Amid the rhythm of early morning drills and the high demands of military service, Ty Tran knew he could not compromise his duties in pursuit of higher education. Tran, having served through multiple deployments and duty stations throughout his eight-year Navy career, naturally approached his education with the same enduring discipline and purpose. Now, a seasoned leader in operations and team leadership, Tran recounts his journey with deep care, reflecting on the critical role of his service in shaping his experience in education and the workforce.
When Tran first began research, he knew he had to be intentional with both his time and resources. He sought institutions that were equipped to support both his academic goals and the demands of military life. During this search, he returned to a critical question: at what place would he fit and feel supported as both a student and as a service member?
This search led him to Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies.
Learning to Lead with Empathy
The College of Professional Studies stood out immediately with its flexible learning, strong advising, and a culture built around supporting working professionals and military service members. Though, the real anchor came in the form of his advisor, Cherri Wells, whose mentorship carried him through deployments, breaks, cross-country moves, and degree changes. Across his four years, Wells became more than an advisor but a guiding light amidst the uncertainty and challenges of balancing service and studies.
“Before Syracuse, I was very focused on structure and execution — doing my job well, checking the boxes,” says Tran. “But my experience here, especially the people who’ve guided me, taught me to look beyond that. I’ve learned to lead with empathy and to see the value in slowing down and truly learning from the process.”
As that stability took root, so did Tran’s sense of direction. While initially entering the program under the liberal arts core, he soon shifted toward a more focused path, a blend between his passion for leadership, operations, and creativity. The College of Professional Studies’ business management track became the ideal path to his long-term dream of working in the beauty and luxury marketing industry. Tran lauded the program’s versatility, allowing him to merge the leadership skills he had developed through years of military service with a long-time dream of his.
Ultimately, Tran’s ongoing discipline and commitment to growth led him to the Seinfeld Scholars Program. This program, offered by the College of Professional Studies, was rooted in the very values he had embraced both in the U.S. Navy and the classroom.
Becoming a Seinfeld Scholar was not a mere accolade for him but an embodiment of his journey throughout military service and education. It was a celebration of individuals like Tran who overcame significant personal and professional obstacles to realize their own unique aspirations. The program’s credo, “Never Give Up,” became a guiding philosophy as he pursued a non-traditional educational path.
Embracing a Mosaic of Experiences
Among fellow Seinfeld Scholars, Tran reveals what he calls a “modern folklore,” individuals whose stories carried their own forms of magic. Veterans, parents, career changers, students rebuilding their lives all under one guiding philosophy. Despite their vastly different paths and challenges, Tran recognized pieces of himself in those stories, and pieces of them in his own.
Today, Tran sees his education as more than a credential. He reflects on his journey as a veteran and student, seeing his life as a mosaic of experiences that have shaped who he is and who he continues to become. He embraces persistence, wisdom, and the courage to pursue his goals relentlessly. He encourages others to move forward thoughtfully, balancing discipline with compassion, and to trust that their paths will unfold with purpose. In sharing his story, Tran shows that purpose is not found in a single moment, but in the steady, deliberate steps that carry us forward, and he hopes others will find their own sense of direction along the way.
To learn more about the Seinfeld Scholars Program, visit professionalstudies.syracuse.edu/tuition-aid/scholarships-grants/seinfeldscholars.
By Katie Huang