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UA Online student and Senior Airman Shane Wright is an Alabama-based recruiter for the Air National Guard. (Lacey Muenstermann / Bham Now)When Air National Guard Senior Airman Shane Wright says earning a degree from The University of Alabama was a lifelong dream, he really means the “lifelong” part.
An Indianapolis native, Shane says he fell in love with Alabama as early as age 3, watching landscapes through car windows on the way to Gulf Shores family vacations.
Shane’s Bama backstory
The University of Alabama was always the top choice for Senior Airman Shane Wright of the Air National Guard. (Lacey Muenstermann / Bham Now)For military students like Shane, UA Online provides a practical and flexible solution for obtaining a top-notch education from an esteemed institution.
Specific to his career goals in athletic training, The University of Alabama’s strong reputation for sports programs and education is especially valuable.
“If you have a degree from Alabama in athletic training, at the end of the day, look at the sports programs and the history they’ve had. A degree is a degree, but obviously there’s a difference there. If you can go for free, why wouldn’t you go to one of the best schools you can?”
Shane Wright
Besides becoming a fast fan of Alabama football as a child, Shane further developed his love for sports back home in Indiana. Once you learn his whole story, it won’t surprise you he became a long-distance running and track star in high school.
When he sees a hurdle, he assesses the height, sails over and lands on the next practical choice.
A few examples of that:
- Upon graduating in 2013, he took an athletic scholarship to college in Indiana, where he initially majored in Sports Management.
- After a couple of semesters, he reconsidered his major, shifted to general studies then paused to regroup and save money.
- He enlisted in the Air National Guard for the benefits it offered, especially for school.
- Following a family tradition in law enforcement, he worked for the Air Force in security services on base in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
- From mid-2018 to early 2019, he was deployed to Qatar, and that’s where he says his plan really came together.
“You can’t really do anything but work out and work, so all I did was think about ‘Well, now I can go to Bama, and I can do it this way.’ I just had time to look at what I really wanted to do and do the research.”
Shane Wright
Upon returning home from deployment, Shane enrolled as an on-campus student at The University of Alabama, only to face disruptions due to COVID-19. The circumstances also took out his part-time job as a bartender. Faced with financial uncertainties, he again sought another route.
That’s when he found a role in recruiting for the Air National Guard based in Wichita, Kansas, where he worked exactly one year before seeing an opportunity to transfer back to Alabama.
From Kansas back to Bama
All the while, Shane’s heart had remained here—except a big part of it back in Indiana. Just before his move to Kansas, Wright had reconnected with a friend, his now-wife, Hali. They married and live in Athens with their two young children, Zayden and Ryleigh—plus two pups, Bama and Ripp.
Returning to his studies through UA Online went smoothly, even with the transition of transferring back to the South.
“I began UA Online while doing this job. I had already been to recruiting school, so with this transfer, I only had to get acclimated to this area. The military is obviously priority No. 1. They’re the ones that pay the bills […] so that’s the first one, getting the job done.”
Shane Wright
As it’s turned out, a nonlinear educational route, the Air National Guard, time to think during deployment and UA Online all have helped Shane plan his future with clarity and order:
- He’s earned an associate degree in Criminal Justice through military service credits.
- He’s gotten married, started a family and created financial stability through full-time work.
- He returned to his studies, working toward his bachelor’s degree in Human Environmental Sciences through UA Online.
- That degree will unlock his ability to earn a master’s degree in athletic training.
- His recruitment work affords him active duty benefits now and toward retirement.
Senior Airman Shane Wright displays challenge coins earned during his service to the Air National Guard. (Lacey Muenstermann / Bham Now)In a nutshell, by age 40, Wright is set up to close one chapter, ease into the next equipped with everything he needs and look forward to a comfortable retirement. All with a degree from his lifelong school of choice—The University of Alabama.
“The Air Force is very big on education. They do push doing what you can at the same time. That’s why they give us tuition assistance to handle both as you can. I am able to take classes as I can so I can still focus on my job, not overwhelm myself and still work toward personal growth.”
Shane Wright
How UA Online military students gain an edge
While people from all walks of life choose UA Online’s distance learning for many reasons, it’s especially attractive to military students who are often juggling more priorities than others. Here are a few of the best benefits:
- Ability to balance work, family and education
- Earning degrees identical to the ones earned by on-campus students
- Plenty of time to complete required courses
- Bachelor’s (unrestricted)
- Master’s and educational specialist (6 years)
- Doctoral (7-8 years)
- UA Online Military Tuition Grants for qualified applicants
- Joining a huge, supportive alumni network worldwide
How to earn your degree with UA Online
Want to learn more about earning a degree with UA Online?
Start here to learn more about the 90+ affordable and flexible degrees available.
If you are an active-duty Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, Space Force, National Guard or Reserve service member, click here to learn about your eligibility for UA Online’s Military Tuition Grant.
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