Thomas Daley

At age 14, Thomas watched the attacks of September 11, unfold, but while he credits that day as the most formative in his generation’s collective memory, it wasn’t until years later that he and his older brother finally had the chance to enlist in the U.S. Army.

During multiple combat deployments overseas, Thomas began to comprehend the full complexity of some of the issues facing Afghanistan and countries around the world. He often found himself attempting to improve both the security and economic sustainability of his foreign counterparts to ensure their success beyond U.S. involvement. But the prevailing lesson from his military service was that force requires equal parts diplomacy to address the root causes of conflict.

Today, this lesson is motivating him to pursue his MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he brings unique perspective on international relations from an operational level. He believes that most successful international relationships in future generations must be a delicate balance of military, economic, and government spheres. After business school, he hopes to work for the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, or United States Agency for International Development to continue his service and contribute innovative, complex solutions for global issues.