Born and raised in Thaxton, Mississippi, Kevin Carwyle was finishing up his associate degree in Drafting Design and Technology at Itawamba Community College in 2001. He wanted to complete a bachelor’s degree, but he was concerned about the cost. A friend from work suggested he join the National Guard since they offered a signing bonus and tuition assistance. The next day, in early September, he went to see a recruiter and joined Mississippi’s Army National Guard. Less than a week later, that commitment gained new weight on September 11. Like many Americans, Kevin saw the trajectory of his life forever altered that day.
After completing boot camp at Fort Jackson and skills school at Fort Gordon for his communications specialization, Kevin continued working on his bachelor’s back in Mississippi for almost a year before putting his education on hold to serve in Iraq. When he returned from his first deployment, Kevin accepted a full-time position with the National Guard and by 2008 was selected for Warrant Officer Candidate School and gained his commission as a warrant officer in communications.
In 2013, Kevin started thinking about what he would do next and considered finishing his bachelor’s degree. “It wasn’t something I needed immediately, but I knew if I could get started and take classes on my own time, I could knock it out before I retired, so that was my goal. Even with 20 years of experience in the field, I know having a bachelor’s degree is kind of the default, so I needed the degree to open up my career opportunities later,” Kevin said.
That’s when he heard about New College LifeTrack, an innovative program at The University of Alabama where nontraditional students can earn a bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies with a depth study to match their goals and interests. New College LifeTrack also allows students to gain college credit for prior learning and training.
“Most of the IT programs I found online at the time were from schools I’d never heard of. So I made the choice to bundle all my credits together toward the NCLT program at Alabama – a school everyone knows. I knew that UA’s name and reputation would go a lot further than somewhere no one’s ever heard of.” Kevin was able to transfer all of his previous college credits toward a Bachelor of Arts with a depth study in Science, Technology and Culture.
He was able to complete all of his UA coursework online, staying up on the weekends to work on schoolwork when he needed. This convenient format gave him the flexibility to continue working full time and balance the other demands of life. “In the time I’ve been working on my degree, I’ve made it through a house fire, been a father to my two kids who are now eight and 12, and then I remarried in 2016.” Kevin’s wife, Jessica Carwyle, has three kids of her own, bringing their combined total to five children, and their middle child, Pete, graduates from high school in May 2020. “We’ve been in a race to see who graduates first – him from high school or me from college.”
Kevin won that race, graduating just a few weeks ahead of Pete but in the same month. Due to social distancing measures, UA’s May 2020 commencement ceremonies have been delayed, but Kevin and his family still plan to travel to Tuscaloosa to participate when they are officially rescheduled. “My wife says it’s like my lifetime achievement award because I’ve been through so much since starting. And it’s kind of a big deal to walk, especially for my kids to see.”
Kevin says what has gotten him through the journey is the support from his family and thinking about the legacy and example he is leaving for his children (Lachae, Alexis, Pete, Madison and Brody).
“There’ve been plenty of times I thought about walking away, but the whole thing is you finish what you start. Never give up. Things aren’t always easy – no one promises that. But it being hard is what makes it valuable. If it was easy, it wouldn’t be worth much. But fighting through the hard? That’s what makes it valuable – what makes it worth it.”
Published: August 31st, 2020