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Student Spotlight
Kennedy Brendle
Name: Kennedy Brendle
Branch: United States Air Force (Active Duty)
Degree: B.S.B.A Business Administration and Law
Graduation: December 2025
What are your plans after graduation?: After graduation, I plan to commission in the United States Air Force as a lawyer
and work for the Judge Advocate General's Corps.
What do you do in your off time?: I am currently stationed in the United Kingdom, so I love exploring/traveling and
spending time with my friends.
Hobbies: I enjoy shopping, cooking, pickleball, going to the gym and lots of self-care!
I would like to thank my family and friends for their endless support and constant encouragement throughout my military and educational years. It hasn't always been easy but is most definitely always worth it! Thank you to the others currently serving and to the ones who have served prior. Aim High!
Ty Weber
Name: Ty Weber
Branch: U.S. Army Reserves
Degree:DNP – Nurse Anesthesia
Graduation: May 2024
What are your plans after graduation?: After graduation, we are heading back home to Morton, Illinois after graduation. I
will be working as a CRNA at OSF. St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL. I look
forward to getting back to life outside of school and plan on spending a lot of time
with my wife, Claire, and two boys, Cal & Beckham! I am eager to serve my local community
as well as our soldiers and their families.
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies?: I love playing and watching baseball. My oldest son & I like to go out to the ball
fields and practice hitting off the tee. One of his favorite things to do is "hit
dingers," and one of my favorite things to do is watch him learn new things. The last
three years in CRNA school have been somewhat of survival mode for my wife and I.
After graduation, I expect us to do a lot of things outside. I am also excited to
get back to fishing, camping, hunting, reading and traveling with my family.
What are some of your fondest memories at WCU? CRNA school is full of adversity. Many of us came out of COVID ICUs prior to starting
school, so we've been in a high stress season of life for 4 or 5 years at this point.
Getting through this program & facing adversity together will be my fondest memory.
Wendy Suttles
Name: Wendy Suttles
Branch: U.S. Army (veteran)
Degree: BSBA Accounting
Graduation: May 2023
What are your plans after graduation?: After graduation, I plan on taking a semester or more off and getting work experience
in my field. Maybe read a book that is not a textbook. Graduate school is still in
my thoughts.
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies?: I enjoy bead weaving in my off time, using very small beads and thread to create jewelry
and other items. Another hobby my husband and I have is riding our motorcycles, with
many road trips in the future.
What are some of your fondest memories at WCU? In the end, I believe, minus the possible loss of life, going to college has to be
more mentally challenging than going through the military, at least for me. No matter
your age or where you see yourself in the coming years, go for your dreams and dream
big.
Sydney Gallant
Name: Sydney Gallant
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps Reserve (Dependent)
Degree: B.S., Traditional Mathematics, Health Sciences (MBA)
Graduation: May 2023
What are your plans after graduation?: Upon graduation from my graduate program and in May 2024, I will commission into the
United States Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant.
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies?: I am a pole vaulter on Western Carolina’s Track and Field Team. I also work as a personal
trainer. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, backpacking, and traveling.
What are some of your fondest memories at WCU? Some of my fondest memories at WCU are adventures in the Appalachian Mountains, especially
the Blue Ridge Parkway. Of course, track meets and setting a new PR are memories I
hold dearly.
Ronnie Clark
Name: Ronnie Clark
Branch: U.S. Army Reserves
Degree: B.S. B.A. Financial Planning (Campus Student, Undergrad)
Graduation: May 2023
What are your plans after graduation?: I started working for Haywood Community College as a Human Resources Development Instructor
on April 1.
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies?: In my spare time, I like to travel (going to Europe at the end of May), hike, and
watch American football.
Anything else you want to say?: I have really enjoyed the experience at WCU.
Joshua Justice
Name: Joshua Justice
Branch: Air National Guard
Degree: B.S. B.A. Financial Planning (Campus Student, Undergrad)
Graduation: May 2023
What are your plans after graduation?: I plan to sit for the Certified Financial Planner exam in July before pursuing a
career planner role in the Charlotte, NC area.
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies?: Riding motorcycles, drinking whiskey, and sailing; (Not all at the same time!).
What are some of your fondest memories at WCU? Attending football tailgating events with the rest of the Student Veterans Association
members and spending time talking and hanging out in the Veterans Resource Center.
