
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY MBA: BY THE NUMBERS

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CLICK & MEET OUR MILITARY ALUMNI

Many military veterans have accelerated their transitions by attending Northeastern University’s MBA program.
Click the photo to the right to learn more about why veterans pursue an MBA and how they choose D’Amore-McKim!
JOHN MCGUINNESS
Alum
Upon completing your years of service in the U.S. Army, why did you choose to pursue an MBA?
I served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, one of them as an infantry team leader in a remote outpost. We had a counter-mortar radar system that gave us the few seconds warning we needed to protect ourselves in dangerous situations. A key part of my role was to understand how to fix and operate the system, and that experience gave me my first inkling that I wanted to devote my career to military technology. I knew that many of us might not have made it home safe if we hadn’t had the advantage of the best equipment, and I want to make sure the soldiers coming up behind me have that same advantage.
You earned your undergraduate degree at Northeastern in engineering. Why did you decide to enter the Full-Time MBA program at D’Amore McKim?
My goal in coming to D’Amore McKim was to be the leader of an engineering team at a large company that serves the defense industry. I considered a master’s degree in engineering, but when I looked into my options, I concluded that an MBA would open more doors for me than a second degree in engineering. An MBA is a degree focused in business leadership, which gives me the background I need to achieve my goals.
There were two main reasons I chose this program—the corporate residency and the university’s excellent veterans’ services. When I began as an undergraduate, I struggled to adjust to civilian life. The strong veteran community was, more than anything else, what got me through.
How do you expect your corporate residency at Raytheon to impact your career?
I can’t tell you how much it means to me to have secured such a highly competitive position in the defense industry. Accepting this corporate residency position has been a life-changer for me. It’s a reaffirmation that I’m doing the right things and moving toward what I’ve been working for all this time.
During my residency, I’ll be working in supply chain management, managing the efficient flow of materials. I didn’t know much about this field until I took a course in supply chain during my first semester. Now it’s one of my two concentrations. I love supply chain because it’s all about problem-solving—it’s like engineering for business.
How has your experience in the Full-Time MBA program helped you to become a leader?
Leading people in the Army was the most satisfying thing I’d ever done. But in this program, I’ve learned a more collaborative form of leadership. In my group projects and during my global consulting project in Panama, I learned how to lead when I don’t have total authority. What I realized is that if you learn how to listen, understand what people want, and hear their concerns, people will follow your leadership.
In my mind, teamwork and leadership go together. The heavy emphasis on group work begins in the first semester when the program assigns you to a learning team with four strangers who are purposefully selected because they are not like you. The goal is to teach you to work as a team in a diverse environment. I firmly believe that teamwork skills are the foundation of leadership, and the emphasis on group work provides you a strong foundation.
MBA Grad Year: 2021
Military Service: U.S. Army
Undergraduate University: Northeastern University

JOHN MCGUINNESS
ALUM
ROSS WHELTON
Student
What was your background before entering the MS in Finance/ MBA program?
After getting my economics degree and working in construction to pay my way through school, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where I trained for two years at the Nuclear Power School and became a nuclear reactor operator. I spent four years attached to an aircraft carrier outside of Seattle and then was deployed twice, consistently working in and studying nuclear power.
What made you decide to pursue an MBA?
Being a reactor operator is extremely intense work, and I reached a point where I was ready for a career change. I'd been studying and reading deeply about finance as a personal pursuit, and eventually, I realized I wanted to continue my education in that field. I didn't know what specific job title I was aiming for, but I wanted to learn more about the possibilities.
Why did you choose Northeastern?
I grew up near Boston and knew Northeastern was a prestigious school with an excellent reputation for its work opportunities—there aren't many schools with such an intense focus on applying what you learn to actual business challenges. The staff also works incredibly hard to connect you with potential employers and help you build your network.
The more I looked into Northeastern's advantages, the more I realized how supportive the university is of military veterans. The Dolce Center for the Advancement of Veterans and Servicemembers (CAVS) is such a fantastic resource. Their Yellow Ribbon program covered the entire difference between my tuition and what the VA pays, which made it possible to pursue my passions in a place where I felt very much at home. CAVS offers all kinds of veterans' organizations you can join and opportunities to meet and network with other military members.
Tell us about your decision to add an MS in Finance to your MBA.
I came into the program initially as an MBA student with a focus on finance and supply chains. But I discovered that I really wanted to go deeper into finance because it's where everything comes together—it's where politics, business, and foreign policy intersect. As an MBA student, I'd have to choose between investments or corporate finance, which meant I wouldn't be able to take all the courses that interested me. I did some digging and found out that if I took the extra courses I wanted, I'd actually meet the requirements for the combined MS in Finance/MBA. I asked my advisor if that was possible, and she helped me make a seamless transition to a dual degree.
What has your corporate residency experience been like?
The residency has made all the difference in the world for a career-changer like me. The company I work for, Wellington Management, is awesome. I'm working in investment compliance, monitoring accounts to ensure they meet both internal client standards and the standards established by the SEC and foreign governments. Working at Wellington has opened my eyes to the entire finance ecosystem and how the elements interact. If I went on to work here, I could fill all kinds of roles that I never knew existed before.
I also got a fast upgrade in my software skills. I never worked on an office computer in either construction or the military, so I was way behind the curve on things like knowing how to organize emails and using group collaboration tools. My Excel skills were basic at best. I took a Financial Modeling course at the same time that was extremely challenging for me, but it really upped my game in Excel and helped me better navigate my role.
What's next for you?
If I have the chance to explore a new role permanently at an investment management company, I'll probably take it. But I've also thought about returning to the nuclear field as a finance expert. My MBA skills would be an asset to a company operating a reactor, and I already have deep knowledge of the industry.
What advice would you give a fellow career-changer considering the program?
I don't think I could have logically gone from construction to the Navy and then straight into corporate finance without the MS in Finance/MBA program—this degree made that transition possible. Northeastern's faculty and staff went out of their way to make me feel comfortable as a career changer, and they supported me as I charted a course for myself. Just having the Northeastern name on my resume sets me apart. That's the true value of the program.
MBA Grad Year: 2022
Military Service: U.S. Navy
Undergraduate University: University of Massachusetts Amherst

ROSS WHELTON
STUDENT
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