In the United States Army, Amanda Devillier learned to bring order to complexity in situations where precision, accountability, and follow through were of utmost importance.
“I worked in logistics and supply management, so I was responsible for ensuring millions of dollars in equipment were accounted for, deployable, and operational,” she recalls. “When we deployed, I helped plan the movement of that equipment, from packing and shipping to managing all the documentation and customs processes that went with it.”
“If a vehicle was destroyed, a weapon needed repair, or a piece of equipment failed overseas, I had to properly document it and initiate replacement. That sounds simple, but it is much more complex when you are in a combat environment.”
After medically retiring from the Army, Devillier earned her bachelor’s degree and completed a graduate certificate in professional writing, marking the beginning of her civilian career.
However, she faced a challenge: what she had in experience, she lacked in formal business knowledge.
“Once I finished my bachelor’s and started working, I knew how to do a lot,” she says. “I just didn’t entirely know how those skills and experiences translated from the military to my career.”
“The terminology used in business was completely different from what we used in the military.”
Through UL Lafayette’s MBA program online, Devillier found a way to supplement her operational experience with the business education she needed to propel her career forward.
From Military to MBA
When Devillier reentered the civilian workforce, it didn’t take long for her to find her niche.
She consistently brought structure and efficiency to complex environments across aviation, legal operations, and nonprofit health care.
But advancing was another matter.
“At one company, I remember approaching a senior leader I respected about a job opportunity,” she says. “I knew I’d be good at it, but they told me, ‘I mean, yeah, you could do that job if you had your MBA.’”
“I had already started my MBA application at UL Lafayette, and that was my motivation to enroll.”
Mission Planning in Action
As Devillier began her MBA coursework, she found it mirrored the mission planning she'd practiced in the military.
“In the military, if we had a deadline, we’d start there and work backwards, listing all the things we needed to do with just pen and paper,” she says. “I learned in the MBA coursework that we could call that a Gantt chart, and I learned about different tools for creating one.”
Her favorite class was IBUS 540: International Business, which she took through the University’s Study Abroad Program.
She spent 10 days in Costa Rica with MBA classmates from both the online and on-campus programs, visiting businesses to see firsthand how they operate in today’s global economy. The experience helped Devillier connect real world operations with global strategy, financial decision making, and organizational leadership.
“Most of us came from different corners of Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, and more, but we left feeling like family,” she says. “We learned about sustainable business models, saw the impact of local entrepreneurship, and experienced what it truly means to be a global citizen.”
Marching in Lockstep
Devillier’s time in the military also helped her balance online coursework with a full-time job while raising her two daughters as a single mother.
For several semesters, her MBA assignments and daughters’ homework lived side by side on her kitchen table.
“My military background in logistics prepared me well for completing my degree,” she says.
At the start of each semester, Devillier reviewed her syllabi and personal calendar, blocking off time each week for assignments.
To keep her household duties in order, she used a whiteboard on her refrigerator door.
“My daughters knew that if they needed something from me, they needed to write it on the whiteboard,” she says. “That way it would be there for all of us to see. Like I always tell them, a failure to plan is a plan to fail.”
Be All You Can Be
As Devillier looks ahead, she’s eager to continue creating clarity, stability, and systems that will serve organizations for decades to come.
Her work now centers on operations leadership — strengthening systems, improving efficiency, and supporting organizations through growth and change.
“That’s been the path of my career,” she says. “Fixing things and making whatever I touch better and more efficient.”
She is currently in discussions regarding her next operations role, using the confidence she gained through the MBA program.
“The MBA helped me connect those dots between my time in the military and my time as a civilian and learn all that business terminology I need to know,” she says. “It’s given me the confidence to stop minimizing myself in my career.”
Take the next step in your career by earning your MBA online from UL Lafayette.