Just one year after graduating from MSOE, Benjamin "Ben" Leonard '24 found himself leading sailors through some of the U.S. Navy's most demanding operations. In July, he returned home to Virginia Beach after an unexpected 11-month deployment aboard the USS Fort Lauderdale, where he supported counter-drug missions and humanitarian relief efforts throughout the Caribbean.

His leadership earned him the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal—a conventional end-of-tour distinction but rarely awarded to a first-tour division officer temporarily assigned to another ship.

While commanding a deck division aboard a Navy warship may seem far removed from studying computer science at MSOE, Ben sees a direct connection. The resilience, teamwork and willingness to learn through failure that defined his college experience became the foundation for leading under pressure at sea.

Ben's path to MSOE started with a phone call. Strong in STEM but challenged by reading and writing, he never imagined a school where an application essay wasn't required. After MSOE encouraged him to apply using his math and science achievements, he earned scholarships that made college possible. Joining MSOE in Fall 2020, he managed a demanding schedule—balancing computer science studies, Navy ROTC through Marquette and early-morning rowing practices on the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers. Professors like Dr. Gerald Thomas challenged him to think critically, while demanding software engineering projects taught him how to work effectively with teammates from different backgrounds—a skill he would later rely on every day in the Navy.

That lesson was tested almost immediately after graduation. After earning his degree in 2024 and being commissioned as a Navy officer, Ben entered one of the military's toughest qualification processes. Failing a board on the first attempt wasn't unusual—but neither was giving up." "MSOE's curriculum taught me that failure isn't the end," Ben said. "I knew how to come back better prepared. Instead of letting setbacks shake my confidence, I used them to figure out what I needed to improve."

In August 2025, Ben deployed aboard the USS Fort Lauderdale. What was expected to be a seven-month assignment stretched into nearly a year.

During the deployment, he led sailors in counter-drug operations across the Caribbean before helping to coordinate humanitarian relief efforts following devastating earthquakes in Venezuela. His team supported the delivery of food, clean water and emergency supplies while the ship served as a command hub for joint military operations.

The toughest challenge wasn't the long hours or demanding mission; it was taking care of his people. With limited water and supplies aboard ship, Ben focused on making sure his sailors had what they needed before worrying about himself.

"MSOE taught me how to build relationships with people from all different backgrounds. The ship really becomes a family," he said. "My job was making sure my sailors knew someone was looking out for them."

When Ben returned home in July, he carried more than memories of deployment. He had earned his Surface Warfare Officer qualification, received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and proven himself as a leader under extraordinary circumstances.

Looking back, he traces that success to lessons first learned at MSOE. The challenging coursework, collaborative projects and culture of embracing failure prepared him to lead when the stakes were far higher than a classroom assignment. Today, those key lessons continue to help shape him as an officer, proving that resilience built at MSOE can help graduates navigate through uncertainty and weather any storm.

"You only learn through failure sometimes," Ben said. "MSOE taught me not to fear it—and that's made all the difference."