Navy experience helps MBA student succeed in Schools of Business and Engineering

MBA student Brandon Palmer’s career has allowed him to hold a variety of roles, but his most critical role is as a husband and father. He makes his family a priority while balancing his other responsibilities, he said.

From working in presidential service for the Obamas to getting back into the classroom in Lawrence, it’s all about perspective for Brandon Palmer as he brings his Navy experience to the KU Schools of Business and Engineering.

Palmer has been in the Navy for 18 years, but the majority of that time has been spent furthering his education across the country. He’s currently part of the 811 program, which brings select Supply Corps officers to the University of Kansas so they can pursue an MBA along with a certificate in petroleum management. The program is offered by the Navy Supply Corps, which is concerned with logistic and fiscal matters in the Navy and allows officers like Palmer to learn more about their posts before returning to service.

This mixed-curriculum program is specific to KU and allows Palmer to earn his degree and the certificate in two years. He will get the opportunity to work as a fuel specialist in the Navy afterward.

“Coming to a civilian institute like KU, we get a different perspective,” Palmer said. “It’s good to kind of come back here, break it up and re-evaluate your baseline and learn more practices you can use to make improvements as you go along.”

Being in the Navy, Palmer has found himself in every part of the world. His path to the business school is unique and has allowed him to play various roles; Palmer did government contracting for two years and presidential service for the Obama administration for another two, during which he threw a birthday party for Beyoncé.

The relationship between the military and the classroom is symbiotic, he said, with added value being placed on his education through Navy experience and vice versa. Palmer takes what he’s learned through his service and applies it to his schooling at KU to better prepare himself for when he returns to duty.

“Engineering is very practical for what we’ll be doing, so when we leave here we’ll be running a fuel operation,” Palmer said. “The business side has given us understanding on how to use the quantifiable stuff, but engineering has given us the practical knowledge.”

Despite having hosted the queen of guests, Beyoncé, Palmer thinks the array of guest speakers in the b-school is instrumental to his career outside of the classroom. The diversity of lecturers also allows for diversity in thought, something that Palmer thinks is essential for growth. Hearing from professionals also allows him and other students to see the evolution of business and engineering education and gives insight on how the industries will look once they graduate, he said.

Palmer’s gone from a “can’t-fail mission of working with a president” to coming back to school, but this “hodgepodge of experiences,” as he calls it, has given him a unique perspective that’s also kept him balanced in every situation he’s been in.

“Success, to me, I think you can find in any environment,” said Palmer. “It doesn’t matter what path you are on, it’s how you navigate that path to find an outcome that’s good for you.”

By Caitlynn Salazar