Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
In conjunction with the Military to MBA series, current veteran MBA candidates will be sharing their experiences in moving from the military to an MBA.
Dan Kurber is a current 1st-year MBA candidate at the Yale School of Management.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in Alaska where I loved playing sports, especially football. After high school, I attended the United States Military Academy and majored in German. After graduating from USMA, I married my high school sweetheart, Michelle, and we embarked on the first of many moves in the Army. Nearly nine years later, we have three kids (ages 7, 5, and 3) and love spending time together as a family.
What did you do in the military?
I was an Infantry officer. As a lieutenant, I served in the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division in multiple platoon leader positions and as an executive officer on a deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. After being promoted to captain, I was assigned to Fort Wainwright, Alaska, where I was the Brigade Planner for 1st Stryker Brigade and then Company Commander for A Co, 3-21 IN, before serving in my final role in the Army as the Stryker Brigade Weapons Troop Commander.
How did you decide on pursuing an MBA?
Like many members of the military, I went back and forth on wanting to stay in or get out. Some days were terrific, others were terrible. I really loved the Army, but I was ready to settle down. Looking at the job market, it looked like I was going to have to take a significant decrease in pay, which I wasn’t particularly excited about. I realized that an MBA would be a perfect transition aid, I could get some family time, better prepare myself for a career in business, and raise my expected income when I did get a job.
What attracted you to Yale SOM?
I knew I wanted to attend a Top 10 business school and I wanted to go to a school with some name recognition. At the same time, I’m from a small town and prefer not to live in mega-city. I also have a family so affordability of housing was critical. With those thoughts in mind, Yale School of Management was a perfect fit for me. It’s in a reasonably sized city (around 150,000 people) and has easy access to both NYC and Boston. In the surrounding towns, there are great schools for my kids and reasonably priced housing. It also has great name recognition and an awesome alumni network. What really set Yale apart is its support for Veterans. Yale is a Yellow Ribbon School and goes out of its way to take care of Veterans.
Is there anything you would have done differently in applying to MBA programs?
I would have reached out to people currently in MBA programs to get help with the admissions process. While I did reach out to friends in other types of graduate programs, I think understanding the process for each school is key. A major aspect of every MBA program is building a network–something I wish I would have started beforehand.
What have you found the most challenging as an MBA student?
There is an abundance of opportunities available, classes to take, events to see, clubs to join, internships to do, and people to meet. Figuring out how to manage your time is a challenge.
What are your plans post-MBA?
I’ll be honest, I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I’m most interested in entrepreneurship through acquisition, which is essentially searching for an enduringly profitable small business to purchase (with the help of investors) and then running that small business for several years before exiting. It’s an exciting opportunity to run a small business and have a lot of impact on an organization.
What were some unexpected challenges in the transition process?
Joining the National Guard. My experience could have been unique, but it took several months for my paperwork to get figured out and my unit to be able to gain me. My unit has been great, and I definitely recommend joining the National Guard to supplement your income. Just don’t expect the process to be perfectly smooth.
Most importantly: what’s the best pizza place in New Haven?
New Haven is known worldwide for its pizza, I’m pretty sure you can throw a rock and hit an amazing pizza joint. Sally’s, Pepe’s, and Modern all are great. That being said, my favorite restaurant in New Haven is Mecha Noodle Bar, great cocktails, amazing ramen, a perfect place to warm up on a crisp Connecticut winter night.
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