Veteran Leverages Online MBA to Become More Effective Leader

USMC Corporal Jonah McKenrick first began his journey to leadership when he joined the military in 2004. Now, with the help of his Online MBA, he is making his mark as a leader in tech. 

As a high school student in Eastern Iowa, Jonah McKenrick watched the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the beginning of the Iraq War unfold.

“I wanted to join to make a difference and support my country,” he said. “While I did not envision military service as a long-term career plan, I knew I had to serve.” 

In 2004, McKenrick enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. For the next six years, he honed his technical skills as a specialized mechanic for fuel and electrical systems. When he was deployed to Iraq in 2009, he led a team of Marines in supporting troops on the front lines by repairing fuel pumps, alternators, starters and other mechanical items to expedite mobilization efforts. Halfway through his deployment he was tasked with leading logistical responsibilities for his platoon, maintaining appropriate inflow and outflow of parts and equipment and assessing lead times to enhance operational effectiveness.

 After receiving an honorable discharge from the military, McKenrick earned his degree in Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management from Western Illinois University.

After a year-long stint as a territory sales manager at a lighting company, he joined Amazon Web Service’s military apprenticeship program to get a foot in the door in the tech industry. Since joining the company in 2018 as a lead development representative for public sector customers in the company’s State and Local Government segment, he has climbed the ladder and taken on the responsibility of managing lead development representatives supporting the U.S. Department of Defense and Aerospace and Satellite segments.

McKenrick never expected to lead a team of early-career salespeople, but a regional sales manager in his first post-graduation job recognized the trust he had built with his team members and spotted potential in him. Declaring that McKenrick was “too personable to work in a warehouse all day,” he took the sales novice under his wing and mentored him. 

“I took to sales quickly and felt that delivering value to customers was naturally rewarding,” McKenrick said. 

Taking the Leap

McKenrick always aspired to pursue an MBA. As he progressed through the ranks at Amazon Web Services, he realized it would be advantageous to bolster his knowledge of cybersecurity in addition to his managerial skills. 

“An MBA has always been on my radar, and I jumped at the opportunity to attend a top-notch program that would help me fill in the gaps in cybersecurity,” he said. 

Coming from a smaller undergraduate institution, he was especially interested in attending a university with strong name recognition and a tight-knit community feel. Baylor’s Online MBA program with a concentration in cybersecurity checked every box. 

Class by class, McKenrick  developed into a more confident, strategic leader since he began the program in late 2022.

Currently, he manages a team of eight people who serve Department of Defense and Aerospace and Satellite customers. Day-to- day, he focuses on meeting sales goals and strategizing his next move so his team can strengthen its foothold in the defense space. 

“The most challenging part of my role is coaching young salespeople to become the best they can be,” he said. 

McKenrick credits his OMBA course, “Managing for Higher Performance” for providing fresh insights on how to lead with greater empathy. He has always prioritized servant leadership, embracing any task, no matter how gritty or unglamorous, to understand what the people he is leading are experiencing. This course helped him go one step further with practical suggestions on how to structure communication with team members. 

“I have incorporated new ideas on how to have more productive one-on-one discussions with team members, drawing out what is happening in their world and mind instead of going through a checklist,” he said. “This approach has been helpful in creating an environment where team members are comfortable with sharing.”

McKenrick also draws practical connections between courses in managerial accounting and strategic management and his everyday work. 

“I am constantly having to manage up and down at the same time,” he said. “I have to be strategic in how I communicate information to leadership while also engaging my team. My courses have helped me use data to guide my decision making toward an end goal and clearly communicate my direction.” 

While honing his leadership skills, McKenrick has also developed a more thorough, nuanced knowledge of diverse security environments through his cybersecurity concentration. 

“Cybersecurity is a field that is growing quickly,” he said. “The knowledge I have gained is helping me frame the conversation when I speak to my customers about their security challenges.”

After graduation, McKenrick  plans to return to the field and lead a team of full-cycle sellers. Equipped with a broader, richer skillset, he is prepared to expand his impact as a sales leader. 

“The Baylor Online MBA program has done so much to reinforce what I know, expand my knowledge base and push me to grow," he said. “I am a different leader now than when I started.” 

What’s Next

Want to read more military success stories?

Click here to read the story of an active service member earning his Online MBA.

Click here to learn about all the ways Baylor supports military students.

Click here to learn more about Baylor’s Online MBA for working professionals.

Want to learn more about the Baylor Online MBA Program or our Cybersecurity concentration?

Click here for more information on adding a cybersecurity concentration to your degree. 

Click here to fill out a form to speak to one of our Enrollment Coordinators.