Smith’s Brendan Dunne Draws Prestigious Tillman Scholarship

After a distinguished career of active-duty military service, Brendan Dunne is refocusing his service-oriented drive. His pursuit is reinforced by being named a 2024 Tillman Scholar in honor of Pat Tillman, the NFL star-turned Army Ranger who lost his life while serving in Afghanistan in 2004.

Dunne, a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) candidate focused on Information Systems at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, is being recognized by the Pat Tillman Foundation as among “remarkable” active-duty service members, veterans and military spouses “making an impact as they lead through action in the fields of healthcare, business, public service, STEM, education and the humanities.”

Dunne, a career special operations veteran who served over a decade in the 75th Ranger Regiment, the same unit as Pat Tillman, has described his pursuit of a Smith DBA as being driven by multiple motivations. “I knew I wanted to help establish a new tech startup focused on national security, an area I am deeply passionate about. I am now getting involved in the non-profit sector and have aspirations of teaching at the university level in the future.”

The Tillman Scholarship "stands among the most prestigious scholarships for U.S. military veterans,” says Frank Goertner, director of Smith School Federal and Veteran Affairs as well as Smith’s Tech Management program. UMD, he adds, has been a Tillman Foundation Partner since the program's launch in 2009.

Read more—Dunne’s Tillman Scholar profile and about Smith School Federal and Veteran Affairs, via Smith Vets.