Balancing a distinguished military career with a passion for higher education, U.S. Air Force (USAF) officer Adam Card has a full plate to contend with.
Besides serving in the Air Force, where he focuses on government acquisitions and research and development, Card is pursuing two graduate degrees. He is currently based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and is a part-time student in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Missouri State University. He will graduate with his MBA and graduate certificate in finance from Missouri State in December 2024.
At the same time, Card is enrolled as a full-time doctoral student in the nuclear engineering program at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). It is here where he earned his master’s degree in nuclear engineering in 2023. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Calvin College.
Why MSU and an MBA?
While Card grew up traveling across the U.S. over the course of his father’s military career, he calls the countryside outside of Gallatin, Tennessee, home. He was familiar with Missouri because he attended officer training at Fort Leonard Wood.
He notes the affordable cost of MSU’s MBA program attracted him.
“It was the lowest-cost AACSB-accredited business school I applied to. Although I was accepted into several flashier schools, I chose to enroll in MSU,” Card said. “It doesn’t hurt that MSU is quite military-friendly.”
He stresses the importance of his business education to his role in maximizing efficiency and impact on military spending.
“My MBA studies are helping me sharpen my skills in program management, so I can ensure military purchases achieve the best value for the taxpayer.”
Choosing to serve
Following in his father’s footsteps, Card enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve his country, fund his education and pursue a career path that would take him across the country and even the world.
After six years in the infantry and engineer branches, he left to work as a civilian engineer but soon returned to the military, joining the USAF. With 14 years of service, including nine on active duty, he has taken on roles ranging from infantryman to civil engineer and program manager.
“What I find most rewarding is the camaraderie one finds here – the sense of working as part of something greater. Despite the usual gripes about pay and curtailed freedoms, I find both I and my family are treated well,” Card said.
“I have opportunities here that I wouldn’t see anywhere else, and I can give back to the country that has given me so much.”
A balancing work act
Card’s experience at MSU has been mainly virtual. He began his MBA studies in 2019.
Juggling coursework with a demanding Air Force career and PhD studies has been no easy task. He admits this past year has been the most challenging, as he balanced MSU classes with intense PhD exams, prospectus development and research.
“I have great appreciation for both the MSU faculty and my fellow classmates and feel the education I’ve gained here will be valuable in my responsibilities to come,” he said.
One of his proudest achievements at MSU was an invitation to join the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society in 2020, a mark of his academic excellence. The society is an international business honor society.
After taking a brief hiatus from his MBA studies in 2021 to focus on his graduate work at AFIT, Card re-enrolled in 2024 and will graduate soon.
He credits much of his success to key professors in the College of Business. Dr. Stephen Haggard stands out as a major influence.
“Dr. Haggard is one of the finest professors MSU boasts, and I’m grateful for his contributions to my education,” Card said.
He also thanks Dr. Jeff Jones, whose teachings piqued Card’s interest in pursuing the CFA® (Chartered Financial Analyst) Program offered by the CFA Institute. He plans to take it on as a personal challenge in the future.
Drawing from his personal experience, Card offers this advice to prospective graduate students: “Study early and stay on top of your assignments. Complete them immediately, and you’ll reduce stress and have time to make revisions if necessary. That’s been my secret to success across all my graduate studies.”
A promising future
When he completes his MBA, Card will focus full time on his nuclear engineering research. He should finish his PhD research by September 2025.
Afterward, he will be assigned to Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, Utah, to contribute to the USAF’s Sentinel program. This is a program intended to replace the old Minuteman III nuclear missiles with new, modern ones. These missiles are part of the U.S. nuclear defense system.
“I anticipate continuing to work for the USAF for at least another decade, focusing on the nuclear weapons enterprise,” Card said.
He may also pursue further education on the nuclear policy front.
“MSU has a notable strategic studies graduate program that I’ve considered enrolling in further down the road,” Card said. “One fact is clear: the Air Force will require officers with both technical and business expertise to work the acquisitions process for nuclear modernization efforts.”