By Greg Glasgow
Sponsored Content
Even before he finished his 11-year stint with the U.S. Marine Corps, Ben Hepler decided to apply to the Part-time Professional MBA (PMBA) program at the Daniels College of Business to help guarantee that the next chapter of his life would be a successful one.
“I had already made a decision before I left California, which is where I was stationed,” said Hepler, who finished the PMBA program in November 2024. “It was a hedge against the future. It was me making sure that if I wasn’t going to be OK one year after getting out, I would be doing OK in three years. Getting out of the military is a significant transition.”
The PMBA—a 21-month, part-time evening program for early-to-mid-career professionals—was a good fit for a veteran like Hepler, who was already working at architecture and engineering firm HDR in Colorado Springs, while also raising a young family.
Building business acumen
It was a similar story for Scott Smucker-Green, a current PMBA student, who enrolled in the program after nearly nine years in the Navy. He landed a job with KeyBank soon after returning to Colorado, once his service was complete. But he knew having those three letters after his name on his resume would help immensely as he continued to advance his career.
“I realized that if I’m going to be competitive in the banking world or transition to any other position, I had to get my MBA,” said Smucker-Green, who is interested in working for a consulting firm like KPMG or EY and exploring private equity. “I also wanted to build my general business acumen. Although I was a very effective leader in the Navy, it’s a different skill set than in corporate America. There’s a lot of crossover, but I realized I needed to do some upskilling.”
An MBA program is a great option for veterans looking to boost their traditional business skills, after years of developing their leadership and strategic abilities in the armed forces, said Suzy Lindley, director of MBA programs at Daniels. Depending on their specific situation, veterans may choose the PMBA, like Hepler and Smucker-Green, the Daniels Denver MBA—a two-year, full-time, traditional MBA program—or the Online MBA, in which classes are taught online, live each week. Veterans with more than 10 years of professional experience as senior-level leaders can opt for the Executive MBA program.
“All Daniels MBA programs get our students up to speed with the business acumen they may be missing, and help them with skill development and strategic thinking,” Lindley said. “They also have the opportunity to do a concentration in a specific area, such as finance, business analytics, accounting, marketing or real estate, which gives them more specialization and an additional way to market themselves as they’re looking for a new job.”
Full-time option
While the PMBA is a good choice for many veterans, others, like Joanna Guhl, choose to pursue the full-time Denver MBA (DMBA) program. After seven years as an Air Force nurse, Guhl wasn’t sure which direction she wanted to go next. A classic MBA, she decided, would serve as a good foundation as she transitioned to a new career.
“Nursing was a good first career. I learned a lot, grew a lot and had a lot of cool opportunities,” she said. “I knew I was interested in the business world, but I didn’t know a lot about the different career fields you can go into. The MBA provided a good tasting menu.”
The DMBA also helped Guhl find a summer internship by funding her travel to Atlanta for the MBA Veterans Career Conference and Expo.
“That’s where I met the recruiters for the internship,” said Guhl, who spent the past summer in Louisiana, working in accounting and finance for the Nucor steel company. “I wouldn’t have known about the conference if the faculty at Daniels hadn’t told me about it.”
Guhl won’t finish the MBA program until June 2025, but she already has a job lined up at a public accounting firm in Dallas.
Meet your cohort
All Daniels MBA programs have another draw for veterans: a cohort model that keeps a small group of students working together in the same classes and group activities for the duration of the degree. Even the self-paced Online MBA creates a cohesive community of classmates, through synchronous classes and in-person immersion opportunities.
“I’ve gotten to be really close with the people in my cohort,” Smucker-Green said. “Those are contacts that could turn into job offers or other help a few years down the road.”
Hepler grew close with his cohort-mates as well, especially during the group’s time in Singapore. At Daniels, all MBA students have the opportunity to take an international trip to see how business is done in another country. Over the course of a week, they meet business leaders and help real companies tackle their current challenges.
“Getting to experience something like that firsthand, at the end of the program, with the cohort that you’ve gone through all of these classes with, is irreplaceable,” said Hepler. “You can’t substitute that experience in the classroom. It’s truly invaluable.”
Yellow Ribbon benefit
No matter which master’s program they choose, military veterans can take advantage of the University of Denver’s status as a fully funded Yellow Ribbon institution, meaning that any tuition above what the GI Bill covers is 100% paid for by DU.
“I did a lot of research while I was still in the military on how the GI Bill works and what the different benefits and programs are, and that’s when I learned about the Yellow Ribbon program,” Guhl said. “That was definitely a deciding factor on where to go for my MBA.”
Like many veterans, Guhl, Hepler and Smucker-Green all joined the military in part because they knew the GI Bill would provide funding for their education once their service was complete.
“It’s one of the best benefits the military offers,” Guhl said. “A lot of people’s jobs in the military don’t perfectly translate to the civilian side. It’s nice to be able to use those couple of years to reevaluate and figure out a new career and a new direction. I’m very thankful for the GI Bill.”
