Posted on December 13, 2019 by Wendy Frost
Recognizing that his 10-year career in the Army had transitioned from a combat to business focus, Major Ryan Dittmer enrolled full-time in the UTSA College of Business MBA program utilizing the Army’s advanced civil schooling program.
Researching business programs while deployed to Cuba, he chose UTSA because of the college’s business accreditation and its reputation as an up-and-coming program.
Dittmer began his coursework in 2018, and he will graduate this month with an MBA with a focus on real estate finance and development.
“I chose to focus on real estate because I wanted a field where I could get my hands dirty, but also learn how to use and leverage data,” said Dittmer. “While I have seven and a half more years in the Army, I’m leaning toward a career in the real estate construction industry.”
Graduating from the University of Kansas in 2007, Dittmer’s biggest obstacle was learning to become a student again.
“Since I’d been out of school for a while, I had to relearn the importance of time management,” said Dittmer, who is the father of five kids. “Balancing my school work with my family was a challenge.”
Dittmer credits faculty members Tony Ciochetti, Rajan Kadapakkam, Will McIntosh and Dan Hollas for their approaches to teaching business and their high expectations of their students.
“Dr. Ciochetti pushed students to take it upon themselves to learn the material,” he said. “His industry knowledge and his network are impressive. You had to put in the time and effort to be successful in his classes.”
As a full-time graduate student, Dittmer was able to take advantage of all of the opportunities offered by the college. He served as a graduate ambassador helping recruit other graduate students. He attended real estate round table discussions, networking events and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.
“UTSA provides the education for people to be successful,” he said. “Leverage the networking opportunities and external connections provided by the College of Business to find the career field that fits you the best.”
— Wendy Frost
