Fellows

I am from and currently reside in North Carolina. I am a military spouse of 5 years. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Appalachian State University with a certificate in Civic Engagement, and a Master of Science in Public Administration from North Carolina State University. Currently, I am a pre-dissertation doctoral student at Austin Peay State University studying Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education Administration, and a graduate certificate in Academic Advising. My professional background in higher education includes financial aid and scholarship administration and counseling at North Carolina State University, William Peace University, and Austin Peay State University. Most recently, I worked for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission TN Reconnect college access initiative, providing navigation and support services for adult learners pursuing or re-entering higher education. I am passionate about higher education, both as a student and practitioner. My husband and I have two dogs, Boone and Austin. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, baking, reading, weightlifting, and spending time with my family.

Ryan Sermon is a doctoral student in the Higher Education program at the Center for the Study of Higher Education within the University of Arizona College of Education. His academic work is grounded in sociology and focuses on college access, equity and institutional dynamics. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wheaton College (MA), where he was a Posse Scholar through the Posse Foundation, and a Master of Arts in Higher Education along with a Certificate in College Teaching from the University of Arizona.

Ryan's research interests center on institutional sociology, military sociology, veteran and military-affiliated student success, higher education policy, and pathways to postsecondary access and mobility for historically underserved populations. His scholarship is informed by both theory and practice, with particular attention to how institutions design and implement systems that support persistence, transition, and workforce readiness.

Professionally, Ryan works full-time as a Site Lead and Employment Navigator with the Employment Navigator and Partnership Program as part of the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS) Transition Assistance Program (TAP). In this role, he supports transitioning service members and their families as they navigate higher education, employment, and career pathways, bridging research, policy, and practice in service of military-connected learners.

Matthew DeBord is a Marine Corps veteran who served from 2002 to 2014 as a Radio Opperator. Completing four combat tours to Iraq, enlisting after 9/11. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Veterans Studies with a minor in Social Work at Saint Leo University, with an expected graduation in Spring 2026. He has been accepted to graduate school in the Fall 2026. His higher education journey has be fraught with ups and downs; From homelessness to the birth of two son's to retaking classes due to not understanding academic rigor to graduating with honors to going to four different universities to realizing his true passion by pursuing a different Bachelor's degree, the one he's currently working on.

Matthew has worked as a Federal Work Study at Florida International University's (FIU) Office of Veteran & Military Affairs and is currently working in the same position at Saint Leo University's Office of Military Affairs and Services, Military Resource Center. He supports and advises Veterans and military-connected students each semester on Veterans Affairs education benefits, financial aid, and campus resources.

Matthew has also work as a Mobile Train Team Fellow, then Lead Fellow the following year, for the Warrior-Scholar Project. His main role was teaching and mentoring Veterans transitioning into higher education, giving them the tools to be successful at their chosen institution.

His academic and professional interests center on veterans policy, higher education access, and improving transition outcomes for Veteran and military-affiliated students, to ensure that Veterans don't make the same mistakes as he did.

Matthew's dedication to supporting fellow Veterans continues through his volunteer work as an Alumni Ambassador with the Warrior-Scholar Project, with Service to School, where he serves as a peer mentor helping Veterans gain admission to their chosen universities, and The Mission Continues, where he connects with fellow Veterans and improves the community with service projects.

A passionate advocate for veterans, Matthew works to help institutions identify and address gaps in policy affecting the veteran community. With projects like a Veteran and military-affiliated graduation and awards ceremony, graduation stoles for Veterans, and Priority registration on classes for Veterans and military-affiliated students.

Outside of his academic and advocacy work, Matthew enjoys spending time with his family, his beautiful wife and two sons (5 yrs old and 9mo old).

Matt Stankus is a U.S. Army Combat Veteran and pre-med student originally from North Texas. He is involved in computational biochemistry research focused on simulating human proteins and developing computer-based tools to support scientific discovery. In addition to his academic work, Matt volunteers on medical missions in Ukraine, assisting with care in previously occupied communities and delivering medical supplies to hospitals impacted by the war.

Tashaé ("Shae") Freeman Savage is a higher education administrator, adjunct faculty member, and doctoral candidate whose work focuses on improving access, persistence, and student success for military connected and underrepresented learners. She brings more than a decade of professional experience across admissions, financial aid, outreach, and student support services within both community college and university settings.

Shae currently serves as an adjunct faculty member teaching Learning Frameworks at Lee College, where she supports students navigating the academic, personal, and institutional transitions associated with higher education. Her classroom practice emphasizes metacognition, academic resilience, and practical strategies that help students persist and complete their educational goals.

As a military spouse, Shae brings lived experience to her professional and scholarly work, offering insight into the unique challenges military-connected students face, including frequent relocation, transfer complexity, and financial navigation. Her doctoral research examines how institutional culture, partnerships, and pathway programs shape access and outcomes for underrepresented students.

Shae is currently completing her Ed.D. in Community College Leadership through the John E. Roueche Community College Leadership Program at Kansas State University. Through her writing, she bridges research and practice to elevate conversations around student success, institutional responsibility, and sustainable pathways in higher education.

Jontae Hankins is a higher education professional with experiences working in admissions, academic advising, and student success. She is also a doctoral student whose work centers on student success, transfer pipelines, and support for military-connected learners. She serves in multiple roles at Bowie State University, an HBCU, where she works as an academic advisor, transfer coordinator, and adjunct professor.

Jontae has served for six years in the Delaware National Guard and currently serves as a Supply NCO. Jontae knows firsthand what it's like to balance military service with civilian life, and she brings that experience to her work with active-duty service members, veterans, and students connected to the National Guard and Reserves. As a PhD student in Higher Education Leadership at Morgan State University, she focuses her research on military-affiliated students at HBCUs, retention and belonging, adult and transfer student achievement, and advising strategies grounded in equity and fairness. Jontae advocates for student-centered and inclusive systems and would like to create policies that open doors to help students with military backgrounds thrive within higher education spaces.