From combat boots to business suits

After serving his country as a captain in the U.S. Army, Michael Richardson (MBA ’24) was ready for the next chapter of his life.

With a chemical engineering degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a wealth of operations and leadership experience from his time in the armed forces, Richardson secured a job at Corning, a company known for its materials science and manufacturing innovations. However, as Richardson began to navigate the corporate world, he realized that his bachelor’s degree, while valuable, wasn’t enough to take him where he wanted to go in his career — he needed an MBA.

“I spoke with a few West Point grads who had gone through MBA programs after finishing their service, and they shared how beneficial the degree was for them,” Richardson says. “I knew from the time I left the military that an MBA was a step I wanted to take to advance my career.”

When researching his options, Richardson learned that the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School was launching a new executive MBA program in Charlotte in 2022.

“When I saw that they had announced the opening of the Charlotte campus, I ran into the other room to tell my wife — it was a game-changer for me,” Richardson recalls. “The program’s weekly, in-person classes offered the perfect blend of convenience and flexibility, allowing me to continue working full time while pursuing a master’s degree.”

The value of being in Charlotte and having access to the Chapel Hill experience

While the proximity to his weekly classes in Charlotte helped Richardson balance school, work and day-to-day life, he also appreciated the opportunity to take some of his MBA courses in Chapel Hill.

“Being able to study in both Charlotte and Chapel Hill gave me the best of both worlds,” Richardson explains. “As a new Charlotte resident, the program really helped me connect with new people and become part of a strong, local community. I experienced the full university environment in Chapel Hill, which deepened my connection to the broader UNC family.”

Richardson is proud to be part of the inaugural cohort of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Charlotte Executive MBA Program, which graduated in the fall of 2024. As one of the first 53 students — including five other military veterans — to experience the program in the Queen City, Richardson feels a strong bond with his classmates and a shared commitment to paving the way for future cohorts.

“Being part of the first cohort in Charlotte is special,” Richardson reflects. “Our feedback has been well-received and actioned throughout the program, and I’m very proud to have been a part of shaping something new and impactful for the region.”

Applying coursework to help secure a new job

As Richardson moved through the two-year program, his hard work and dedication paid off in more ways than one. He made new friends, experienced valuable career coaching and became more versed in the language of business.

He also got a promotion.

While still attending classes, Richardson applied for a new position at Corning, which would represent a significant step up in his career. During the interview process, he was asked to analyze product costs and production capacity in a global manufacturing scenario. Fortunately, he had just completed an MBA course in strategic cost analysis, and his ability to answer confidently impressed his interviewers. He calls the program a key factor in landing a role in Corning’s product management organization.

“The timing was perfect,” Richardson says. “The knowledge I gained about operations strategy, product lifecycle management and creating customer value directly contributed to my success in the interview. It was one of those moments where I knew I had made the right choice in pursuing my MBA.”

A leap of faith for a jumpmaster

During his time in the military, Richardson held many positions, including rifle platoon leader and operations officer. He also served as a jumpmaster in Airborne and Ranger units, completing 50 jumps himself while training and instructing his fellow paratroopers on proper techniques to safely exit an aircraft a thousand feet in the air.

“That was a lot of responsibility for a young man,” Richardson says. “Being a leader in the units I was in forced me to grow up and significantly helped my self-confidence. I was constantly inspired by my fellow soldiers and this program has been no different. I feel a very similar sense of pride and accomplishment after completing this degree.”

Comparing his MBA experience to his time in U.S. Army Ranger School, Richardson highlights the transformational power of both. Completing Ranger School and earning the “ranger tab” gave him the confidence to lead effectively, voice his ideas and work harder to live up to the expectations that come with the achievement.

“Walking into my first rifle company with that tab on my shoulder gave me self-confidence I didn’t previously have — and that confidence just never stopped growing throughout my military career,” Richardson says.

Much like earning his Ranger tab, completing the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA has pushed him to elevate his performance and live up to the expectations of the accomplishment.

“As someone fairly new to corporate America, I feel more comfortable voicing my ideas and making business decisions after completing the MBA program,” says Richardson.” My study team and other classmates gave me so much confidence that I have good ideas and that I evaluate things the right way — and that was huge for me.”

For Richardson, pursuing an MBA wasn’t just about advancing his career — it was about taking another big jump and betting on himself to succeed. The Charlotte Executive MBA Program equipped him with the tools, confidence and expertise to excel on his career journey.

Ready to take the leap? Learn more about how working professionals can pursue their Executive MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler’s new Charlotte campus.