2016 MBAs To Watch: Benjamin March, Yale SOM

Ben March-Yale-PoetsAndQuants_MBAsToWatch2016

Benjamin March

 

Yale School of Management

Age: 32

Hometown: Saint Johnsbury, VT

Undergraduate School and Degree: United States Military Academy, B.S. in International Politics, 2005

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? U.S. Army, various leadership roles culminating as Aviation Maintenance Troop Commander

Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? EDF Climate Corps Fellow at Hospital Corporation of America, Nashville, TN

Where will you be working after graduation? Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Special Adviser

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Co-president and Admissions Ambassador, Yale SOM Veterans Club

Nonprofit Board Fellow with Branford Land Trust

Teaching Assistant for five courses (Basics of Economics, Competitor, Macroeconomics, Operations Engine, The Executive)

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? It was planning and executing review sessions for some of the courses in which I was a TA — helping other students who may be struggling and seeing it “click” as they gain an understanding has been very fulfilling.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Helping to save the lives of some French soldiers during a combat mission in Afghanistan — because what could be more important than saving lives?

Who is your favorite professor? Judy Chevalier — she manages the classroom dynamics and flow really well while still explaining the concepts in ways that are easily understood.

Favorite MBA Courses? Ethical Choices in Public Leadership; Leading Business and Society; Competitive Strategy; Game Theory

Why did you choose this business school? SOM has a uniquely tight-knit and caring community full of people who truly care about the world around them and embody the mission to educate leaders for business and society. This provides a great environment in which to learn from them and grow as a leader. Also, the integration with the Global Network for Advanced Management provided some really interesting opportunities to broaden my perspectives.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes is critical, in both strategic firm-level settings as well as individual leadership settings.

What was the most surprising thing about business school? The extent to which everyone is willing to help each other out, whether with job searches or with other aspects of the experience, has been surprisingly impressive.

What was the hardest part of business school? FOMO — with so many interesting classes, clubs, and events available and not enough time to do them all, it was hard to prioritize and choose only the most important ones.

I knew I wanted to go to business school when… I decided to separate from the Army and realized I should probably learn some business skills.”

If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be… in law school, maybe?”

Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? Peter Bakker, WBCSD president — his approach toward business-oriented solutions to climate change and attitude of concern mixed with hope seems like an admirable and necessary way to tackle such large-scale solutions.

What are your long-term professional goals? To make the world a better place.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? All of the faculty, staff, and administrators who do the behind-the-scenes work to keep SOM running and make it an amazing school. Without them, it wouldn’t have been possible to have all the great opportunities for learning, growth, and success.

Fun fact about yourself: Even though I grew up in Vermont, I never learned how to ski until I was 23 — but I made up for lost time by getting a warning from ski patrol on only my second day.

Favorite book:  Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms

Favorite movie: Inside Out

Favorite musical performer: O.A.R.

Favorite television show: “Dexter”

Favorite vacation spot: Anywhere in the mountains of Colorado

Hobbies? Skiing, hiking, climbing, cycling, soccer, and pretty much anything else that involves the outdoors

What made Ben such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?

“Ben is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, earning a BS in International Relations. He is a veteran, having served in the Army prior to Yale SOM. Ben is dedicated to service to his country. He spent his internship at the Environmental Defense Fund and upon graduation will join the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His dedication to public service makes Ben an outstanding student at Yale SOM. Ben has served as a teaching assistant in numerous courses in the core curriculum, assisting his classmates with achieving nuanced learning outcomes throughout the curriculum. He also has served as the student leader of the Veteran’s Club. In that capacity, Ben has been instrumental in educating the Yale SOM community of the perspectives and contributions of veterans.”

Sherilyn Scully

Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Life

Yale School of Management

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