Tillman Scholars in the News

November has been a busy month for Tillman Scholars and they have been making headlines for their impact on their communities. Read on to see how they continue to lead through action.

Jessica Huerta, 2020 Tillman Scholar

Jessica was interviewed by La Opinion, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the United States, about =the challenges that women face as part of the military.

Jessica is a captain in the California Air National Guard and Air Force veteran and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in sociology at UCLA.

Read more in La Opinion

Jonny Kim, 2012 Tillman Scholar

Jonny was featured in a segment on the Today Show about the recent launch of SpaceX.

Jonny is a Navy SEAL and NASA astronaut where he could be assigned to a variety of missions including research on the International Space Station, launching on spacecraft built by commercial companies, and deep space missions on NASA’s new Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket.

Watch the clip on the Today Show

Crissy Pedersen, 2013 Tillman Scholar

Crissy was featured on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Kimmel during a segment called “Freestylin’ with the Roots: Veteran’s Day Edition.

Crissy was a Corporal in the Marine Corps and is currently a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. She also recently earned her Masters of Science in International Development from Georgetown University.

See Crissy in this clip from the Tonight Show with Jimmy Kimmel

Luis Martinez, 2020 Tillman Scholar

Luis was featured in the Texas A&M College of Geosciences News recognizing his receipt of the Tillman Scholar honor.

Currently, Luis is combining his Marine Corps-trained skillset with knowledge from his Texas A&M graduate studies to conduct research in mapping dangerous, subterranean environments.

Read more about Luis in Texas A&M News

Ricky Holder, 2020 Tillman Scholar

Ricky was interviewed in the UChicago News about his inspiration for pursuing a career that helps children in the foster care system.

Ricky enlisted in the Navy after aging out of the foster care system and is participating in a variety of organizations and programs that focus on civic engagement, criminal justice, and leadership. His goal is to change the inequities and systems that impact families and children.

Find out more about Ricky in UChicago News

Lance Decker, 2020 Tillman Scholar

Lance was included in a Veterans Day feature in Texas A&M Today about pursuing a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary engineering and ultimately becoming a professor.

Lance served in the Air Force for 15 years, and was inspired to attend Texas A&M by his father who was a member of the Corps of Cadets in the 1950s.

Read more about Lance in Texas A&M Today

Tom Wike, 2020 Tillman Scholar

Tom was included in a news release by Senator Sherrod Brown’s office for his work on a bill promoting the healthy transition of veterans after service.

Tom is a Marine Corps veteran and social work student at Ohio State University. He will advocate for change at both the state and federal levels of government. Tom would also like to eventually work as a clinician at his local Veterans Affairs Vet Center and use his skillset abroad as a foreign service officer with the United States Agency for International Development.

Read more about Tom on Brown.senate.gov

Adrian Perkins, 2015 Tillman Scholar

Adrian was featured in an episode of Undercover Boss where he explored different parts of Shreveport, Louisiana — where he serves as the Mayor — while undercover.

Adrian served in the Army before attending Harvard Law School. Upon graduation, Adrian moved to his hometown of Shreveport with a mission to address policing reform, economic development, and smart-city initiatives.

Watch Adrian on Undercover Boss