Johnny Valentine, Northwestern Kellogg’s JD/MBA Class of 2028
Age: 30
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Undergraduate Institution and Major: United States Air Force Academy, majoring in Operations Research
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Space Force officer for 8 years with experience in satellite production, venture capital, and special programs.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
With my service commitment ending, business school stood out as an opportunity for me to bridge my military experience into the private sector. Over the next few years, I will engage with students who have backgrounds in healthcare, energy, tech, and more, gaining a sense of how their career paths have shaped their outlook on their respective industries while each of us takes a step back from our careers. Further, I hope to develop many of the financial and analytical skills favored in today’s business climate.
Why did you choose Kellogg? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
What stood out about Kellogg was the student-driven environment. While I was researching business school options, it was current students who facilitated my introduction to Kellogg through webinars, Zoom calls, and coffee chats. Now that I’m on campus, my experience has mirrored that application process. So far, the second- and third-year JD-MBA students have taken the lead getting the first-year JD-MBAs adjusted to law school and preparing us for law recruiting.
Another of Kellogg’s offerings that captured my interest are the many global immersion opportunities. With much of the student body having international ties and Kellogg facilitating travel opportunities, I expect to travel internationally multiple times to engage with diverse business communities during my time at Kellogg.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
Although the space industry has grown rapidly in recent years, relatively few members of the field have matriculated through either business school or law school channels. With my background in the space industry, I hope to share what I’ve learned in the field with my classmates – specifically, what the space industry is changing to increase commercial investment interest and how space may support other industries in the future.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
Growing up in Tennessee, my family grew our own Christmas trees!
Post-MBA career interests:
Corporate Law or Finance
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I asked others to review and provide feedback on my essays. Creative writing is not my strength, and the most I had written for a few years were shorter, professional products. Having others proofread my work helped me quickly realize which portions of my essay were solid and which needed to be refined.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Going back, I would have reached out to recent alumni earlier. LinkedIn was very helpful for finding and connecting with them, and speaking with alumni was extremely beneficial. These connections gave me a baseline understanding of what I should expect as a student at Northwestern Pritzker and Kellogg, how recruiting has been playing out for both business and law careers recently, and what the quality of life is like outside of school. Getting this information firsthand helped me articulate in my applications how I saw myself as a fit at the schools I applied to and in my intended career.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
If I could, I would have skipped the period between application submission and waiting to hear back about interviews and admission. It is unavoidable, but all of a sudden, I — like other applicants — went from spending 2-3 hours per day on applications to multiple months of waiting to hear back.
Since I couldn’t skip this period, what helped me get through that time was probably staying off the internet. The internet was very helpful for getting information while putting my applications together, but I found that it also could send me down some unproductive rabbit holes when I had too much time on my hands.
What is your initial impression of the Kellogg students/culture/community?
I touched on this earlier, but the proactive nature of the student body has really caught my attention. Most everyone I have encountered has a tendency to take action, organizing recruiting training and interview prep, and leading experiential programs like Kellogg Worldwide Exploration Student Trips (KWEST)!
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I am currently planning to participate in the Private Equity and Investment Banking & Capital Markets clubs as they will help me prepare for recruiting next fall through interview and technical prep in addition to networking. Also, I plan to be active within the Kellogg Veterans Association (KVA). The KVA was incredibly insightful for me during my application process, and I feel like I should do my part to assist other veterans looking to make the same transition.
What is one thing you have learned about Kellogg that has surprised you?
Even as a first-year JD-MBA, my social life hasn’t had to stop. I’ve certainly had to exercise a lot of balance as the school year has gotten going, but there has still been plenty of opportunities to go out and explore the Chicagoland area.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’m looking forward to participating in KWEST, one of Kellogg’s travel programs! I’m not sure where I’ll be going for it, but I’m excited to spend a week in a new place with a group of other first years.
