Victor Salgado’s collegiate journey has been more than 20 years in the making. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Victor pursued his education whenever his military assignments allowed, taking classes at multiple schools and changing his degree several times while serving in jobs ranging from maintenance to finance to avionics. Eventually, Victor earned his BSBA from North Carolina Wesleyan College.
After retiring from the military and working in local government and pharmaceutical manufacturing, Victor enrolled at App State to pursue his MBA and a Master of Arts in Higher Education.
“I came in with years of work behind me, and some habits that were hard to shake,” he said. “It took effort to break away from my old ways of thinking. I feel proud of how far I’ve come.”
Effort isn’t something Victor avoids, nor is asking for support when it's needed. Victor leaned on his wife for support throughout the program. “If I had an extra event or a late night of assignments, she never pushed back. She backed me fully, and that support made a real difference.”
With all the relationships, service and work experiences Victor brought to App State, App State still had plenty to share with Victor. “I had never done basic coding before, and there were moments when I wanted to give up,” he said. “But I kept going. Finishing the simulation showed me I could learn new skills when the task mattered.”
Victor said he drew strength from classmates, too, who were themselves balancing full-time jobs with coursework: “Their drive pushed me to stay steady.” As membership coordinator in the Executive Impact Club, Victor helped create learning opportunities for fellow graduate students in the Walker College of Business.
Victor Salgado is pictured, center, with fellow executive impact club officers around a boardroom table in Peacock Hall. Photo by Sabrina Cheves
His peers and professors note Victor’s innate desire to help and mentor others. “Being an extremely amicable person, he was often called upon to speak at events, sharing his MBA-Higher Ed dual degree experience during MBA orientations and sharing his MBA journey with others,” said Dr. Neel Das, who directs App State’s MBA program.
All Victor’s efforts paid off. He was named the college’s outstanding MBA on-campus student and inducted into the Cratis D. Williams Society, an honor reserved for the top 2% of App State graduate students.
Related: Business graduate students selected as Cratis D. Williams Society inductees
As he leaves App State, Victor carries with him cherished memories, including a trip to Estonia on a short-term business program. “Estonia blends deep history with bold ideas,” said Victor. “Meeting with the Estonian Business School and hearing from local leaders gave me a fresh view of how communities grow and adapt.”
Victor Salgado with peers at the Estonian Business School. Photo submitted
Looking ahead, Victor set his sights on further education to make an impact on his communities, hoping to change roles once more—from student to professor. Victor aims to continue advising others, too, with a focus on developing leadership and providing resources for first-generation students.
Victor’s advice to those just starting out? “Go find the First-Generation Student Support Program and use their resources. Others have done it. You can too!”
Victor was also featured by the Reich College of Education, which offers the Master of Arts in Higher Education.
Related: Three Reich College of Education Students Inducted into the Cratis D. Williams Society of Outstanding Graduates
Victor is one of 399 December 2025 graduates of the Walker College of Business. Read more student stories: business.appstate.edu/news/students.
About App State's MBA Program
Appalachian State University's MBA Program provides educational experiences to prepare our students for life-long learning and professional leadership responsibilities in a dynamic global environment. The program provides individualized attention through extensive student-faculty collaboration and offers frequent networking and team-building opportunities. Flexible programming allows students to receive the best educational experience possible through full-time on-campus or part-time online programs. For more information, visit mba.appstate.edu.
Victor Salgado as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps
Photo submitted