6 minute read
A Quest for Knowledge
By Kathy Kenne
U.S. Air Force Captain Matthew Koestner is a man of seeming insatiable curiosity. It’s what has driven many of his life decisions.
The native of Mesquite, TX, grew up in a self-defined “normal” suburban household. There were weekends filled with soccer, camping, cross-country meets and the projects that would earn him Eagle Scout status.
“My path in life has been pretty much driven by, ‘That sounds interesting. I think I’ll try that,’” laughs Koestner.
The 2014 graduate of Texas A&M selected the university after visiting multiple schools.
“My mother loved visiting colleges,” he says. “On every family vacation, we’d stop and see different schools along the way, or sometimes out of the way. At Texas A&M, we heard an ROTC presentation about student scholarships. With my background in scouting, the concept of service combined with the structure of the military was appealing. It seemed like a good way to pay for college and be able to repay my country for investing in me.”
Upon joining the Air Force ROTC, the path seemed clear – major in aerospace engineering. Along the way, he picked up a minor in mathematics. During his senior year, he was selected by the Air Force for pilot training then assigned to fly the U-28A Draco with the Air Force Special Operations Command, which provides support to humanitarian, search and rescue and conventional and special operations missions.
“I enjoy traveling and seeing new places,” he shares. “I have a fascination with meeting new people and learning about their cultures and histories. The Air Force has allowed me to do that through my deployments and through conducting exercises with people from other countries.”
In the spring of 2020, Koestner’s interest in learning new things started to gnaw at him again. He decided he would like to pursue an MBA degree.
“I always heard that an MBA was a good combination with an engineering degree,” he says. “Also, my dad is in the finance industry. We talked about the market and economy a lot when I was growing up. Those topics interest me. Regardless of what my future might hold, I felt like an MBA would equip me with a diverse skill set and give me a lot of opportunities.”
Knowing that an active duty officer can’t suddenly tell his commander that he would like some time off to go to school, Koestner began looking into online programs.
“I took cost and the value of a reputable program into consideration, and Mississippi State became my top choice,” he states. “It was a really positive experience. I was able to work most of the classes in with my schedule. All the professors were very accommodating. Only once, when I was on deployment, did I have to ask for some special consideration. It was my supply chain course, and the professor was very understanding, making it possible for me to finish some of the coursework early and extending a few deadlines because I was flying.”
Koestner even managed to work a brief study abroad experience into his program. It was something he had always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity. He was excited to find a short psychology course that MSU was offering in Spain over spring break that he could take leave to join. He found the College of Business very open to having that course count as one of his electives. In 2022, Koestner was able to complete his MBA.
Of course, this man who loves to learn wouldn’t sit still long. The Air Force, recognizing his potential, selected Koestner as one of only three captains chosen each year to participate in the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force Prestigious PhD Program.
“In 2018, a leader in my squadron had just graduated from that program,” says Koestner. “After talking with him, I set that as one of my goals. Being in this program is an amazing opportunity. I can be on active duty but go to school full time. The military is paying my tuition and fees, so I can fully focus on being a student, learning as much as I can.”
That privilege, however, comes with a demand. The coursework of his Economics doctoral degree at the University of California, Davis is a five year program that he must complete in three. He is in his first quarter now and is taking a heavy course load while starting to develop ideas for his thesis. By next year, he will begin writing his thesis – something most students in the program don’t do until year three or four.
“My interest in economics comes from my family background and my interest in gaining knowledge,” Koestner allows. “There’s a point in deployments when you’re away from friends and family and dealing with some boredom. We would start getting into these deep discussions. I found myself talking a lot about the philosophical side of governments and economies. That really spurred me to want to find answers. Economics is a very data driven discipline that appeals to the mathematician in me.”
Once his degree is completed, Koestner looks forward to what the future might hold.
“I’ll probably return to flying for a period, which I really enjoy,” he says in reference to the way the Air Force operates. “After that, the thought of teaching at the Air Force Academy is very appealing. I could also see myself in an advisory position to senior Air Force leaders, lending my knowledge of economics to help them in their decision making processes. I’m not sure what all the options are yet. My future job may exist, or I may need to create it.”
With his interests and in-depth exploration for solutions, his future opportunities seem limitless. Certainly, he will be well-equipped for whatever direction he chooses. But for now, it’s just time to take his rescue pup for a hike in one of California’s state parks to explore and learn more (of course) about his environment.
His canine companion, Esko, is ready to go.
“She loves to be outdoors with me, and she loves to eat!” he laughs. “It’s a good thing my tuition is covered!”
