By Erin Reid P’01,’05

Julian Happy ’12 served seven years in the United States Marine Corps, during which he flew the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter. As he soared through the skies in that aircraft, he learned valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork, and how to remain calm in high-pressure situations. 

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity. The friendships and trust I built in the military have stayed with me,” he said. He emphasized that Veterans Day, which was observed on Nov. 11, is “a time to honor all who have served and to remember the service members and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice. Freedom is not free, and their courage and selflessness ensure we continue to enjoy the freedoms of this country.”

He is also grateful that he attended Hotchkiss for two years as a recipient of the George Van Santvoord ’08 Scholarship. The fund was established to honor Van Santvoord upon his retirement as headmaster by the Classes of 1930 and 1940 and has been generously supported by alumni, including Francis F. Randolph Jr. ’45. “Without the scholarship, I never would have been able to join the Class of 2012,” explains Happy. “Hotchkiss taught me time management, resilience, how to be a great teammate, and how to balance academics with sports. That built in me discipline and a strong work ethic, habits that carried directly into my experience at the Naval Academy and later into my time as a Marine.”

Happy served as a proctor in Dana his senior year. “It was a long walk to classes from Dana,” he remembers, “but I never failed to stop and behold the incredible view.” Two faculty members in particular stood out to him. “Brant Hadzima P’20 was my assigned advisor and Spanish teacher, but he became much more than that to me. His family welcomed me into their home, and I owe much of my success in life to him for the guidance he provided all those years ago. I would also like to recognize Julia Wu Trethaway P’06,’09, an amazing woman who brought light into all our lives. I cannot describe the loss I felt when I heard the news of her passing.”

Between his upper-mid and senior years, Happy participated in a summer internship in New York, where he was first introduced to finance. It sparked an interest that he planned to pursue once he concluded his military service.

He was accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a B.S. in international relations. “I decided to go into the Marines as I felt a responsibility to give back to the country and the people who had given me so much. The Marine Corps stood out for its high standards, tight-knit teams, and reputation for answering the toughest calls. I wanted to be part of a branch trusted to lead and hold myself to the highest level of performance.”

He realized his dream of flying through summer training, and the Marine Corps led him to the AH-1Z Cobra. “I am grateful for every hour I spent in that aircraft.”

The leadership skills he learned at Hotchkiss, combined with his degree in international relations, improved his ability to analyze geopolitics, alliances, and the incentives that drive decision-making. “That perspective helped me lead more effectively and prepared me for a globally connected career after the military. As a Marine officer, I led in settings where clarity, consistency, and care for people were essential. Effective leadership begins with setting standards, providing honest feedback, and ensuring your team has what it needs to succeed,” he said. “Operational risk management involves making sound decisions when stakes are high, identifying hazards, assessing probability and impact, putting controls in place, briefing the plan, and then supervising execution. Done well, this protects the mission and the team without slowing momentum.”

Following his military service, he interned at a private equity firm in Houston, where he focused on energy, renewables, and infrastructure. “I loved the rigor of evaluating companies, understanding capital structures, and seeing how financing decisions shape real assets. This confirmed my decision to go into investment banking.”

Happy is now pursuing an M.B.A. in finance at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and is a fellow with the Center for Alternative Investments. He also serves as president of the Goizueta Finance Club. “I will join Jefferies in leveraged finance after graduation. My long-term plan is to become a trusted advisor in leveraged finance, who leads complex financings with calm execution, helps build veteran recruiting and community outreach at the firm, and develops cross-border financing capabilities with colleagues in other regions so we can serve clients as they scale internationally.”

Happy offers advice to Hotchkiss students considering military service. “Talk to officers and enlisted leaders across branches and ask about their day-to-day work. Challenge yourself in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in leadership roles to build grit and humility. If you want to serve your country, grow as a leader, and be part of something bigger than yourself, the military is a great path. Service academies and ROTC provide outstanding education and mentorship along with real responsibility,” he said.

“My time at Hotchkiss instilled in me a lasting desire to give back and was a large part of the reason for my decision to serve in the military. My life would have been very different if it weren’t for Hotchkiss.”