Meet The Rice Jones MBA Class Of 2019

Barrett Moorhouse 

Rice University, Jones Graduate School of Business 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Veteran. Striving to embrace complexity and persevere with enthusiasm and humility.

Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I rowed crew in college at the Naval Academy and my boat placed fourth in the Collegiate National Championships.

Undergraduate School and Major:  United States Naval Academy, Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:  United States Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicle Officer, 2012-2017

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Watching my Marines complete the ship-to-shore movement onto the beach of Okinawa as Marines had done in WWII was the culmination of two years of dedicated training. My Marines dedicated their minds, bodies, and spirits into accomplishing our mission. Their commitment and hard work resulted in furthering U.S. strategic objectives in the Pacific. We trained several foreign militaries and conducted numerous amphibious landings throughout Southeast Asia. Everyone landing back on the beach together marked a successful tour for us as a unit.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Develop and follow a plan that will lead you to your target schools. One of the best pieces of guidance that I learned in the Marine Corps was a quote from Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” After consulting with others who have already done what you aspire to do, develop specific, measurable, achievable, results oriented, and time-based goals and then stick to your goals. In order to keep yourself honest with those goals, seek mentors and peers who are following a similar path. There are numerous organizations dedicated to helping veterans Service to School is among them, which is a great resource for veterans seeking business school admission. The business school admissions journey is arduous and long, but admission to your target school is achievable with proper and effective planning.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Rice University and the Jones Graduate School of Business are without question top schools for those that want to pursue careers in energy. I am confident that this MBA degree will give me the tools I need to grow as a leader in a career that matches my professional ambitions and personal interests.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  I want to gain the fundamentals to be an impactful contributor during my summer internship. Obtaining a strong business foundation and coupling that with my Marine Corps experiences will help me be an effective leader no matter the industry or function.

Additionally, I would like to build a diverse network. I believe this will be one of the most beneficial takeaways from the MBA experience. The opportunity to grow your network in this environment is probably the reason some people say business school is the best two years of their lives. It provides a unique chance to meet a diverse group of people, all eager to learn from each other and grow together.