James Pesola

I was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2015 and commissioned as an Armor Officer into the US Army. I served for nine years, with opportunities to make impact around the world. I deployed to Afghanistan in 2018, where I was assigned as a strategic implementation advisor to the Afghan National Police. It was in this job where I developed a passion for strategic level problem solving and impact. I continued on through command, getting incredible opportunities to be part of large scale training and testing that will shape how the Army fights with AI and robotics in the future. As I evaluated my future career options, I identified that I had the ability to lead large groups of diverse individuals by adapting to their skillsets and I wanted to have a similar impact in the private sector, leading me to pursue an MBA. 

When deciding on an MBA program, I felt that Ross was the right choice for me because of the strong student and alumni community and the action based learning opportunities. There truly is not a better place to learn and grow as a professional than Ross. I leaned heavily on students and alumni in my application process and am excited to pay it forward by answering any questions about the Ross Experience.