Robert Yahn, MS, MA, EMTM '08

Planning for the Future

From his early days as a U-2 pilot in the U.S. Air Force, Robert has worked his way up the ranks to become a colonel, obtaining Masters degrees in both electrical engineering and national security studies along the way. In his current role at the Pentagon, he monitors and deploys reconnaissance assets to geographic commands around the globe. While his formal training serves his present needs, he felt he needed more education to prepare him for life after the military. "It's a change I see coming in the next four or five years, and I wanted to enhance my potential. I needed a versatile degree that would be universally applicable — whether I decide to work for a defense contractor, stay on with the government as a civil service employee, or leave the defense industry altogether."

The EMTM Experience

Robert discovered EMTM while researching Wharton's MBA programs. He visited for a program orientation on a beautiful summer day and was impressed with the campus, faculty and course offerings. "At the end of the day I felt this program would achieve the same net result as an MBA and help me eventually move into a managerial role. The commute from D.C. has been easy and the part-time option sealed the deal. At the time, I could not commit to Fridays, so EMTM fit my schedule better than any other program." He started EMTM on a part-time basis in 2000, but when re-assigned to Beale AFB, CA, in 2002, put the program on hold for a few years. In 2007, Robert was able to pick up where he left off. "The flexibility to manage the program around the demands of my career has been terrific."

Career Benefits

Robert has seen much relevance to the EMTM program. For example, Photonics, a technology elective, helped him understand the science behind the electro-optical, infra-red sensor he carried on his U-2 aircraft. "However, the focus here is not just on technology for technology's sake, but on how it can be managed in a business sense. This is something an electrical engineer does not typically get in his formal education. In the 4G Wireless class we looked at the future of hand-held devices and their applications, which has applicability to the military because we are slowly starting to empower the individual soldiers with handheld devices." For his next assignment Robert hopes to lead a large group of program managers and engineers responsible for the sustainment of multiple Air Force weapon systems — an opportunity to put lessons from his leadership and operations management classes into practice.

Ultimately, though, Robert anticipates seeing the program's greatest impact on his post-military career. Acquiring business skills like accounting, finance and marketing, as well as gaining exposure to a wide array of business problems, will enable him to leverage his existing skills into a management role. "Certainly this is a different skill set from what I had. In a sense, this education brings together what I'd already learned — electrical engineering and national security — and allows me to see both from a new perspective. The program has already been a worthwhile endeavor and a great investment from which I know I will reap rewards for a long time."