{"id":58456,"date":"2020-10-06T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-06T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/10\/06\/blazing-a-trail-how-a-black-navy-seal-boosted-his-success-through-online-learning\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:28:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:28:38","slug":"blazing-a-trail-how-a-black-navy-seal-boosted-his-success-through-online-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/06\/blazing-a-trail-how-a-black-navy-seal-boosted-his-success-through-online-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Blazing a trail: How a Black Navy SEAL boosted his success through online learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a young Black American growing up in East St. Louis, people told me I would never go to college \u2014 that it wasn\u2019t for me. My own teachers even told me I wasn\u2019t smart enough to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That mentality stuck with me through my early adult years. At 33, I had 15 years of service in the Navy under my belt. I had my sights on retiring from the military, but not necessarily setting foot inside a classroom. I began seeking advice from my mentors in the Navy, and made my way through several jobs fairs. While people lauded my military experience, one thing became clear: I would need a four-year degree to be competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At that time, online higher education was looked down upon \u2014 something \u201cless than\u201d a traditional brick-and-mortar school. And frankly, back then I believed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, online programs were my only avenue to pursue a degree. I was still an active-duty Navy SEAL and would continue to serve in the military for five more years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I saw college as a means to an end \u2014 something to check the box and move on with my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/education-transition\/2020\/08\/12\/military-students-unsure-of-what-to-expect-for-online-classes-in-the-fall-you-arent-alone\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/200403-F-JR816-1001.JPG.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Military students \u2014 unsure of what to expect for online classes in the fall? You aren\u2019t alone<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The upcoming fall semester will be different than what many expected, but there are still plenty of ways to succeed in an impromptu online education.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As it turned out, everything I thought I knew about virtual education was wrong. The extent to which these courses demanded a high level of student interaction took me by surprise. Topical discussions and debates with classmates and professors sparked my academic curiosity in ways I couldn\u2019t have imagined. I was where I was told I would never be \u2014 in college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I deployed three times during my college studies \u2014 to Iraq, Afghanistan and the UAE. When I wasn\u2019t deployed, I was on training trips to prepare for deployment. I was on the road more than at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you\u2019re an active-duty service member \u2014 or any working adult \u2014 completing a college degree can be a daunting task. Modular coursework, the ability to pace my classes to meet my needs, and shorter class terms meant I could plan ahead, schedule around my deployments, and be able to fully participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Navigating the coursework wasn\u2019t the only hurdle. The enrollment process had its own challenges, especially for a first-time student without college counselors to guide me through it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why it was such a big deal when Ashford University helped get me started on my journey. They helped me take the leap, and I did the rest. Upon completing my coursework and earning my degree, I went on to graduate from one of the top business schools in the nation and now run my own business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hearing at a young age that you don\u2019t have the smarts or the right background to achieve your dreams cuts right through a person\u2019s self-worth and how they see the future. Online education sets students up for success no matter where they are in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think the University of Arizona\u2019s recent acquisition of my alma mater will give even more students like me a chance at success, especially through its <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.arizona.edu\/news\/uas-land-grant-mission-its-contemporary-relevance\" target=_blank>land-grant mission<\/a>, which provides educational opportunity to the diverse citizens of Arizona and the world \u2014 especially those who have traditionally been left out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I often think back to that kid in East St. Louis and that active-duty Navy SEAL researching schools and rushing to get to that next stage in life. Now, I can say that his pursuit of a college degree was more than just checking a box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once I found the right path and a program that provided the flexibility and encouragement to succeed, I couldn\u2019t be stopped. More than proving my old teachers or my younger self wrong, my experience shows just how valuable and transformative online higher education can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tysmith31\/\" target=_blank><i>Ty Smith<\/i><\/a><i>&nbsp;is a retired United States Navy SEAL senior chief with 20 years of service. He is founder and CEO of&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommsafe.ai%2F&#038;data=02%7C01%7Chaltman%40mco.com%7C46d55dde546b4007d0cb08d86a112252%7C1d5c96e57ee2446dbed8d0f8c50edea5%7C1%7C0%7C637375969114183165&#038;sdata=3Xx20glycWe5f4wE3jQykLhAkhpOpiiBdNC20bshILo%3D&#038;reserved=0\"><i>CommSafe [ai]<\/i><\/a><i>,&nbsp;a technology company that specializes in conflict and violence prevention. He currently serves on the Ashford University Board of Trustees.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Completing a college degree can be a daunting task, but finding a right online program sets up students for success, says the author of this commentary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":100209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":7,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[77,101,7,25,14],"tags":[],"coauthors":[6615],"class_list":["post-58456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-daily-news-roundup","category-education-transition","category-newsletters","category-opinion"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"LCSZHYKSKRBDRCBTYZGO65PUDM","arc_canonical_url":"\/education-transition\/2020\/10\/06\/blazing-a-trail-how-a-black-navy-seal-boosted-his-success-through-online-learning\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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