Student veteran and fall graduate Bobby Wilson has
experienced lots of change in his life. Now, he’s embracing change by embarking
on a new career path. Bobby spent five years in the Air Force as a structural
mechanic; he then continued in the aviation industry for a total of 21 years. After
multiple layoffs in his field, he felt that job security was non-existent. Bobby
pondered going back to school for a while and decided to go for it. With some
past experience in aviation law, a second career in law seemed like a natural
fit. He also discovered a grant which would pay for his first two years called the
Trade Adjustment Act. He chose to take his first steps towards his law career
at Vol State.
“People who qualify for this are those whose jobs have been relocated out of
the country. I found out by accident about it, just by digging around,” he
said. Discovering this sealed the deal to attend college.
“I thought, ‘I’ve done been in this business so long, I figured, ya know, maybe
I just need to get out of it while I’ve still got time.’ Even if I became
physically disabled I could continue to work. So, if what little bit of brain I
have continues to work, I can still make a living.”
Bobby will attend Tennessee State University’s Criminal Justice program
conducted on Vol State’s campus; his end goal is to attend law school.
“It was the quickest most expeditious route to get to law school,” he said. “I
thrive in the (law) environment and reading the nuances of the law.” Bobby aims
to eventually pursue administrative law.
Bobby has expressed his positive experience at Vol State: “I have really liked
Vol State. I was apprehensive as you could imagine, coming back into this
environment … I thought, ‘How will these young people look at me?’ But it’s
been a pleasant experience. I’ve made some really good acquaintances. I would
highly recommend Vol State.”
Bobby is excited about his transition to TSU and plans to return to work in
January while attending school full-time next semester. Bobby is a husband and
father to five; he is one of 24 veterans graduating this Saturday.
-By Rachel Keyes
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