David Marold

After he passes his bar exam, Marold will work as a judge advocate at US Army base Fort Bragg in North Carolina. His role will be broad, with responsibilities that include advising commanders on administrative law, prosecuting crimes committed by soldiers, and reviewing contracts and fiscal appropriations.

Why he pursued an MSF degree at WashU

“The line between legal and financial issues is intertwined. I wanted to combine military best practices with business best practices, and I needed to improve my quantitative abilities.

“I also wanted to become a more well-rounded leader. Law schools tend to emphasize individual endeavors. But the military is all about teamwork – and so is the business school. Olin teaches its students how to lead teams, and it promotes a collaborative environment.

“Equally important, veterans groups are robust at WashU. They make sure students with military backgrounds are connected to the community and to military-focused services and resources. I felt completely at home on the university’s campus.”

His favorite course

“My Center for Experiential Learning practicum was one of my biggest program takeaways. I led a team that consulted with a lending company. Our job was to figure out why the firm’s average loan size was down and to come up with growth alternatives. We used skills from prior MSF courses to build real-world models to increase the company’s profitability.”

Encouragement for other military officers who are considering the program

Marold says the program provides experience and skills that help military officers transition to – and excel in – private-sector business. Veterans are prepared to compete successfully with their civilian peers in quantitative areas.