From the Military to MSTC

By: Apollo Hernandez

(the transition from Iraq and Afghanistan to MSTC)

After a few combat deployments as a young enlisted infantry rifleman, I was fortunate enough to earn my way into the elite and storied Marine Recon community, where I served as a Team Leader. The military instills many traits and soft skills in men and women that are extremely valuable to businesses, especially in startups. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to translate these traits and frameworks that we learned in the military into civilian life. The MSTC program is teaching me how to bridge that gap by increasing my business acumen and introducing me to new frameworks and concepts that have already proven extremely valuable in my civilian career.

If you are a current or former service member and are looking for an exceptional graduate program, here are a few bullet points that you might find helpful.

  • When creating the MSTC program, The University of Texas combined a Masters in Technology Commercialization with a traditional business degree.
  • The program is a part of the highly ranked McCombs School of Business.
  • You do not have to be technical to be successful in this program.
  • You do not need to have a technology or idea already that you want to commercialize.
  • You do not need to be an inventor to be a business person.
  • At least a quarter of the class are veterans or still serving in the military.
  • The GI Bill covers the program.
  • The program is a 1-year program, meaning you spend only one year of VA benefits.
  • Even if you attend online, the Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay you as if you are on campus.
  • You have options for the delivery method i.e., in-class or online.
  • If you’re like me and prefer to attend in person, classes are in Austin, TX.
  • The education and networking are phenomenal.

Thank you for your service. I hope this helps you in your search for a quality graduate education.

If you have more questions about the program email MSTC@mccombs.utexas.edu, or if you have any veteran-specific questions, connect with me on LinkedIn.

Semper Fi/Hook’em Horns,

Apollo Hernandez