Iraq War veteran goes from Baghdad to business school

Imagine the first time you experienced New York City. You were probably overwhelmed by the fast-paced environment and boisterously loud streets. But you probably also found something comforting in New York. The personal opportunites; the romantic dream.

Now, imagine if you were serving in Iraq instead. You'd still have the fast-paced action and you'd still hear the sound of earsplitting explosions. But you would probably long for the solace of the city.

Perhaps that was what drew Augusto Giacoman here to NYU.

Giacoman moved here after two deployments to Iraq to earn his master's degree in business at the Stern School of Business.

While in Iraq, he served as an infantry platoon leader, executive officer and Iraqi Security Forces coordinator.

Giacoman said the war helped him realize the significance of business and the power of economics in a nation.

"What I found in Iraq was that while safety and security are an absolute requirement, what really helped people was to improve their economic condition so that they (in this case, the Iraqi people) could support their families," he said. "Nothing does this better than business. I felt that I could positively impact people's lives more through business than I could through the army."

Giacoman credits Stern's Summer Start Program with helping him get readjusted to the classroom. He immediately made an impact thanks to the responsibility and leadership skills he learned while serving.

"I realized very soon he is someone you can truly count on to do what he says when he says he will do it," said Sonia Marciano, clinical associate professor of management and organizations.

First-year MBA student Ilana Fischer echoed those sentiments.

"He gives 110 percent to everything he does and is an incredibly patient teacher and fellow student," Fischer said. "I'm really lucky to count him as a friend here."

Giacoman learned something else in Iraq, he said: that other people should be the most important part of one's life.

"At Stern I found people that I enjoyed being around in an atmosphere that was challenging and collaborative," he said.