Chase Curtis didn’t know what to do with his life, but he knew where to figure it out.
Already, Curtis had traveled the world as a captain in the U.S. Army’s Medical Service Corps. For 10 years he led teams of all sizes and took on leadership roles in high-pressure environments. He spent more than half of those years flying Blackhawk helicopters as an aeromedical evacuation pilot.
The veteran saw graduate school as the perfect opportunity to change directions.
“Getting the skill set that you might need to transition to the business world is important. It’s a good way to ease into the civilian work sector,” said Curtis, who is in the full-time Denver MBA program at the Daniels College of Business.
When his wife decided to take a job in Denver, Curtis began to research the area’s top business school. Daniels quickly stood out for its strong reputation for serving veterans, as well as for its cohort model and its incorporation of global travel.
“I think the University of Denver and Daniels College of Business are a perfect place to go if you’re not really sure what you want to do professionally,” he said.
Now that Curtis is in the program, he’s confident Daniels is the best business school in the state for a veteran like him. Here’s why.
1. Daniels offers outstanding financial support
Daniels enthusiastically recruits veterans and active-duty military members because they bring a powerful mix of experience, leadership skills and motivation to its many academic programs.
That’s why the College offers unlimited Yellow Ribbon funding for all of its graduate programs, ensuring veterans and active-duty soldiers can have access to a high-quality education.
If a student is 100% GI Bill-eligible, then the Yellow Ribbon program will cover full tuition and fees for any graduate .
“I knew I could get grad school paid for,” Curtis said. “The Yellow Ribbon funding allowed me to pursue this education at no expense. The difference in allocation of GI Bill Benefits and tuition cost at the University of Denver is covered by the school.”
2. Classes focus on teamwork
Veterans thrive at Daniels because of the way its programs are structured. Students are intentionally grouped together on teams of all sizes throughout their classes.
“I was looking for a cohort model where you end with most of the people you start with,” Curtis said.
That cohorted structure encourages students to build tight-knit relationships with their peers, who come from diverse backgrounds and industries. As they take classes, solve problems and take on challenges together, the cohort naturally grows into a business network that can be relied on beyond graduation day.
Inside the classroom, Curtis found a comfortable and familiar learning environment.
“The faculty are very discussion-oriented,” he said. “There’s also an emphasis on solving problems as a group. That’s nice because you’re able to collaborate and use some team building skills that are inherent with the military.
“Almost everything you do in the military is in a team,” he said. “You can individually contribute to something but it’s all for a bigger cause. Having that structure there really does help.”
3. Veterans have a community here
Veterans in Daniels programs never walk alone. Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are common fixtures in all Daniels classrooms.
“It’s just nice knowing that there are other people who have had the same experiences as you, or something adjacent you can relate to,” Curtis said. “We’re all navigating the civilian world. Knowing people who have gone through it is nice.”
The College has a long history of welcoming members of the military, which means faculty and staff are familiar with their needs.
Plus, the University has a dedicated Veterans Services office that offers specialized support. Resources include GI Bill and military assistance counseling, housing discounts, mentorship opportunities (through the Right Foot Forward program) and mental health services.
4. Daniels has a reputation for excellence
When researching the best school for him, Curtis said the Daniels College of Business consistently rose to the top of his lists.
Daniels ranked No. 38 on the 2025 U.S. News & World Report list of Best Online MBA Programs—a rise of 12 spots from the previous year. The information he found on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website also reflected well on the quality of education he would receive.
Curtis knows that reputation will serve him well beyond graduation. To him, the Daniels name is symbolic with talented, hard-working professionals—a label he can wear proudly for the rest of his career.