Nathan Fewel

Stanford Graduate School of Business

“I’m a veteran striving to make the world safer and more prosperous for my children.”

Hometown: St. George, UT

Fun Fact About Yourself: My bookshelf is always arranged from shortest to tallest, left to right

Undergraduate School and Major: US Naval Academy, Political Science. Georgetown University, MA in Security Studies

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: US Navy, Nuclear Submarine Officer

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Stanford GSB’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? GSB focuses on developing the entire person. After the military, one of my priorities was to build on my existing experience and grow as a leader in the private sector. I came to GSB because it provided me with a premier opportunity to fortify my strengths, address my weaknesses, and identify my blind spots.

What has been the most surprising thing that you’ve learned about Stanford GSB so far? Despite how accomplished everyone is, there’s relatively little competition among the class. There’s definitely a cooperative culture here which I think is uncommon among groups of high performers.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates you’ve met so far? Give an example why this true. Action-oriented. They don’t ignore problems. Many of my classmates have founded organizations or designed products because they saw a need. Most people are content to talk about problems, but that’s not true here.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I had the privilege of leading teams of sailors on my submarine and successfully completing high-stakes operations alongside them. Everything I accomplished I owe to them and their dedication and technical skill.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? I was one of the first in my class to participate in GSB’s TALK program, which is an opportunity to deliver a 30-minute speech on your life story in front of the entire class. It was way out of my comfort zone and led to more personal growth than anything else at the GSB for me so far.

What has been the biggest epiphany you’ve gained about yourself or the world since you started your MBA program? Everyone is trying to figure out the world as they go. There’s so much room to try new things or to approach old problems in a new way. Don’t take what people tell you as gospel. Listen carefully, and respect others’ points of view, but then you must go out and form your own worldview.

What advice would you give to a prospective applicant looking to join the Stanford GSB Class of 2024? Introspection is key. Worry less about the application and more about whether business school is truly consistent with what you want out of your life. Make sure you really understand why you want to come here. Once you do that, you’ll have no problem with the application, and you’ll enjoy your time here so much more.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE ENTIRE CLASS OF 2024 AT STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS