Dan Mitchell, ’24 MBA, ’25 MS SCM: Military Discipline Powers Business Innovation
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Program
’24 Executive MBA
’25 Master of Science in Supply Chain Management
Fun Fact:
I love trap shooting.
Undergraduate School and Major:
West Point, History
Current Job Title and Employer
Epicor, Senior Project Manager
Meet the Carlson School community and learn about the experiences and career connections we offer.
What was your initial reason or motivation for pursuing an MS in Supply Chain Management and an Executive MBA?
I was working as a night shift manager in a factory after leaving the Army, and my career was not going in the direction I wanted. I had intended to never go back to school and focus on gaining industry experience, but seeing some of my colleagues start their MBA programs showed me that getting an advanced degree was a great way of rounding out my military experience on my resume. I pursued both an Executive MBA (EMBA) and Master of Science in Supply Chain because I wanted to have my cake and eat it too! Trusted mentors advised me to earn an MBA for holistic career progression, while supply chain is my professional passion.
Why did you choose the Carlson School?
I spoke with multiple mentors and colleagues who all recommended the Carlson EMBA program, both from the perspective of a veteran and someone who foresees living in Minnesota indefinitely. The school has a great reputation on both counts, and alumni I spoke with emphasized the critical advantage of the in-person coursework with classmates whom you get to know very well. This testimonial from satisfied alumni made the choice easy.
What has been or was your most valuable Carlson School experience or lesson?
The MBA capstone project was a seminal part of my business education. I had the privilege of working with international students from our sister campus in Vienna, building from scratch a business plan and presenting it to a panel of professors from both universities. I’ve worked for big organizations my whole career, and building this plan helped me realize that starting my own business is possible and not just for trust fund kids with venture capital backing.
How did being part of the Carlson School’s broader business ecosystem—spanning the Twin Cities community, local industries, and global partners—shape your experience?
Site visits and hearing from local executives have been some of the most valuable aspects of both programs. This gives us an opportunity to see how coursework is applied in the real business world and to better understand the value of what we’re learning. I’m just beginning the Supply Chain capstone, which is a consulting project for a major business, and it is the perfect culmination of three years of business education from the Carlson School, which will draw on almost everything I have learned. This opportunity would not exist if the Carlson School of Management weren’t so well-integrated into the business community.
The school has a great reputation on both counts [veteran support and the local business ecosystem], and alumni I spoke with emphasized the critical advantage of the in‑person coursework with classmates whom you get to know very well. This testimonial from satisfied alumni made the choice easy.
How has your Carlson School experience helped you change your career path and get to where you are?
The Carlson School helped me get my current job! I entered the MBA program knowing I would want to switch roles, and after several months, one of my classmates recruited me into my current role, which he thought I’d be great for. I was an operations manager at the time and never would have thought to apply for a job as a project manager at a tech firm; it’s because of the Carlson School that I had the opportunity to realize the breadth of options I have in my career.
What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Carlson’s MS in Supply Chain Management program and/or Executive MBA program?
As you go through the application process, look at these programs as seminal development opportunities in your career. Your professional experience will impact how you conduct your coursework and how you support your classmates, and the coursework will impact how you conduct your professional work from the moment you begin. Think about what your professional background and experience will provide to the program and your classmates, and how you intend to apply your knowledge to work as you go through the program.