For Master of Public Affairs student AJ Sanchez (MPAff '27), service is a family tradition. Inspired by his father and siblings who served in the U.S. Army, AJ joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2015. More than a decade later, he brings that experience and perspective to the LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Veterans Day holds special meaning to many LBJ students and faculty members who have served our country. Their experiences help shape our community and reflect the school's deep commitment to public service.
AJ's path to the Marine Corps began during his final semester at The University of Texas at San Antonio. While pursuing a music degree, he attended a performance by the Marine Corps' Blue Diamond Brass Quintet. The musicians shared more about opportunities in the Marine Corps, and AJ saw a chance to combine his passion for music with his desire to serve. Just a few weeks later, he auditioned and enlisted as a Marine musician.
Over the next several years, AJ served in a variety of roles, including Marine musician, small unit leader and civil affairs team leader. After seven years on active duty, he continued serving as a reservist. Today, alongside his studies at LBJ, he works as a talent management specialist with the Marine Innovation Unit, where he helps recruit technical talent to modernize Marine Corps capabilities.
His work in military and aerospace recruitment illuminated gaps in talent availability across the defense industry. That experience sparked his interest in workforce policy and how to connect people with the skills needed to meet the demands of tomorrow's workforce.
The LBJ School was a natural next step. With students studying everything from public affairs to global policy and national security in the same classrooms, AJ found a place where he could build on his experience and learn alongside people with different backgrounds and perspectives.
"Since I was a kid, attending UT Austin has been a dream for me," AJ said. "Now that I've grown and seen some of the world, I wanted to learn how to make an impact in public affairs."
At LBJ, he's particularly interested in studying civil-military relations, national security and workforce policy. His experience in civil affairs in the Indo-Pacific gave him firsthand experience with the importance of building relationships between military units, local governments and the communities they serve.
AJ credits the Marine Corps with teaching him the importance of high standards, accountability and learning from mistakes. He brings those lessons into his studies, whether by asking questions, engaging with new perspectives or collaborating with classmates on group projects.
After graduation, AJ hopes to continue working in workforce development, either in government or the defense industry, helping build the talent and technical skills needed to support the country's innovative future.
For other veterans thinking about graduate school, AJ encourages them to take that first step: visit campus, sit in on a class and connect with UT Austin's Veteran and Military Student Experience Office. The office can help prospective students navigate the application process and explore funding options.
This Veterans Day, we'd like to recognize and thank Aaron and the many veterans who are part of the LBJ community.
Learn more about the LBJ School's graduate programs. Fall 2027 applications are currently open.