What career or personal update would you like to give to your fellow Florida Tech Panthers alumni?
Currently serving as Defense Fellow to a member of Congress within the U.S. House of Representatives. As an Army Logistics professional, I have the distinct honor and privilege of utilizing both professional expertise and knowledge from Florida Tech in my advisory role to Congress. Being able to directly influence policy has been a unique and rewarding experience. I was recently promoted to the rank of Major and was able to complete my degree while serving as a Company Commander in a Special Operations unit. Florida Tech has prepared me for being a Field Grade Army Officer and broadens my understanding for organizational management. I often leverage my studies on a consistent basis to accompany problem-solving techniques within the teams I am fortunate to serve on. Directly advising members of Congress, especially within the House Appropriations Committee, requires me to utilize many of the concepts studied in the Logistics, Management and Supply Chain Program to assist policy development at the federal level.
How did your time at Florida Tech help get you to where you are today?
The knowledge learned in the academic curriculum assist me as an Army Logistics Officer. Being able to take the many case studies examined throughout the course and apply that knowledge to real-world logistics challenges within the Department of Defense has been critical. Examining the supply chain impacts of industry constraints in class broadens the understanding of the Defense Industrial Base. Now that I am advising Congress on Defense appropriations, leveraging the basics of supply chain management and how that impacts policy has been paramount. Being able to explain the context to members of Congress provides perspective in their decision-making efforts.
What is your favorite Florida Tech memory?
I was taking classes while deployed in the middle of Afghanistan during the closure operations in 2021. Being able to serve our country and simultaneously be a student proves how amazing the programs at Florida Tech are for those who serve and the Veteran community.
Was there a mentor or professor who had a big impact on you personally and/or professionally?
Dr. S.M Ramp- her teaching style, and demand for excellence aided in my learning and I am truly grateful for her.
Please share any advice you have for current Florida Tech students.
Define the calculus, don't let it define you. I am a Black Male from Nicholasville, KY, United States Army Major, first-generation Bachelor and now Masters graduate within my family with more to go. Defy the odds and be the difference you want to see. Simply put, my definition of FOCUS is to: "Follow, One, Course, Until Successful". If I can complete a graduate degree while in a combat zone, becoming a father, and serving in some of the most mentality and physically demanding positions in the U.S. Army you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to. Eliminate the excuses and find a way to get it done. The hardest battle I've ever faced in life was not fighting terrorism, it was the warzone between my left and right earlobes. Anything worth having doesn't come easy; the only limitations you will ever have are those that you place upon yourself. Believe you can and you WILL.
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