Full-time MBA | Tommy Dunn

• Hometown
  Wolford, North Dakota
• Undergraduate
  School: United States Military Academy at West Point
  Major: Systems Engineering
• Previous Employer
  United States Army
• Summer Internship
  Deloitte
• Specializations at Stern
  Finance, Accounting, Management
• Student Clubs
  Military Veterans Club, Co-President
  Management Consulting Association, VP of Casing Initiatives
  Business Analytics Cub
  Stern Hoops
  Stern Cellar

My final day of active-duty military service was July 4th, 2021. The next day I arrived in NYC and checked into a hotel, ready to start NYU’s Fertitta Veterans Program. The Fertitta Veterans Program is an initiative specifically designed to support U.S. Military veterans and active-duty students in their transition to business school. That first day, I vividly remember walking past the arch and fountain in Washington Square Park on my way to Stern’s Kaufman Management Center. I remember the great mix of emotions as I walked up to Stern for the first time. Relief: this moment was the culmination of years of GMAT preparation, admissions essays, interviews, and research. Gratitude: grateful for the opportunities and adventures that lay before me. Excitement: eager to meet my classmates and start this new chapter of our lives together. Washington Square Park is and will always remain a special place for me, and I always take the time to walk through the park on my way to class. 

Stern is a community where I can be my authentic and best self. From my very first day, this community has been inviting, driven, and passionate about life. The culture at Stern has exceeded all expectations I held of business school. I truly feel like I belong to a team ready to take on the world’s challenges and change it for the better. I never cease to be amazed by my classmates.

This past semester I enrolled in one of Stern’s Doing Business In… courses.  Twenty Sternies and I traveled to Costa Rica where we partnered with the Instituto Centroamericana de Administracion de Empresas (INCAE) for a course in sustainable business practices. The lessons learned and connections made instantly presented opportunities for application in the real world. As part of the course curriculum, my cohort and I studied the coffee industry in Costa Rica, which included a site visit to the coffee farm Coopro Naranjo. My brother happens to be the founder of a specialty coffee shop based out of Arizona. Through this DBI I was able to connect the distribution team at Coopro Naranjo with my brother, creating an opportunity for my brother to purchase coffee directly from the farmer. The farmer turns a larger profit by selling directly to the end coffee shop and my brother’s customers gain access to some incredible single-origin coffee beans.

I look forward to the opportunity to pay my experiences forward to the MBA Class of 2024 through my role as Co-President of the Military Veterans Club (MVC). The MVC provides, education, career coaching, and a professional network to enable Stern’s veterans to pivot industries and continue success in NYC. As veterans, one of our greatest assets is the leadership experience gained during our military service. The MVC seeks to leverage that experience and empower members to continue as leaders of the business world. 

Back to Student Profiles >>