Courtny Boldt, Army Vet and Aspiring Organizational Change Manager

With nine years of experience in the U.S. Army under her belt, Boldt hopes to leverage her knowledge of organizational change in the civilian sector – and says the MRA program will give her the business acumen and analytical tools needed to maximize her impact.

Get to know Courtny

Program: Master of Management, Risk and Analytics (MRA)
Start date: August 2023
Anticipated graduation date: May 2025
Current location: Clayton, NC

Life before Jenkins

Undergraduate education: American Military University, B.A. in Human and Family Development 
Work experience: 9 years 
Industry: Healthcare
Roles: Medic, healthcare instructor and curriculum writer for the United States Army; president of the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club’s Fort Jackson chapter
Fields: Healthcare training and development 

Career goals

Between changes of command and shifts in policies and procedures, adjusting to new climates was a constant in Boldt’s nine years with the Army – which is what piqued her interest in organizational change roles in the civilian sector. “I always enjoyed the opportunities and challenges that arose from change, so I would like to help companies navigate and find success amidst organizational change,” she explains.

Boldt says the MRA program will capitalize on her unique strengths, supplement her professional experience with valuable analytics skills and boost her knowledge of business strategy and operations. “As a paratrooper and a medic in the Army, I became quite proficient in risk management on a boots-on-the-ground level, but I wanted my risk management experience to be more well-rounded,” she says. “The MRA program will bridge some of those gaps.”

Why Jenkins?

In addition to making the transition from the Army to the civilian sector, Boldt is also transitioning back to work after raising children at home for the past several years. “As my husband and I started a family, we recognized that as much as we loved our Army careers, they were not conducive to how we wanted to raise our family,” she explains. The MRA program at NC State provided the flexibility and resources Boldt needed to make these transitions smoother for her family – and a strong community to support her along the way. “Through my research of different graduate programs, NC State’s MRA program was the top choice thanks to its curriculum and the ERM Initiative. However, another key highlight for me was the option to take courses asynchronously or in-person,” she says. “After speaking with Ericka Kranitz and Allison Anthony, I knew Jenkins was the place for me. Ericka’s passion for enterprise risk management is so inspiring, and Allison’s dedication to the program let me know I would be in good hands.”

Daily life

From earning her MRA degree and parenting a seven-year-old and five-year-old twins to participating in church and volunteering at her kids’ school, Boldt balances several different roles and responsibilities. “When life gets busy, finding balance can be tricky, but it’s very much doable,” she says. Though her windows of availability differ from peers in the program who are full-time working professionals, she has been grateful for the flexibility, understanding and support she has received. “My classmates have been incredible, and my husband is wonderfully supportive. If coordinating schedules is the biggest obstacle I face while completing the program, I will gladly take it.”

What makes it great

In addition to the support of her professors and peers, Boldt appreciates how their diverse vantage points create richer learning environments. “My peers bring so many varying perspectives into the classroom, which has created great discussions and learning opportunities to enhance the course curriculum.” 

Career impact 

Between her military experience and time working as a stay-at-home mom, Boldt says that her career path has been a unique one – which has made Jenkins Graduate School’s career services so valuable. “The Career Management Center is an incredible resource. I have worked with Ed Kato to create a plan for transitioning back into the workplace. My circumstances are a bit different than most other students, but it feels great to have a plan and the support of Ed Kato and his team.”

Final thoughts

In light of her own unique career path, Boldt notes that the MRA program is a great fit for students from all kinds of backgrounds – especially in today’s world. “I would recommend the program to leaders from all industries and backgrounds who want to help their organization make strategic business decisions in these challenging times. The data analysis tools and risk management skills gained through the program will be invaluable in this current climate,” she says. She also encourages students to take advantage of all the program has to offer, such as opportunities available through the ERM Initiative. “There are numerous opportunities to network and gain knowledge pertaining to risk and analytics. The program offers so much more than the curriculum.”

Get in touch

Connect with Courtny at cboldt@ncsu.edu.

This post was originally published in Master of Management Risk & Analytics.