Veteran Couple – Students at Cleveland State

Andrea Byerly
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 12:00 AM
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CLEVELAND, TN - Tylicia and Brian Wright met while serving in the United States Navy and married four months later. The veterans are now students at Cleveland State Community College and celebrated their seventh anniversary last month.

The Wrights enlisted in the Navy after graduating high school; they were attending aircrew candidate school in Pensacola, Florida when they met. Within days of getting married, the couple were deployed on different assignments. Ty moved to Virginia and served on the CVN 72 Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. Brian was transferred to Missouri for equipment operator training then was stationed in Mississippi. 

Ty, an E3 airman, stayed in the navy for a year and four months before separating in 2017 due to depression and anxiety. She joined Brian in Mississippi where he completed his four-year commitment as an E5, 2^nd class petty officer. In 2020, the couple moved to Brian’s hometown of Cleveland and worked at Amazon for two years. 

Brian’s mother and brother attended Cleveland State, and they encouraged Ty to enroll at the college. Originally studying psychology, she changed majors after taking an introduction to biology class. “Professor Brewster helped me understand and really dive into biology,” said Ty. “He inspired me to change my major.” 

Ty plans to transfer to Southern Adventist University or the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to study molecular or forensic biology. “My ultimate goal is to study women’s reproductive health,” she said. “I think there is too much contradictory information. Brian and I have been going through a journey trying to conceive, and it has been difficult especially having PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). I want to help women not have to overcome as many challenges as I have.”

A maintenance technician at Peyton’s Southeastern, Brian works full-time and majors in mechatronics. Keeping his work and school balanced, he plans to graduate in fall 2025. “My big thing with school is just getting better at the job I am already doing and getting those certifications,” he said.

As veterans, both Wrights receive funding through the GI Bill®. Not only does it cover tuition and books, they receive a Basic Allotment for Housing (BAH) benefit to help with living expenses. “The GI Bill® is a great benefit,” said Brian. “I never thought I was ever going to college or would use it. I was planning to give it to Ty, then I got into this career field and realized that I needed to go to college.” 

Cleveland State is a certified Veterans Education Transition Support (VETS) campus. The Veterans Services Center on campus assists prospective and enrolled service members, veterans and their dependents/survivors. “Our office is a resource center that provides individualized assistance in accessing benefits, advising, registering for classes and answering questions about the college,” said Kim Allin, Veterans and Support Services Coordinator. 

Ty said, “I didn’t think that I served long enough, but Kim let me know that I could use the GI Bill®.” 

“Kim hasn’t just helped us with financial stuff,” said Brian. “She helped us get everything situated so we could still get the school paid for when Ty changed majors. Just being there for us to talk to when we are trying to manage school has been great.”

“I love working with veterans, helping them reach their goals, like Tylicia and Brian. Veterans often do not know or understand their earned benefits, I am here to help with using them or even saving them for a long-term goal,” said Allin. “Watching veterans walk across the stage at graduation, meeting a goal they might not have known was possible is why I come to work each day.”

For more information about the Veterans Services Center, contact Kim Allin, kallin01@clevelandstatecc.edu or (423) 473-2265.