Tag: Veterans






Steve May is a military veteran and a 2018 MBA Candidate at Olin Business School

Photo, above: Steve May with teammates and locals in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

In addition to world-class academics and a general “fit” with the friendly students and impressive instructors, Olin’s tremendous support for veterans is part of the reason I came to Washington University as an MBA candidate. There is not enough time in the day to take advantage of all the support available to Olin students. It’s a tremendous problem to have, and it started right when I got into St. Louis before the MBA Program even officially began.

Two days before the Olin MBA Program started, the veterans attended a two-day “MBA Boot Camp” to “square us away” and get us ready for the difficult (but rewarding) road ahead. The name “MBA Boot Camp” is fitting—not because of the intensity that is associated with most military basic trainings, but because of the efficiency. From the moment we stepped on campus, everything was planned to get us “up to speed” on everything we needed to know to help us prepare for the MBA program.

The author, Steve May.

The author, Steve May.

Meals, career advice, platform introductions, classroom and case discussions, and networking experiences were a few of the events that were planned and executed to the minute. Most notably, the Weston Career Center introduced themselves and the multitude of services they provide students—from resume and cover letter advice, to conference and interview preparation. It was very clear that they were there to help. At the end of the first day, for example, I was following up with a career advisor after a great face-to-face meeting to help finalize my resume for a veterans job conference in October. On the second day, each core instructor led an academic discussion on their subject area, the accompanying platform, and an introduction to the case method. Needless to say, MBA Boot Camp did a tremendous job preparing us to excel and lead when the MBA program began days later.

As veterans, we have all had trying experiences in various locations throughout the world. More than a rigorous military basic training, “MBA Boot Camp” was an introduction to the vast amount of resources and support available to all students, and, especially veterans in the MBA Program at Olin. It truly is overwhelming, and overwhelmingly positive. MBA Boot Camp cemented what I knew to be true; that I had selected the right program for me.

Steve May is a 2018 MBA Candidate in the full-time MBA Program at Olin Business School. Learn more about Olin’s top-ranked full-time MBA program and resources for military veterans.




Intel literally puts the silicon in “Silicon Valley” and is the world’s largest and highest valued semiconductor chip maker based on revenue. In 1978, Intel engineers invented the x86 architecture, which has been adopted as the industry standard for manufacturing microprocessors. Intel architecture provides stability for hardware and software solutions throughout the value chain. Intel sells processors to computer system manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenova, Apple, and Samsung. As a result, Intel processors are found in most personal computers and other computing form factors. The engineers at Intel are the premier experts in their field and often have as many as 20 patents to their names.

Innovation is not a buzz word at Intel to be thrown around lightly.

Intel business leaders and engineer architectures developed processors for the Saturn V rocket that put man on the moon, and they continue to develop solutions that will eventually power smart cities and machine learning in the near future. If you stream Netflix, you are witnessing the power of an Intel Xeon processor in an Amazon server farm.

For my internship, I was assigned to the Client Computing Group (CCG). CCG is Intel’s largest group by revenue and sells Pentium, Celeron, and Core processors to large enterprises and consumers. My project was to find specific new use cases or markets for a technology called Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT). Intel AMT provides out-of-band manageability, or manageability even when the system is turned off or when the Operating System is failing, for enterprises to manage their IT systems more effectively. Intel AMT has been around for 10 years, and commands the highest product margin in the enterprise desktop and notebook space.  For business clients, Intel’s strategy has always been to drive sell-up to AMT Core i5/i7. This sell-up provides millions in incremental revenue each year for Intel’s Client Computing Group.

To discover new use cases, I first developed a business framework to filter and test new ideas. The first part of the framework addresses if there is a need for remote out-of-band manageability. Often times, most problems can be resolved in-band, or when the power is turned on. AMT is only value-added if the customer needs manageability out-of-band or when the system is in an off-state. Then I looked at the specific capabilities of Intel AMT (power control, remediation, virtual boot) and decided which use cases would require these specific capabilities. The most important criteria in this part of the framework was the probability of system failure. If a system has a very low probability of failure, there is not really a compelling reason to have out-of-band manageability because in the very rare event of failure, there is no financially compelling reason to invest in Intel AMT. Finally, I conducted market sizing to determine the total addressable markets and market segment shares for use cases that were selected from the framework. After I developed a market model, I was able to provide net present value ranges for my project recommendations by analyzing the amount of upsell and market segment share gain my recommendation would receive.

The finance intern coordinators in Oregon did a great job of planning and executing extracurricular activities for the interns. In addition to a host of happy hours and social events, the coordinators took the interns zip lining, hiking, and white water rafting. There were plenty of opportunities provided to interact and network with operations partners and finance leaders from each of the business units, including iCap, Intel’s venture capital firm.

