SAN DIEGO, Oct. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ty Smith has been named Ashford University's Outstanding Alum of the Month for October 2017. The Ashford University Outstanding Alum of the Month recognition highlights Ashford success stories and graduates who have used their Ashford education as a springboard to personal and professional achievement.

Smith never planned to attend college; his high school counselors and teachers in East St. Louis, Illinois, never even asked him whether or not he wanted to pursue a college degree. So after high school, Smith enlisted in the military, starting what would become an illustrious career as a Navy Seal.

While in the military, Smith decided to start planning for an eventual civilian career. After hearing about Ashford University, he decided to enroll and pursue a degree in Organizational Management.

"It would literally be an hour between fighting the Taliban and transitioning to classes at Ashford University," he says. "Once I got into a rhythm, though, I thought it was perfect and exactly what I needed, especially being on active duty. I was able to access my reading material from anywhere, be it laptop, iPhone, iPad."

Thanks to his tenacity and to the flexibility of his online courses, Smith was able to graduate in 2015 with his bachelor's degree in Organizational Management. But he did not stop there. He soon enrolled in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (USC), where he realized how much his education at Ashford had prepared him for his graduate program.

"Even at a school as distinguished as USC, I found I had already scratched the surface of [my graduate coursework] in my undergrad at Ashford," he says. "Ashford isn't somewhere where you can just stroll in and walk out with a degree. They did a really good job of preparing me for grad school by keeping me honest and making me work."

Since graduating from USC, Smith has started his own business, Vigilance Risk Solutions, a San Diego-based security consulting and risk mitigation company with a focus on workplace violence prevention. Having just celebrated two years in business, they are already negotiating major contracts with Fortune 500 companies.

"Every day I find myself using lessons I learned at Ashford," he says.

To read more of Smith's story, visit https://www.ashford.edu/online-learning-experience/student-success-stories/ty-smith.

About Ashford University

Where heritage meets innovation – that's Ashford University. At Ashford, students discover relevant degree programs, innovative technology, and cherished tradition. Ashford offers associates, bachelor's, and master's degree programs online, allowing students to balance life by providing the flexibility to do school work anywhere, anytime. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu, www.facebook.com/ashforduniversity, www.twitter.com/AshfordU, or call Lauren Coartney at 858.513.9240 x11636.

Contact: Lauren Coartney
858.513.9240 x11636 · lauren.coartney@ashford.edu

SOURCE Ashford University