Veterans in the Babson MBA
Whether you are celebrating Easter today or not, I hope everyone who is reading this blog is having a wonderful Sunday and is off to a great start of their week.
Today’s blog post will be about veterans in the Babson MBA. My wonderful friend Courtney Wilson, featured in this NYT article titled “While at War, Female Soldiers Fight to Belong” has spearheaded a series of profiles of veterans at Babson. I hope it helps you see why our culture and environment are such a wonderful fit for anyone, who has fought for or defended our country or perhaps helped other nations in need, and is now looking for the next step in their life or career.
Peter Beaton Creech
Babson Affiliation: 2-Year MBA
Military Affiliation : United States Coast Guard, Petty Officer Second Class (E5), Food Service Specialist (FS)
Hometown: Nantucket, MA
Military Experience:
I was a cook stationed on USCGC LEGARE, a 270’ Medium Endurance Cutter homeported in Portsmouth, VA. I also served as the unit’s rescue swimmer and 50. Caliber machine gunner. Our primary missions were Law Enforcement, Search & Rescue, and Drug & Migrant Interdiction. Most of our operations were conducted in the Caribbean around Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, but we went as far North as Nova Scotia, as far south as Grenada and Colombia, and we even sailed to Africa and Europe. The Coast Guard has some of the most amazing international port calls.
Why did you join the military?
I joined the military after I was expelled from my first year as an undergrad at George Washington University, and I didn’t have any other options. I wasn’t a bad kid; I was just being stupid. But it was a total eye-opener and honestly it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I learned so much about myself during those 4 years, and I especially learned about discipline, teamwork, and how important it is to not take opportunities for granted. Ironically, being expelled from an institution of higher learning was the catalyst for the single most educational experience of my life.
Why did you want to get your MBA and why did you choose Babson?
I’ve wanted to get an MBA from Babson since I was in high school. It’s actually why I decided not to study business when I first went back to complete my undergraduate degree – I knew in my heart I was going to go to Babson and study entrepreneurship. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, and my hometown of Nantucket is extremely entrepreneurial. I had a lemonade stand as a kid (that made so much money I bought a boat when I was 13), and then a raw bar business, and then ran my mom’s seasonal retail company for several summers. Babson seemed not like the best choice, but the only choice.
Babson Experience
This semester I co-founded a company called HostelPoint, a hostel booking service with a social network element, where users can choose hostels based on mutual interests with other guests, and communicate with each other before they arrive. I had no idea I would be working on this business 6 months ago, but Babson is the kind of place where if you keep putting your best self out there, serious things happen. My co-founder and I have made a ton of progress, have just added another team-member, and are planning to launch our product this summer. We are really excited about creating a business that encourages people to see the world and meet new people, and we’re having a ton of fun in the process! Check us out at www.hostelpoint.co
What would you say to a veteran looking at Babson?
If you are a veteran and you have a single entrepreneurial bone in your body, you probably got chewed out once or twice while serving. If that sounds like you, then you’re looking in the right place. Babson is a community that has got your back, and encourages you to be your best through taking action and innovating – not getting in step.
We all have our own goals. Live yours.