Anything else you want to say?: To those who have served, don't be afraid to share some of those experiences with
classmates. To those that haven't, don't make quick judgements or assumptions about
a veteran's military experiences. Each of us had unique and sometimes vastly different
perspectives and roles over the course of our military careers.
Marissa Manfro
Name: Marissa Adrianna Manfro
Branch: USMC
Degree: Natural Resource Conservation & Management
Graduation: May 2023
What are your plans after graduation?: After graduation, I am moving to Phoenix, Arizona! I will be working on Luke AFB
with their Outdoor Recreation team ensuring that dependents of deployed active-duty
members as well as single airmen have the opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy what
the area has to offer. As a military dependent myself, I can relate in many ways to
those participating in these particular events and I can't wait to get working with
them!
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies?: I really enjoy to get outside and explore new places... especially now that the weather
is starting to get warmer.
Anything else you want to say?: I am truly honored that I have the opportunity to work with military personnel and
their families with my career in Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation!
Justin & Jason McGee
Name: Justin McGee
Branch: Air Force Dependent
Degree: Finance with minor in entrepreneurship
Graduation: 2024
What are your plans after graduation? My plans after graduation would be getting a full-time career job at a bank or in
the finance department
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies?In my off time my brother and I run a sports memorabilia
business. I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends.
Anything else you want to say? I want to thank my parents for their service as well as thank everyone else who has
served or is serving!
Name: Jason McGee
Branch: Air Force Dependent
Degree: Finance with a minor in entrepreneurship
Graduation: 2024
What are your plans after graduation? To work in a higher financial institution department in banking or a similar field
doing finance work
What do you do in your off time? Hobbies? In my free time I am usually visiting family or hanging with friends by also keeping
busy with school . A fun hobby I have with is my brother and I running our small business
dealing with sport memorabilia and meeting celebrities.
Anything else you want to say? Thank you to both my mom and dad for serving and helping me be where I am today.
Being a part of a veteran family and being close to other veterans due to my mom working
with veterans, has shown me how grateful I am and always loved giving back or helping
the veterans. A big thank you to all the other veterans that have served and those
who are active and still serving. Thank you to non-profit organizations such as Veterans
Bridge Home for always helping us and others. One of the things our mom cared about
was always being willing to help everyone and she would put in countless hours making
sure these veterans were getting their benefits they deserved.
Sommer Rector
Branch: United States Air Force
Major: Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Graduation: Spring 2024
What are your plans after graduation? After graduation I would like to get my paralegal license and work with veterans either
at the veterans' treatment court or within my community.
What do you do in your off time? In my off time from school, I have three kids, a set of twin girls who are 6 and a
newborn who will be three months old on the 29th of this month, so free time doesn't really exist at my house but I like going to
the park with the girls and going to the rivers we have all around us where we live.
I am also a big fan of history channel shows when I get a moment to watch them.
Courtney M. Courtney
Branch: United States Marine Corps
Degree: Nutrition and Dietetics
Graduation: 2025
What are your plans after graduation? On to graduate school with hopes to pursue a career as a Physical Therapist or an
Athletic Trainer
What do you do in your off time? In my off time I am either at the gym, playing disc golf or spending quality time
with my husband and our pets.
Anything else you want to say? Semper Fi
Asia Vue
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Degree: Parks and Recreation Management
Minor: Forensic Anthropology
Graduation: Summer 2025
What are your plans after graduation? After graduation, I want to hike either the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest
Trail. For a career, I hope to work as an adventure travel guide or at a city/county
parks and recreation center. I also hope to work with military personnel and help
them recreate outdoors.
What do you do in your off time? On my off time, I like to read and watch movies, go hiking and camping, do crafts,
and spend time with my dog.
Anything else you want to say? WCU is a beautiful campus that offers many nearby outdoor recreation opportunities
as well as amazing courses and events.
John R. Hoover
Branch: U.S. Army Deep Sea Diver
Degree: Natural Resources Conservation and Management (BS)
Graduation: Spring 2021
What are your plans after graduation?
I hope to work in federal service and out of doors, ideally with the USDA or the Department
of the Interior. I am still learning what all my options are, however I would prefer
to continue to serve my community and nation.
What do you do in your off time?
As the newly elected president of the WCU Student Veterans Association, I spend my
off time bemoaning my fate, directing Soldiers is like herding cats, whether they
are in or out of service.
Anything else you want to say?
WCU is a wonderful school, both it and the SVA have provided me with the perfect place
to begin the next chapter of my life, while creating a community I care about.
*The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement*