Why They Served: Profiles Of M7 MBA Veterans

Nick Lins, Stanford GSB MBA ‘22

Military service: Lieutenant U.S. NAVY, 7 years

Why did you join the military? I toyed with the idea of joining the military to try something “adventurous” and to help pay for my undergraduate education. It was my high school Spanish teacher – a retired Navy Commander – who really pushed me to take that first step and apply for the NROTC program at UCLA. Best decision I ever made.

I commissioned as a submarine officer in 2013 and spent my first two years completing nuclear training in Charleston, SC. After nuclear training, I completed one Western Pacific deployment with the USS TUCSON (SSN-770) out of Pearl Harbor, HI. I also spent nearly three years as a division officer on the USS ASHEVILLE (SSN-758) where I led major repairs/upgrades to the nuclear propulsion system and a home port shift from Hawaii to Guam. My final two years of service as the Engineering Department Director at a submarine training facility in San Diego, Calif.

Why an MBA? I am pursuing an MBA because of its versatility and because I am interested in starting my own business some day! I specifically chose the GSB because Stanford has always been a dream school of mine and because of how collaborative the students are – everyone just wants to learn from each other, and nobody has anything to prove. Also important, the GSB has an awesome Veterans Club and generous Yellow Ribbon funding, which completely offsets tuition costs not covered by the GI Bill.

Why do you believe veteran representation matters in MBA cohorts? I think veteran representation matters in MBA cohorts because most veterans have already lived many of the leadership dilemmas we study in school. There is new level of investment when someone in the class can say, “I have faced a similar problem before. This is what we did, and these were the consequences.”

What’s next? I have loved every second at the GSB, but all good things come to an end. I am excited to say that I am joining Facebook’s Rotational Product Manager (RPM) program after the GSB. Upon graduating the RPM program, I hope to join a product team tackling misinformation.

Clifford Miller, Stanford GSB MBA ’22

Military service: Chief or E-7, U.S. Navy, 12 years.

Why did you join the military? I joined the military, because I felt a call to serve after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Originally, I joined as an Air Traffic Controller, but, after two years, I transitioned to the SEAL teams.

Why an MBA? I chose to get out of the military, and get an MBA, shortly after my kids were born. I want to raise my children in a stable household, and I have always been interested in business.

Why Stanford? I chose Stanford because the school has an incredible reputation, a close proximity to Silicon Valley, and a family friendly campus. Stanford is also very generous to veteran students. The tuition is free if the student is using the GI-Bill, because the school not only accepts Yellow Ribbon but also matches the contribution.

Why do you believe veteran representation matters in MBA cohorts? Veteran representation is extremely important in MBA cohorts, and Stanford knows this. In many cases, veterans are the only students with real life experience leading others. They also provide great insight in classroom discussions and are very marketable. Businesses want to hire veterans.

What’s next? After business school, I will be working for Apple on one of its procurement teams. It will be my job to negotiate prices paid for outsourced products. I hope to learn as much as I can and grow into a leader at this incredible organization.