AGSM Military Scholarship recipient Timothy Willetts

Timothy Willetts, a long-serving member of the Australian military, has been awarded the 2018 AGSM Military Scholarship.

The scholarship, founded in 2016, offers a full-tuition place for the AGSM MBA (full-time) program in honour of a late Special Forces soldier and AGSM student, Matt Kappler. This scholarship was set up to support either a veteran or a current serving member of the Australian Defence Forces in their transition from military to civilian life.

After completing a Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Willetts then went on to have a successful career within the Australian Military spanning more than fourteen years. On graduating his pilot course, Willetts was selected for fast jet training and became an F/A-18 fighter pilot, attaining the highest F/A-18 qualification of Fighter Combat Instructor.

On conclusion of his Air Force instructional postings, Willetts was seconded to the Australian Army where he served in command and embassy positions responding to crises throughout Asia and the Middle East. Willetts has demonstrated a keen ability for teaching leadership and strategy, developing innovative combat tactics and integrating advanced technologies onto Air Force platforms.

"I am humbled to be accepted into such a prestigious institution as AGSM and extremely proud of the value that AGSM places on our serving military personnel in offering this scholarship. Receipt of this scholarship and the leadership tools that AGSM provides will enable me to continue serving the needs of our veterans into the future. It will also enable me to contextualise the unique and diverse experiences that I've gained in the military and apply them to business environments in the future," Willetts said.

UNSW has a history of furthering the education of Australia's military, with a long-standing partnership with The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). AGSM continues to strengthen this bond between veterans and serving military members who embark on advancing their university education by studying for an MBA. AGSM enjoys a great reputation for developing veterans into successful business leaders and entrepreneurs, and many of these graduates will act as mentors to future scholarship recipients.

Professor Nick Wailes, AGSM Director and Deputy Dean of UNSW Business School, said: "At AGSM we strive for diversity throughout our cohorts and our program endeavours to encourage and strengthen our current student's established skills and innovative ideas. Through this scholarship program we can ensure our military personnel and business community alike can benefit from the prominent leadership skills built over a military career".

Peter Winnall, (MBA 2013) and Phil Hayes-St Clair (MBA 2014) stated that their MBA experience has helped tailor their military leadership skills and overlay crucial academic knowledge to become successful entrepreneurs within the Australian business market. Winnall and Hayes-St Clair were close to Matt Kappler and his family and they have championed this scholarship since its inception as a testament to his memory.

Hayes-St Clair, Senior Vice President for Business Development at inkl, said: "The world relies on inspired leadership to enact change and people with military experience are among the best leaders in the world. If we combine these skills with the high-calibre business education offered at AGSM, military MBA students can go on to make a real difference in the business community."

Winnall, Managing Director and Founder of Rekon Group, agrees that the combination is the key to success. "The AGSM MBA is a great experience for veterans and this scholarship provides a rare opportunity to take 16 months to immerse themselves in learning and build connections and a life-long network." Both continue to share their experiences as mentors to recipients of this scholarship program.

To read more about AGSM scholarships and prizes and how you can apply, click here: https://www.business.unsw.edu.au/agsm/scholarships-prizes/mba-full-time-scholarships