Inspiring leadership through mentorship

The ability to inspire, lead and produce results are three characteristics that define both a military leader and an entrepreneur, according to Major Matt Farrar. Those three reasons are why he decided to enroll as a student in the MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MBAe) Program while also teaching in the Clemson ROTC Program. "I always saw myself in [the cadets]. Eventually, they are going to be where I am now," he explains. "I want to give them the opportunities I didn't have, and pursuing an MBA has helped me develop the entrepreneurial mindset to change those things."

For the last two years, Farrar has worked to complete his MBAe and has loved connecting with his professors and learning about business, entrepreneurship and himself in the process. "This program is great because it teaches you that rejection and failure are part of the entrepreneurial process. I've learned that being able to pivot is essential to innovation and success."

This year, Farrar graduated with his MBAe and won the 2024 Innovation at Work competition. This competition is designed for MBAe students who have implemented an intrapreneurial program or strategy within an organization to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. Farrar presented an idea he calls the Deliberate Mentorship Program (DMP) that originated from his time as both an ROTC instructor and an officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard. As a former cadet himself, Farrar thought there might be a way to enhance the experience of cadets serving in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) in the South Carolina Army National Guard, specifically within units he was a part of.

Major Farrar won the Innovation at Work Competition. An event that empowers MBAe students to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real-world problems in the workplace.

"The idea for the DMP comes from the SMP, which is an existing program that is available to cadets who participate in Army ROTC," he explains. "The SMP gives cadets the opportunity to serve as enlisted soldiers in the Reserve or National Guard while also completing college and participating in ROTC; eventually earning their commission as officers. The DMP enhances the SMP in that it allows cadets to shadow specific senior leaders in various roles. It is an idea that has been a work in progress for several years now to offer cadets a more individualized opportunity to develop their leadership skills and see more wholistically what being a commissioned officer is all about," Farrar says.

The DMP intentionally pairs cadets with military leaders who match their career interests. For example, cadets have been paired with an experienced physician's assistant or military attorneys, while other cadets who are interested in leadership roles shadow executive officers, planners and unit commanders.

Second Lieutenant Whitney Ogden '24 shares her experience as a former DMP participant. "The Deliberate Mentorship Program not only granted me the opportunity to speak with a soldier in my aspired role but also to see and experience exactly what they do on a daily basis of duty," she says. "While I was in the program, I shadowed a Physician's Assistant in my first couple months of the program because I was aspiring to branch Medical Services. Ultimately, this helped me decide to switch my Army career to Air Defense Artillery while keeping my civilian career in the medical field," she says. "Without being able to see the day-to-day life of each branch, I would not have been able to make such an educated decision about my career choice upon branching. I am very grateful for that opportunity."

"Our program couldn't be more pleased in watching Major Farrar's innovation develop during his time with us," says Greg Pickett, Director of the Clemson MBA Program. "He has already proven how instrumental his methods are in growing future military leaders at Clemson and across the state of SC."

In the future, Farrar plans to continue collaborating with his colleagues in the Clemson Army ROTC program and the National Guard to expand the DMP, allowing more ROTC cadets to be matched with exceptional military leaders in units across South Carolina.

"The DMP was a big project that wouldn't have happened without the support of Major General Frank Rice, Brigadier General Richard Wholey Jr. (Commander and Deputy Commander of the 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command) Lieutenant Colonel Micah Shipe (Commander of the 2-263rd Air Defense Artillery Battalion) and the numerous volunteer leaders in the South Carolina Army National Guard who serve as mentors to cadets. They are the ones who have been instrumental in the development and success of this program," says Farrar. "I'm looking forward to seeing this program grow and impact cadets and their futures."

Visit the Clemson Army ROTC Program's website to learn more.

Learn more about Clemson's MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation here.

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