Tyler Gehr

“An explorative suburbanite with scattered interests. Rational optimist who daydreams a lot” 

Hometown: Clermont, FLFun Fact About Yourself: I was born in Caacupe, Paraguay.

Undergraduate School and Major: United States Naval Academy, Chinese Major

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: US Navy, Surface Warfare Officer

What makes Seattle such a great place to earn an MBA?

From a professional standpoint, it’s great being physically close to many major companies. The UW community is deeply engrained within the Seattle ecosystem. From a personal standpoint, there are countless opportunities to explore the outdoors. If you’re more of a reclusive bookworm, the numerous coffee shops provide a cozy space to recharge. Alternatively, if you’re feeling extraverted, there are plenty of bars offering quality brews to help you wear down the Seattle freeze.

Aside from your location and classmates, what was the one key part of Washington Foster’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?

I was sold on the Applied Strategy project aspect of the program. As a hands-on learner, this opportunity seemed like a great way to gain real experience with local companies. As a veteran transitioning into the corporate world, I find this aspect invaluable.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Washington Foster?

Shout out to the Foster Veterans Association! The support I’ve received from this tight-knit group has been overwhelming. It is humbling to be surrounded by so many peers who exemplify authentic leadership and genuinely want to help others grow from this experience.

Washington Foster operates off a philosophy of We>Me. Give us an example of how you’ve seen that among your classmates so far.

The We>Me Philosophy is alive and well— One of our classmates went above and beyond by hosting a Finance final exam study session in addition to the TA-led review. To ensure everyone could benefit, the session was even recorded for those unable to attend in-person. The selflessness and collaborative spirit of my classmates continue to inspire me.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:

I was on the USS SHILOH and took a lot of pride in just making it a better place than how I found it. It was a challenging environment to grow within, but I feel satisfied with the lifelong friends I made along the way and still maintain.

Describe your biggest achievement in the MBA program so far:

That satisfying feeling of all the concepts clicking at the end of the fall quarter. I was working on my final Finance project and took a step back for a moment, realizing that I had learned so much in this short time. It made me reconsider my notions of what is possible in 3-4 months.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far?

Company visits, specifically presenting as a group at the Microsoft Campus. The opportunity to present in front of Foster Alum at Microsoft is something only Foster could do because of our small class size and physical proximity. It helped me shake off some imposter syndrome early in the quarter.

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