Championing Veterans: J'nez Thomas drives impactful change

J’nez Thomas‘20 (Executive MBA), program mentor, builds community by championing veteran success. As a 2025 Ford Oval of Honor recipient and 2023 first runner-up for the Ms. Veteran America national competition, she’s found versatility in communication, a core military skill, transcends any profession and walks of life. She continues to actively advocate for Veterans equality and is currently engaged in penning her journey “Subject to Change” which chronicles and documents how a trek in the past can significantly impact professional leadership development.

Growing up, Thomas faced many obstacles. Upon dropping out of high school, she decided to join the military in order to survive and support herself. “The military provided shelter, support, and structure when I needed it most,” she shared. Regardless of the trials and tribulations she faced along the way, J'nez remained determined to create a better future for herself and fulfill her dream of pursuing higher education. After her years of service, J'nez decided to study political science at Howard University.

Personal and Professional Growth

J’nez’s experience in the workforce left her wanting for more. After joining RIT’s Executive MBA program, many opportunities opened up to her. She learned skills that were immediately applicable to her role at the time and directly resulted in promotions and advancements in her career. With the support of her peers and mentors she overcame academic challenges and built up a foundation of skills that she before felt were lacking. Since graduating, J’nez has carried these skills and experiences forward with her, still applying lessons and materials from her graduate student days to her venture with Sugaring NYC.

Pursuing Passion in the Program

When it came to pursuing a graduate degree, J'nez was deliberate. Flexibility was a major requirement because she is a hands-on learner who loves in-person education but requires the adaptability of an online environment. After weighing many options, she decided on RIT's Executive MBA program due to its workforce-focused curriculum, national accreditation, and affordability. "The RIT program was designed to be applicable right away," Thomas says. "I needed something that I could take back to work the next day and use immediately—and that's exactly what I got."

A Journey Called “Subject to Change”

J'nez has remained steadfast in her commitment to social justice and diversity throughout her career. During her time at RIT, she worked on a very powerful project called "Subject to Change," in which she traveled across the country visiting African American monuments, museums, and historical sites, documenting her findings about how exposure to diverse histories improves workplace leadership. "Diversity and inclusion is professional development," she says. "When leaders understand the broader context of our collective histories, they're better equipped to lead with empathy and insight." This journey even resulted in J’nez being invited as a keynote speaker at RIT’s Power Your Potential conference and other events.

Adjusting to Civilian Life

After leaving the military, J’nez lacked certain skills when compared to those of her civilian peers. While those peers had naturally picked up things like how to write resumes, prepare for interviews and honing transferable skills, the military had taught nothing of the sort to her. Attending both Howard University and RIT were important stepping stones for J’nez as the resources they provided her prepared her for the professional world. The non-academic resources these institutions provided created the foundation for J’nez’s future career as a business woman.

Beyond the Program

Despite having graduated years ago, J’nez still finds herself looking back at what she learned in the EMBA program. When looking at locations for where to open the new Sugaring NYC franchise, she used her capstone project as a template for her research. The skills she has developed that allow her to properly track the finances of the venture, the ability to project and measure its growth, all of it stems from her experience with the EMBA program. J’nez feels that what she learned in the program is invaluable to where she is today. When asked if she would ever go back, she definitely sees the value in taking some more classes to brush up and reinforce her skills through the program.