Joshua T. Hodge: From the US Marine Corps to the Cambridge MBA

About

Name: Joshua T. Hodge

Nationality: American

Programme: MBA 2025

Education: BA Economics, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; BA Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Pre-MBA role: Manpower Officer/Legal Officer, United States Marine Corps

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Joshua Hodge.

Joshua is the recipient of the Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Military Veterans.

What led you to choose the Cambridge MBA? 

I was born and raised in Asheboro, North Carolina, where my humble beginnings instilled in me a deep commitment to supporting my family, who have long faced financial challenges. My mother, who single-handedly raised 8 children, inspired me to step outside my comfort zone and pursue paths where my work could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. 

As an undergraduate, I served as a Team Leader, designing curricula and teaching courses in business and economics. This experience strongly influenced my decision to pursue a career in service and education. Later, as a Manpower and Legal Officer in the United States Marine Corps, I refined my skills as a servant leader, overseeing administrative processes and legal case adjudication for more than 1,000 Marines and their families across multiple Air Squadrons. 

The Cambridge MBA resonates deeply with my commitment to ‘servant leadership,’ but with a global perspective. As I transition out of the military, I feel called to apply my experiences and skills not only within North Carolina or the United States, but internationally. I believe the Cambridge MBA is the premier programme in Europe to equip me with the tools, network and perspective to make this vision a reality. 

What has been your biggest career accomplishment so far? 

Serving as the direct administrative and legal officer for more than 1,000 Marines across 2 major Air Squadrons in the United States Marine Corps stands as my proudest career accomplishment. In my role as a Manpower Officer, I engaged daily with hundreds of Marines and supported their families on matters ranging from education and legal rights to citizenship processes. The opportunity to serve military members and their families was profoundly rewarding. The sense of purpose and fulfilment it brought is difficult to capture in words. My work directly supported the success of multiple international training exercises in North America and Europe, as well as the effective execution of numerous deployments across Africa and the Middle East. 

How do you feel about receiving your scholarship? 

I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this scholarship. I hope that my time at Cambridge will serve as a catalyst to inspire more military veterans to pursue their ambitions and consider MBAs at premier institutions such as Cambridge. 

I am especially appreciative that the University recognises the value of non-traditional career paths and has dedicated an entire scholarship to supporting individuals making the challenging.  

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