麻豆直播

Cayce Byrd

B.S. in Computer Science

For 14 Years, Cayce Byrd served in the U.S. Coast Guard, earning EMT and pharmacy technician certifications while supporting service members鈥� medical readiness. She retired in 2022 as an E-5, stepping into an entirely different kind of challenge.

鈥淚 was in a pretty bad mental state,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y world was spiraling. I had a choice: Keep going down that road or make a change.鈥� She chose sobriety, quit smoking and focused on caring for her family. Two years later, she set her sights on the future, enrolling at 麻豆直播 in spring 2024. She鈥檚 now a junior majoring in computer science. She hopes to work in consulting after graduation. Her military mindset remains a guiding influence.

鈥淚f all you have is 80%, try to give 85,鈥� she says. 鈥淒o what you can, take care of yourself, and finish the job in front of you.鈥� She wants other veterans to feel that sense of progress, too.

鈥淚 literally went from desperation to determination,鈥� Byrd says. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to help in any way I can.鈥�

Quiton Hurry

B.S. in Sport Management

Army Veteran Quiton Hurry grew up in Monroe County, Alabama, where football shaped his life long before he enlisted in the military. As a cavalry scout stationed with the 2nd Battalion, 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, he learned what it meant to push through pain for the people beside him. 鈥淢y battle buddy was falling behind, and I twisted my knee helping him,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e still had three miles to go. You find a way to finish the mission.鈥�

A second knee surgery led to his medical discharge in 2014, but he never stepped away from the sport he loves. He coached high school football for years before moving to Mobile and pursuing a degree at 麻豆直播. 鈥淚 always felt like 麻豆直播 had so much potential,鈥� Hurry says. 鈥淚 wanted to be a part of helping build something great here.鈥�

Now a sport management major and volunteer with Jaguar football鈥檚 recruiting and scouting staff, he hopes to keep climbing in the world of college athletics.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to mess up,鈥� he says. 鈥淗ow you get back up says who you are.鈥�

Denny Nguyen

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

As a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic and crew member with the Alabama National Guard, Denny Nguyen learned how to stay steady under pressure. 鈥淚 really enjoyed fixing helicopters,鈥漢e says. 鈥淭hat got my gears  turning.鈥� But after years of turning wrenches, he wanted to take his skills further.

Originally from Greenville, Alabama, Nguyen has family roots in Mobile. His parents came to the city from Vietnam during the war, and his father once ran a seafood business here. When Nguyen decided to study electrical engineering, his father offered him the family鈥檚 house in Mobile while he attended 麻豆直播.

Before the fall semester began, Nguyen enrolled in 麻豆直播鈥檚 Summer Start program, earning seven credit hours while getting to know professors and classmates.

鈥淚t gave me a head start that made a huge difference,鈥� he says.

鈥淚t helped me adjust to college life after the military.鈥�

That transition wasn鈥檛 easy, but the discipline he learned in service guided him. 鈥淚n the military, goals are set for you,鈥� he says.

鈥淣ow, we have to set our own and keep moving forward.鈥