Veteran Spotlight: Benj Holladay, 2-year Full-time MBA, Class of 2022, Navy, Active Duty, Nuclear Engineer
Benj Holladay 22MBA
Background: I’m originally from Birmingham, Alabama, and I studied Chemical Engineering at Auburn University. I followed in the footsteps of both my grandfathers when I decided to join the Navy. I had the great opportunity to work at Naval Reactors HQ in Washington, D.C., for the duration of my 5-year commitment. I primarily worked in the division responsible for overseeing manufacturing of nuclear reactor cores destined to power the nuclear fleet. I enjoyed the technical parts of the job, but what I enjoyed more was when my job crossed into focusing on the business elements.
Why Goizueta: I was looking to attend a challenging, top-tier business school in the Southeast (to be closer to friends and family). I was looking for a smaller community where I could easily connect with my classmates and the university staff. Since I was looking to go into management consulting, I was looking for a school that had solid results placing students in those roles and to be in a city where these companies operated. Goizueta is the only option that could deliver on all of these.
Career Goals: I’ll be with Bain and Company in a Management Consulting role for the summer of 2021, and I expect to land there upon graduating as well. As I transition out of the military and out of a technical engineering role, I’m excited to explore what the private sector and business world have to offer. The diversity of work and pace of learning associated with management consulting are a great fit for what I am looking for now. My hope is that my experience in the first few years out of business school can help form my longer-term goals and aspirations.
Hobbies/Other Interests: Homemade pizza-making is my favorite hobby. I love playing or watching most any sport (Auburn Football especially, and Formula 1 racing has been my latest addition to the mix) and I think I’m contractually required to mention that I love riding my Peloton. I had a great experience volunteering through the Goizueta Non-profit Consulting Club in the spring semester to help support a local non-profit organization.
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Learn more about Goizueta Business School’s MBA program for veterans.
