John McGilvery

  • Alum
  • Veteran
Veterans and Military Services
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A Conversation With John

What is your job in the Navy?

“My primary job is a hospital corpsman. I am a biomedical engineering technician. We service, calibrate and repair medical devices.”

Where was your last deployment and most notable experience?

“I served on-board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) from 2007 until 2010. I experienced two eight-month deployments to the fifth and sixth fleets which comprise the Middle East and Europe. These tours were challenging, especially being away from my family, but I couldn’t have served with a better crew. Just going through those challenges with those brave and talented men and women was a phenomenal experience in itself.”

What honors/awards did you received during your military experience?

“My tour onboard “Ike” allowed me to be selected as the 2009 Sailor of the Year for the Naval Air Forces Atlantic Fleet. Although I was the recipient for this prestigious and humbling award, it was only made possible because of the hard work of those sailors serving on that ship. So, it’s really an award in recognition of the extraordinary dedication to excellence of the entire crew.”

How has your military experience benefited your experience at A&M-Commerce?

“Serving in the military instills dedication, self-motivation and perseverance. Attaining my college degree online with A&M-Commerce while still meeting my military and family obligations required the same attributes. There were courses that were challenging and quite tough, but service members are trained to exercise humility and ask for help when needed. I often reached out to the instructors and tutors when I didn’t understand something and they patiently guided me in the right direction.”

Why did you choose to attend A&M-Commerce?

“I did a lot of research in my school selection. It really just came down to quality for me. If I was going to sacrifice and dedicate my time and money toward a college degree, I wanted to attend a program that was viable and well respected. A&M-Commerce has an excellent reputation for providing a quality education at a reasonable price. The AACSB accreditation of their business program was really impressive, and the fact that the school is in my home state of Texas is a definite plus.”

What do you like most about A&M-Commerce and your department?

“In my experience, the instructors and staff are very knowledgeable, respectful and responsive. If you need help with something, they do everything in their reasonable power to help you succeed. The advisors and staff are always so friendly and supportive, too. I really think the people are the “heart and soul” of A&M-Commerce.”

What are you studying and what are your career goals?

“I just completed my MBA with technology management minor. When I retire from the Navy this spring, after 24 years of service, I plan to use my degree to further enhance my healthcare and clinical engineering technology background. Ultimately, I plan to establish my own healthcare information technology consultancy.”

Why do you want to pursue this major/career field?

“An MBA is the logical degree for someone who is completing a substantial military career. All of the leadership elements and concepts that military leaders utilize on a daily basis are almost instinctively are polished and further solidified with the MBA. I just felt like this career field would allow me the flexibility to work with almost any organization.”

Education

  • MBA, Business Administration with technology management minor, Texas A&M University-Commerce
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