Brendan Connor

Brendan Connors bridges military service and academia in his dual role as a Marine Officer Instructor and Assistant Professor of Naval Science at both Boston University and MIT. Recently, he’s been active in veterans’ events across Boston and Cambridge, connecting with the student veteran communities at each university. He finds it rewarding to engage with these students and participate in ceremonies where they feel honored. Today, you’ll find him on campus at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel for a service honoring BU Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) members.

Brendan’s path to BU was both unexpected and serendipitous. While deployed at sea in 2022, he saw an announcement inviting officers to apply for instructor roles at select universities. Noticing Boston University on the list, he applied, drawn by the opportunity to return to his hometown, Boston, after years stationed around the world. He was thrilled when, in November, he learned he’d been selected to join the BU ROTC staff.

As a Naval ROTC instructor, Brendan’s role goes beyond academics; he serves as a mentor, advisor, and leader. He teaches fundamental doctrine courses, guides students in tactical decision-making workshops, and even participates in early-morning workouts with them twice a week. For Brendan, the best part of his role is, as he states, “just being able to jump in the workouts with them—they keep me young.”

This role has also allowed him to pursue his goal of graduate education through BU’s Part-Time MBA program, which he describes as both robust and immersive, offering a top-notch curriculum and a supportive cohort. “Observing my classmates’ diverse experiences across corporate structures and industries, I am able to draw inspiration from their variety of leadership styles, and blend insights from the program and my military background.”

When asked how his military experience has shaped his approach to entering the business world, he emphasizes the importance of decentralizing decision-making, empowering his team at all levels, and fostering a trust-based culture. He believes that military leadership skills—like understanding team dynamics, managing stress, and making fast-paced decisions—translate well into business. This mindset of responsibility, transparency, and trust, cultivated in the military, is something he’s eager to bring into the business world.

Brendan’s future ambitions include exploring international business, particularly in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. He envisions a career in areas like foreign investment advisory, where he can leverage his experience to navigate diverse cultural landscapes. To support this goal, he hopes to join Questrom’s MBA global immersion trip, integrating global experiences with his business education.

Brendan expresses gratitude for the supportive Questrom community, appreciating the openness and respect he’s found among classmates and faculty toward veterans and military service. For veterans aiming to transition into business, he believes the structure provided by the military is a strong foundation for success. This Veterans Day, consider asking someone with a military background about their journey and how they’ve translated their skills into their current roles. As Brendan reflects, “Sometimes we might feel shy about being too overt about military service. We don’t want to seem like we’re just talking about it too much. So it means a lot when someone is just curious, because we feel the same way about other industries—we don’t know everything about fields people have worked in for years. It’s a great way to bridge.”