A foundation for what comes next: The Center for Military Transition launches the Flourishing Through Life Transitions pre-orientation course

William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business has introduced a new, on-campus pre-orientation experience designed to support transitioning service members before they begin the next phase of their careers.

Funded through a private gift from alumnus Walt Pikul, MBA ’75, the Flourishing Through Life Transitions pre-orientation course is a four-day, in-person program that serves as an entry point for participants looking to navigate the shift from military service to civilian life and work. The program is not tied to a single degree pathway. Instead, it brings together individuals at various stages of transition who are preparing to define their next professional chapter.

The pre-orientation course provides participants with an intensive foundation designed to help them step back from the immediacy of their professional transition and instead focus on the principles of identity, direction, and long-term career alignment.

From August 4-7, 2025, 20 service members and veterans took part in the inaugural orientation on William & Mary’s campus. By the end of the experience, 89% of the students had already accepted an offer for full-time employment or an internship.

Building a foundation before transitioning

The pre-orientation course was developed to address the gaps that often emerge early in the transition process, particularly around identity, confidence, and career direction.

“Seeking meaningful employment and purpose as well as crafting a new professional identity are among the more difficult gaps transitioning service members must navigate,” said Jonathan “JD” Due, executive director of the Center for Military Transition. “Our program seeks to provide those students with tools they can use to align their unique lived military experience with the world-class education they can receive here at the university, and meaningful connections and professional relationships that can create real professional opportunities.”

The four-day program combined structured coursework with guided reflection. Sessions included value alignment, wellness, professional relationship development, job crafting, strengths awareness using CliftonStrengths, and identity development.

“We are also seeking to align participants’ values, interests, motivations, skills, and strengths with potential career trajectories so they can continue to explore in their academic studies,” Due said.

Developing leadership and self-awareness for civilian life

For participants, the program offered an opportunity to reassess how they approach both leadership and career planning.

“In the military, ‘strengths’ are essentially the baseline standards everyone is expected to meet, and ‘weaknesses’ are problems to be fixed,” said Gabriella Mowery, an MBA student and former Army combat medic. “This course challenged that mindset. It allowed me to step away from external, pre-set ideologies and look at my capabilities through an unbiased, analytical lens.”

She added that the experience helped her shift her focus towards her long-term goals rather than default expectations. “It helped me prioritize what I actually want to achieve in my post-military career, rather than just doing what I thought I ‘should’ do.”

Luke Sanford, who served as a Marine Corps infantryman, said the program exceeded his initial expectations.

“I went into the program thinking it was going to be another leadership course,” he said. “But by day four, I realized it was a lot more than that.”

Through assessments and peer discussions, participants examined how their personal traits connect to leadership and business environments.

“It forced me to take a deeper look at myself and helped me better understand who I am and how that translates into leadership and business,” Sanford said, noting that the cohort structure played a key role.

“Being surrounded by other student veterans who were going through the same transition with their own military experiences, made a huge difference. Hearing others openly talk about their hesitations, doubts, and the challenge of leaving behind what’s familiar to them really helped me normalize my outlook and mindset.”

Alumni support driving veteran transition programs

The pre-orientation course was made possible through the support of Walt Pikul, whose contribution funded the on-campus experience.

“The generous financial support from Walt, whose gift made this go from an idea to a reality, is one of the truly remarkable things about the week. It was truly a community and Tribe-based event,” Due said.

Pikul’s decision to support the initiative is a reflection of his own experience navigating the move from military service to civilian life. “I know how hard it is sometimes to transfer over,” he explained.

He emphasized that even with strong experience and education, finding the right path takes time. It was something he experienced as he left his own military career and built a successful accounting firm over the last several decades in North Carolina.

“I’ll contribute [to the program] every year as long as I’m alive,” Pikul said. “Individuals in the military have a lot to give to the business world and society.”

Leveraging military experience in business education

A central goal of the pre-orientation course was to help participants build on their military experience rather than start over.

“They come in with a different set of experiences,” Pikul explained. “Command experience and staff experience is similar to business in many ways.”

The program introduced participants to the Mason School and William & Mary environment while helping them connect their background to future academic and professional opportunities.

“In terms of academics, the week introduces veterans to both the classroom along with several of our key professors,” Due said.

Dean Todd Mooradian also noted that the program strengthens the university’s broader, on-going efforts to support service members.

“Our veteran participants bring significant leadership experience that adds immediate value to the Mason School community,” he said. "This program ensures that they can translate that experience into clear academic goals and career pathways earlier in their transition process.”

Expanding impact beyond the first cohort

In addition to immediate outcomes such as internships and employment, the program also plans to track long-term indicators including career progression, satisfaction, and continued engagement. Moving forward, the university’s Office of Military and Veteran Affairs plans to build on the pre-orientation course by expanding the program to allow all incoming student veterans to attend sessions as well as connect participants with alumni in a growing formal mentorship program. The overarching goal of the growth is to increase awareness, participation, and alumni involvement.

“In the long term, I am hopeful and excited to see how alumni of this program can give back in direct ways as mentors, coaches, and advocates for future participants,” Due said.

For the military service members, the impact is immediate.

“One of the biggest takeaways for me was realizing we don’t need to start over,” Sanford said. “Our military experience is an advantage.”

Mowery also emphasized that the course, “encourages a level of self-reflection that can be uncomfortable for service members, but I found it essential.”

And for Pikul, that outcome reflects the program’s purpose. “It’s not just about finding a job,” he said. “It’s about finding something you’re comfortable with for the long term.”