Willis “Tom” Lansford ’90, ’96, knows that for many, going to college can be out of reach when they graduate from high school. That was the case in his own life, so he came up with a plan to join the military.
“They were going to draft me, so I enlisted,” he says.
Making the Most of the GI Bill
After serving his country for four years, he separated from the military and found a job with the phone company. One of his colleagues saw potential in him and told him if he wanted to get ahead, he had to go to school. Between the GI Bill and his employer’s tuition reimbursement program, he had the funds to make it happen.
He earned an associate’s degree in computer science from a local community college, and he was content with his situation for a few years until he grew bored at work.
“I saw an ad for UMGC and went to a weekend seminar and signed up,” he recalls. Once he got started, he didn’t stop.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in business and management with a concentration in computer science. Many students in his degree program decided to stay and earn their master’s degrees, so he decided he may as well continue, too.
“I graduated in December and started my graduate degree program in January,” he explains.
A Long and Successful Career
As the decades passed, he steadily progressed in his career. He enjoyed his colleagues and the work they were doing, as well as working hands-on with different machinery. He also found satisfaction in putting his computer science skills to good use.
“During my early years with the phone company, I wrote a program that tracked every piece of equipment in the data center,” he explains.
His degrees provided him with the qualifications he needed to rise through the ranks as a systems engineer working for what eventually became Verizon Communications, LLC. He spent the last 20 years of his career in leadership roles.
“After 46 years, all in the same building, I retired,” he says.
Giving Back to UMGC
In his free time, he remained connected with his alma mater, and he participated and volunteered in many UMGC events and activities. He served on the Alumni Executive Council from 1995 through 2000 and also served on the Government Relations Committee and Community Service Committee of the Alumni Association.
Recently, he decided to take his support of UMGC and its students and alumni a step further by making a bequest gift of $100,000 establishing the Willis T. Lansford Endowed Scholarship Fund.
Putting Education Within Reach for Others
Willis recognizes that not all prospective students have the resources they need to pursue a degree. That’s because without the GI Bill and his employer’s support, higher education would not have been possible for him.
“Going to school and getting an education is something I never thought I would do,” he says.
Through the Willis T. Lansford Endowed Scholarship Fund, he’s hoping to pay it forward to help others turn their dreams of higher education into reality, so they have the opportunity to enjoy the same success he has.
“I guess [I do it] is to make their lives easier,” he says. “I’m doing something for somebody that my company and the military did for me. Here’s somebody who may not be able to afford a good school, and maybe now they can.”
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