Veteran’s Day Profile: Larry Iwanski, MSA ’00, U.S. Army

Larry Iwanski, MSA ’00, U.S. Army

Military duration: U.S. Army, 1988-2018; 10 years active duty, 20 years Army Reserve

Duties: Soldier, Officer, Aviator, Pilot, Blackhawk Test Pilot

Special Qualifications: Colonel, Army Aviation; 1988 graduate of West Point

Inspiration to join the military:

I had military on both sides of my family: My father’s father was an Army guy; my mother’s father was a Navy guy; and my dad was in the Army. Joining the military was always a possibility, and then I was recruited to play baseball at West Point, though I only played for my first year.

Decision to pursue an ND degree:

I grew up Irish Catholic, so I’ve followed Notre Dame from as long as I can remember. When I was in high school, Notre Dame was on my short list of colleges. Once I committed to West Point, returning to Notre Dame for a graduate degree was always in the back of my mind, and in 1999, the opportunity presented itself. The combination of Notre Dame’s academic reputation and being a Catholic University made the decision simple for me. It was a great privilege to study and receive a degree from Notre Dame. Love thee, Notre Dame!

Decision to choose Mendoza:

When I got off active duty, I needed to build my qualifications for the civilian world and was looking for a new challenge. Fortunately, Notre Dame had just partnered with Ernst & Young on a master’s program for non-accounting undergrads. I was accepted to Notre Dame during the program’s first year and ended up being part of the first graduating class of the Your Master Plan (YMP) program and received Master’s Degree in Accountancy.

Similarities between the military and ND:

If you take the mottos of West Point (Duty. Honor. Country.) and Notre Dame (God. Country. Notre Dame.) it shows the shared values of the two institutions. If I were ever to write a book about my life it would be called God. Duty. Honor. Country. Notre Dame.

Future Plans:

I retired from the Army Reserve on June 1, 2018, but I am still a full-time financial crimes consultant, assisting in the fight against bribery, corruption, fraud, money-laundering, and terrorist financing. I plan to continue in this capacity until my next retirement.