David Park, a program instructor at the  D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and associate professor of entrepreneurship in the Whitman School of Management, has been named one of eight 2025 Boots to Business Instructors of the Year, providing national recognition for his role helping U.S. service members chart their own path from uniform to business ownership.

From the Korean Marine Corps to the Whitman School Classroom

Park’s path to the classroom began in uniform. He served as an officer in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, where one of his most formative roles was as a liaison officer to the U.S. Marine Corps. “I loved working side-by-side with U.S. Marines, and that experience gave me a lasting respect and affection for the U.S. military community,” Park says. “I feel fortunate that I can continue contributing in a way that supports service members and their families.”

After his military service, Park co-founded a high-tech startup before entering academia, giving him direct experience with both the challenges of transition and the realities of launching a business. “After leaving the military, I went through my own transition into entrepreneurship. It was exciting, but also uncertain, especially because at the time in Korea there wasn’t a robust transition assistance program like the one that exists here,” Park says. “I learned the hard way through trial and error, and I still remember how steep that learning curve can be.”

That experience now shapes how he teaches. Park joined the Whitman School faculty in 2017 and teaches Opportunity Recognition and Ideation, Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management. His teaching has earned multiple honors, including recognition by  Poets&Quants as one of the World’s Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors in 2022.

Helping Veterans and Military Spouses Shorten the Learning Curve

“I am passionate about helping service members, veterans and military spouses shorten the trial-and-error cycle, build confidence and move forward with practical tools and a clear roadmap to launch and grow successful ventures,” he says. “Being named SBA’s Boots to Business Instructor of the Year means a great deal to me because it reflects the privilege of supporting participants at a pivotal moment in their lives.”

“What makes David’s contribution to the IVMF, the Whitman School and Boots to Business so impactful is that he has lived the very journey he’s teaching,” says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, executive dean of the Whitman School and founder and executive director of the IVMF.

“He served in uniform, navigated his own transition, co-founded a business and then chose to dedicate his career to preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs. For the service members and military spouses sitting in his classroom, that credibility matters,” Haynie says. “David’s recognition by the SBA is well-deserved, and it speaks to the kind of impact that’s possible when world-class teaching and a genuine commitment to the military community come together.”

The recognition comes during a period of momentum for entrepreneurship education at Syracuse. In November 2025, the Princeton Review  ranked Whitman’s graduate entrepreneurship programs No. 17 nationally, up seven spots from the previous year. Whitman’s undergraduate business program held at No. 11 in the country.

“Professor David Park’s exceptional work with Syracuse University’s IVMF embodies the spirit of the Boots to Business program by transforming military experience into entrepreneurial success,” says Matt Coleman, SBA Atlantic Region administrator. “His dedication provides our veterans and military families with the vital tools and confidence needed to launch their next chapters after service in uniform.”

Park also credited his program manager, Brigid Purtell, for making everything seamless for instructors, which allows Park to focus on delivering the best possible workshop experience.

Park earned a Ph.D. from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, a master’s degree from Seoul National University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Seoul. He was honored alongside other recipients during a ceremony on Feb. 19.

About Boots to Business

The  Boots to Business program, part of the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program, provides foundational entrepreneurship courses to service members, veterans and military spouses exploring business ownership. The IVMF serves as a key partner in delivering Boots to Business instruction, including to service members and military spouses stationed outside the continental United States.