Business, Cluster Q, the Hispanic Business Association, and the Military in Business Association this fall.
Together with the Office of Admissions, MIBA will also hold a full-day event for veterans and active duty military personnel interested in learning more about joining the Columbia Business School community this fall. Spotlight On: MIBA will provide insight into the veteran community at Columbia Business School and allow prospective students to learn more about student life, academics, financial aid, and the admissions process.
To learn more, we encourage you to reach out to MIBA.
The diversity team of the CBS admissions committee sets aside time every month to meet with women, military, LGBTQ, Black, and Hispanic prospective MBA students. Ask a member of the admissions committee your questions about the MBA program or the admissions process and share your story during a 20 minute one-on-one chat. Click here to sign up for a one-on-one chat.