TRANSITIONS IN LEADERSHIP

Dozens of graduates from the University of Southern California’s master’s of business for veterans program reflect on their experiences.

The transition from military to civilian life can be fraught with challenges. In 2013, the USC’s Marshall School of Business established a master’s of business for veterans program, precisely to facilitate this shift for members of all branches of military service. According to Turrill, an Army veteran and instructor in the program, the participants all had leadership experience in common, and the curriculum focused on developing this skill from an entrepreneurial perspective. The author provides a concise but in-depth introduction to the program, explaining its inception, core values, and unique “cohort” structure, designed to foster bonding and collaboration. Turrill lets its graduates speak for themselves, with 44 alumni recounting their completion of the intensive, yearlong degree program. He lucidly illustrates the program’s character and necessity, and the book as a whole furnishes a tableau of military life that’s far more diverse than many readers may expect; in fact, the MBV participants are among the most diverse of any program at USC. Allowing students to relate their own accounts further highlights this diversity and the ways in which the program has successfully helped service members meet a range of professional goals. Unavoidably, perhaps, the book reads like a promotional pamphlet at times, and its appeal is likely limited to those considering enrollment in the program or educators looking to replicate its success. However, for those two groups, it will act as a thoughtful introduction to an innovative concept.

A well-organized and informative account of an unusual educational track.