Why military members should consider an MBA

The MBA program at the Warrington College of Business is ranked highly nationally, especially among the military and veteran community. The program has online and on-campus formats designed to serve military members and veterans with excellence and flexibility. 

Recent graduates Alana Davis (MBA ‘26) and Chris Taylor (MBA ‘26), and Evan Lowe (MBA ‘27) have all leveraged their military background in their studies. Read how these students combined their service and business for their academic and professional success. 

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Alana Davis, MBA ‘26

Davis is a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy. She commissioned in 2019 from Harvard’s NROTC program, qualified in naval nuclear power and completed tours as a submarine division officer and a squadron staff officer. Since March 2025, she has served as a force manpower planner in Arlington, Virginia.

Davis had always loved learning. So, when transitioning from a sea job to a shore job, she saw it as an ideal opportunity to expand her learning horizons. With an undergraduate degree in engineering, an MBA would expand her skill set to business, economics and finance.  

“UF’s MBA was top of the list when I researched military-friendly MBA programs,” Davis said. “When I started my degree, I was serving in Bahrain. I needed a program that was asynchronous and flexible enough that I could take classes remotely while managing an 8-hour time difference from the East Coast and a very high and hectic op-temp at work. UF’s 2-Year Online MBA program was the right pacing for coursework to not overload me and also keep me motivated.”

Davis shared that military members going through the MBA program offer unique and valuable perspectives throughout the coursework. She found the problem-solving, team leading and efficiency in her background highly transferable to her business studies. 

“Turns out if you can run a division or a platoon, you’ll probably fare reasonably well in a boardroom too,” Davis said. 

As part of the program, Davis participated in a Global Immersion Experience in Zagreb, Croatia. Davis and her team toured innovation hubs and factories, met with business leaders and learned about international business operations. 

“[The trip] opened up a lot of options for me and ideas about future careers after the military,” Davis said. 

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Chris Taylor, MBA ‘26

Taylor retired from the Marines as a master sergeant in 2021. Post-retirement, he serves as the vice president of operations for Mantis Security Corporation, a cybersecurity company. 

Taylor began looking at MBA programs before retirement. He previously earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees while on active duty and wanted to expand his education further. 

“The University of Florida has the best MBA program for veterans that I’ve found,” Taylor said. “From ease of use, flexibility and the UF veteran community, it made perfect sense to pursue my MBA at UF. Couple that with top 10 public school standings for the Online MBA program, and it made the decision even easier.”

Taylor found that with his military background, he met new people and quickly adjusted to new groups within his program. Even in the online format, Taylor built strong relationships with his cohort that have continued to grow post-graduation. 

“Don’t wait,” Taylor said, encouraging active-duty military members who are considering an MBA. “You can absolutely manage an MBA while you’re still serving or even after your time in service has come to an end. Getting your MBA while you’re still on active duty can bring such a different perspective to your daily job, which will only benefit you and your command!”

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Evan Lowe, MBA ‘27

Lowe is a marketing officer in the U.S. Army. He was commissioned in 2015 from Christopher Newport University and was first stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Since then, he has been deployed to Iraq and Syria and Kentucky before being assigned to the University of Florida to complete his MBA as the final step in his transition to the Army Enterprise Marketing Office. 

As a husband and father of three, Lowe sought niches in the military that allowed him to balance his professional and personal life. When he discovered the Army Enterprise Marketing Office and Warrington’s 2-Year Full-Time MBA program, he was able to pivot his military career. 

With his official assignment in the Advanced Civil School program to be a student, Lowe has invested wholeheartedly in the on-campus program to sharpen his skills and expand his professional network. He has found that his military leadership experience translates to business, allowing him to offer real-world applications to concepts and frameworks in his coursework. 

“Military professionals enter the MBA classroom with something that cannot be taught: leadership experience shaped by real-world consequences,” Lowe said. “We are trained to plan, prepare and execute in some of the most challenging environments imaginable, whether stateside or overseas. The core tenets of that leadership, and the ability to drive a team toward a common goal, translate directly to both the MBA experience and the broader business world.” 

This fall, Lowe will join two veterans in founding the Warrington Veterans Association, a student organization designed to strengthen the veteran business community and bridge the gap between military experience and the skills today’s employers value most.

“If you are a veteran considering an MBA, there has never been a better time to apply to Warrington, where a growing network of students, alumni and organizations are committed to supporting those who have served,” Lowe said.