Intel finance roles require developing business acumen and becoming a strategic thinker.

Finance supports the various business units in a way that is similar to how combat arms branches support maneuver units in the Army. As a field artillery officer I was always supporting an infantry commander two or three levels above my own grade. It was my job to understand their intent and provide recommendations based on my indirect fires capabilities.

This relationship and organization is nearly identical to how Intel finance supports their business partners. A finance manager or controller often supports a general manager or vice president that is much senior. The operations partners depend on finance leaders to provide unbiased financial analysis that represents the shareholder’s best interests.

Guest blogger: Army veteran and 2nd year Olin MBA student Joe Langella

Photo courtesy of Flickr/summerfairy




The Olin Veterans Association helps new MBA students transition from the military into civilian life.

What do an X-Ray technician, nuclear submarine captain, a PMP managing construction projects in Japan, and an attack helicopter pilot (who interns at Goldman Sachs for vacation) have in common? They are just a small cross section of the Olin Business School MBA Class of 2018. More specifically, they represent about half of this year’s 11 veterans in the full-time program. In fact, they are the most diverse group of veterans in every facet. A majority of these incoming veterans—from all branches of service—are transitioning out of the military and joining the “real world” civilian society.

The Olin Veterans Association helps new MBA students transition from the military into civilian life.

Boot Camp is a two-day concentrated program to help veterans assimilate into their new academic community here at Washington University in St. Louis.

This transition is tough and can seem daunting for those who spent their entire adult lives in the military. To assist in this transition, the Olin Veterans Association (OVA) held its 3rd annual Boot Camp on August 1st and 2nd. This Boot Camp is a two-day concentrated program to help veterans assimilate into their new academic community here at Washington University in St. Louis. Topics include resources available to graduate students and navigating the GI Bill and health insurance to getting a crash course on how to do a case study. At the end of the two days, these veterans have a grasp on the functional areas of business and how to pursue their interests at Olin through the platforms. The Weston Career Center was instrumental to the Boot Camp success, interweaving career preparation during the entire program.

Olin’s support to veterans doesn’t start with Boot Camp. Joe Fox, Associate Dean for MBA Programs at Washington University in St. Louis, has made a commitment to actively recruit Veterans. Joe stated, “Veterans bring an incredible amount of experience in leadership and they have unrelenting desire to succeed in a team environment.” As part of that commitment, Olin Business School takes a holistic sponsorship approach in attracting and preparing veterans for business school before they step foot into Boot Camp.

The Olin Veterans Association works with the Admissions office throughout the admissions and matriculation process, answering questions and assisting in the transition from the military and settling into the Saint Louis area. This year, the Olin Veterans Association hosted a BBQ picnic at Clayton’s Shaw Park with the incoming veterans and their families, building that sense of community that veterans have grown accustomed to while on active duty. Interim Dean Kurt Dirks hosted a reception in honor of the incoming veterans, introducing them to alumni and supporters of the Olin Business School at the Olin Veterans Association.

This level of commitment and action is why Olin Business School, a Yellow Ribbon School, is designated a 2016 Veteran Friendly School by MilitaryFriendly.com. “The OVA and Faculty at Olin have exceeded my expectations and the Boot Camp has set a strong foundation for my success in the program. It really opened up my eyes to the horizon,” said Jerrod Anderson, a former Marine Intelligence Officer and 2018 MBA Candidate at Olin.

We look forward to their leadership and contribution!

James Jacobs and Tony Nuber, Vice Presidents in the Olin Veterans Association, are 2017 MBA Candidates in the Fulltime MBA Program at Olin Business School.


On this Memorial Day weekend, we remember two veterans separated by generations and wars who were united by a generous scholarship at Olin Business School. It’s a moving story about the meeting between Army Major Rodney Lynch, MBA’15, and Col. John H. Von Der Bruegge, a veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

Rodney Linch visited the Von Der Bruegge family at their home in San Antonio, Texas. From left to right: Helen and Karen Von Der Bruegge, Rodney Linch, and Col. Von Der Bruegge. Thanks go to the MBA Graduate Program and Alumni & Development for making the meeting possible.

From left to right: Karen Von Der Bruegge, Rodney Linch, and Col. Von Der Bruegge.

Thank you to Karen Von Der Bruegge, MBA ’77, for making this scholarship possible and to her father for sharing his story of service with us.

Read the complete story in Olin Business magazine. “A Tale of Two Soldiers” by Kurt Greenbaum.

 

Photos by Leland A. Outz. Videography by Tucker Pierce, BFA’15, Ross Arkin and Ricardo Solis, BSBA’17




Vic Richey, EMBA 1995, CEO of ESCO Technologies Inc., and Suzy Besnia hosted a reception for the Olin Veteran’s Association at their home Feb. 18. (more…)