On the campus of USC, it's usually easy to spot the students.
But a select group stands out from the crowd. Dressed in business attire, they carry themselves with a sense of purpose and dedication that comes from past careers in the military.
"I was a missileer, so basically I launched nuclear missiles at the orders of the president," veteran Giana Alexander said. "Luckily I didn't have to do that."
During veteran Matthew Blain's two tours of duty in Afghanistan, he was awarded a Purple Heart and the prestigious Soldiers Medal for saving the lives of four comrades.
Now, he and Alexander are starting the next chapter of their lives with help from a unique program at USC designed specifically for veterans.
"What this program really has created is opportunity -- the opportunity to learn, the opportunity to grow and to reach over into other industries," Blain said.
USC's Master of Business for Veterans is an intensive 10-month program completed over two semesters.
"There's a lot of schools that deal with veterans, but no school has a program that's focused solely on how veterans are going to transition into careers," said Bob Turrill, USC faculty director.
But the transition of converging military skills with the business world comes with its own set of challenges.
"This program has helped me work through those conversations and being able to show managers the value that is added with veterans experience," Blain said.
It's that veteran's experience that sets them apart from a typical student.
"The work ethic, the leadership, the team, they know how to operate in a team context, all those basic skills are what we try to build on," Turrill said.
"They invest in you and they want to see you win and see you succeed," Alexander said.
Of the 38 students in the first class, 37 were hired upon graduation. The other chose to take time off. This year, 50 veterans are enrolled.
