#WhitmanWatch: Kevin Lynch

Class of 2017
Program: MBA@Syracuse
Hometown: Lido Beach, New York & Quebradillas Puerto Rico
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinpatricklynch

While many MBA students spend their days sitting in a classroom, Kevin Lynch spends his serving as a management consultant in New York City. A student veteran, Kevin is completing his MBA through the MBA@Syracuse program while continuing his consulting work.

After graduating from West Point in 2003, Kevin was commissioned as an infantry officer in the United States Armed Forces, where he served in the 10^th Mountain Division and later in the 75^th Ranger Regiment. Following four deployments, Kevin leveraged the training and professional skills that he had acquired over the years to begin a career in consulting, specializing in process improvement and leadership development.

As a consultant, Kevin recognized that many leaders in consulting had advanced degrees, and he decided to seek a program to advance his knowledge base and increase his professional network. “I chose Whitman because of the positive experience I had and continue to have with the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) at Syracuse University,” explained Kevin. “I felt it first-hand in EBV that Syracuse was sincere in that they value the unique skill sets and experiences that veterans bring to the table.”

Kevin credits Syracuse University Veteran Services and the Institute for Veterans at SU with helping him to have a successful educational experience. After deploying, Kevin said that he was very skeptical about going back to school. “I was a good student at West Point, but I feared I would not be able to emotionally handle being in a classroom environment again,” he explained. “Call it PTSD, disillusionment, or ‘being lost.’ I was not confident in attending school again.” However, at the advice of another veteran, Kevin applied anyways, and from there attended and succeeded in completing the EBV program. That experience gave him the confidence to pursue his MBA, knowing that he could succeed in the classroom once again.

Now a student in the MBA@Syracuse program, Kevin is also a part of Syracuse’s Student Veterans Organization (SVOSU) and an avid Orange fan. “I hope Orange football and basketball are back to being nationally ranked as soon as possible,” said Kevin. “You would be shocked how being tied a strong and nationally known university sports program helps spark conversation in the business world.”

Upon completion of his degree, Kevin hopes to take on higher leadership roles in consulting. He has also considered starting his own consulting firm, or establishing a new division within an existing consulting firm that focuses on continuous leadership development. Kevin is specifically interested in helping leaders of globalized companies define and improve upon operational metrics, rather than just looking at financials.