Boeing invests in Olin military veterans

This article was originally published in the 2017 Olin Business Magazine.

Thanks to a generous $1.25 million commitment from The Boeing Company, Olin will continue to provide scholarship support and extracurricular benefits to eligible US military veterans.

“Every day at Boeing, we see the positive impact of the veterans on our teams,” said Shelley Lavender (EMBA ’03), Boeing senior vice president of Strike, Surveillance, and Mobility. “One in seven Boeing employees has served our nation, and brings leadership, commitment, and a unique perspective to the workplace.”

Our gift to Olin will help ensure today’s veterans have the opportunity to achieve their educational goals and prepare themselves to continue to make an impact in their communities.

—Shelley Lavender (EMBA ’03), Olin National Council member

Since 2008, Olin has been a full participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, covering the gap between government funding and Washington University tuition costs for eligible veterans. Boeing’s support of the Olin Veteran Scholarship Fund ensures that Olin can continue to proudly recruit deserving military veterans into its programs.

“The strong leadership qualities that our military veterans bring to the classroom are valued by all Olin students, staff, and faculty,” said Dean Mark Taylor. “The MBA program and qualification give veterans the skills to channel their experience into becoming great business leaders who will change our school, community, and country.”

In addition to veteran scholarships, Boeing will also support the activities of the student-led Olin Veterans Association (OVA), which exists to assist veteran students in their successful transition into the business world. The OVA welcomes veteran students—and their families—to Olin with a three-day “boot camp” that provides an overview of the MBA curriculum. Veteran students are then personally connected to the St. Louis business community through internships, mentor partnerships, employer site visits, and networking events.

On average, Olin enrolls 80 military veterans each year across its graduate degree programs. Olin offers its sincere appreciation to The Boeing Company and its support of military veterans.