Veterans Day event honors all who served

As a Platoon Leader, Cooper Fergus ’27 MBA used After Action Review debriefings to learn what went well and what could be improved upon, accepting input from any soldier regardless of rank.

On Veterans Day 2026, he addressed a standing-room only audience at the Global Hub with words of hope, optimism and gratitude for the role current and former military members play at Northwestern. 

“Veterans arrive at Kellogg having led teams who worked toward a shared mission, and we bring that experience into every classroom and every team we’re a part of,” said Fergus, a West Point graduate who ended his five years of service as a Field Artillery officer in the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division, including rotations to Indonesia and the Philippines. “If service taught us one thing, it’s that no one succeeds alone.”

“Veterans arrive at Kellogg having led teams who worked toward a shared mission, and we bring that experience into every classroom and every team we’re a part of."

That belief is at the core of the veterans’ community at Kellogg. Fergus, who serves as co-president of the Kellogg Veterans Association (KVA), recognized some of the group’s nearly 160 members at the event. Collectively, they represent every branch of the U.S. military and seven countries.

This year marked important gains within the veteran’s community at the school with the launch of the Matt Caldwell Veterans Program and Kellogg Veterans Council, a group of alumni who have served their country and are committed to supporting veterans from application to graduation and beyond.

This past application cycle, KVA members engaged with 120 prospective veteran students, offering guidance and support as they considered their path to Kellogg. Today, veterans make up 8% of the Full-Time MBA Program, and KVA members continue to give back to grow that number. It’s a path Fergus knows well.

“When applying, I reached out to the KVA and got partnered with co-president Nick Lee ’25 MBA,” he recalls. “Nick took so much time and care reviewing my application and walking me through mock interviews. It really spoke to the culture of Kellogg and the KVA and I knew then that this was the place for me.”

Fergus had the honor of introducing Veterans Day keynote speaker Eric Gleacher, a philanthropist, investor, Northwestern alumnus and Trustee. In 1978, Gleacher founded the mergers and acquisitions department of Lehman Brothers, 15 years after serving as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. 

“I can tell you without hesitation that the most important lessons I ever learned about leadership, character, responsibility and respect came from that experience,” he said. “The first is flawless integrity, the second is lead by example and my third principle is delegation, which develops people who can think, decide and act.”

As emcee of the event, Danny Fisher ’09 MBA, chief operating officer at Kellogg and a former lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, extended his thanks to all who have served. Following formal presentations, alumni conversed with students, exchanging email addresses, phone numbers and a willingness to help however they can.

“I want to thank everyone for coming to this very important celebration honoring bravery, dedication and commitment,” Fisher said, “I hope you all take a moment to thank a veteran and hear their story — their experiences remind us of the true meaning of service and community.”

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