For Shawn McNutt, service has taken many forms.

Throughout his 20-year career in the U.S. Army, McNutt served as an Armor Officer with three combat deployments, beginning with the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He retired from the Army in 2021 after his role as assistant professor of military science for MSU’s Reserve Officer Training Corps. Now he acts in a different capacity—as an aviation program manager at MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory.

Though his career has taken him through the armed forces, higher education and aviation research, McNutt sees a common thread throughout each chapter.

“I never did any of these things by myself,” he said. “I was always a member of a team. In each case, I was working with other people to set the conditions for a more desirable future.”

This perspective has shaped his leadership style over the years.

“I used to be more direct and prescriptive,” McNutt said. “As I matured, I listened more and solicited solutions from my teams and empowered them to find their own solutions.”

Building trust, he said, is one of the most important responsibilities of any leader.

“It won’t happen on your first day, but your team will trust you or they won’t depending on how you handle things when they don’t go well,” he said. “A leader that still treats his team well after mistakes will have the team’s trust.”

Those lessons were shaped through his two decades of experiences in uniform. As a tank company executive officer during the opening stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom, McNutt learned firsthand the importance of preparation, adaptability, and trust in the people around him.

After living in nearly 20 different places throughout the course of his life, McNutt and his family found something special when they arrived in Starkville for his final military assignment at MSU.

“Starkville made a great first impression and is actually a hidden gem,” he said. “My family connected to the community very quickly, so it was an easy decision to accept employment at the university.”

Now, he enjoys being part of the collaborative environment at Raspet and working alongside a truly diverse team.

Perhaps what excites him most is the impact Raspet’s work can have beyond the laboratory.

“Whether contributing to energy savings, safety or security, the work here is something everyone can benefit from,” McNutt said. “It’s like watching the Discovery Channel. Everyone here is an expert, whether it’s the engineers and operations guys doing ‘mad scientist’ stuff or the business staff navigating the accounting mazes. I genuinely enjoy being a part of this crowd.”

When reflecting on the qualities he values most in his teams, McNutt’s answer is simple.

“Perseverance,” he said. “Don’t quit, don’t give up. I don’t need you to give me perfect results, just be good enough all the time.”