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Two Texas A&M Students Named Tillman Military Scholars

Tyson Williams and Nikki Altmann are Texas A&M’s newest Tillman Military Scholars.
By Tura King, Texas A&M Marketing & Communications February 17, 2015

Tyson Williams, who served in the Navy, and Nikki Altmann, a former military flight attendant whose husband was killed in combat, are Texas A&M’s newest Tillman Military Scholars, announced university and Pat Tillman Foundation officials.

Williams is a civil engineering graduate student from Lampasas. He served in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion program where he gained experience as an engineer technician. Now at Texas A&M, he is focusing his studies on urban storm water management and water resource development to improve access to clean drinking water in impoverished nations.

“I chose Texas A&M initially because of the graduate program in water management and hydrological sciences,” Williams says. “Additionally, I was won over by the university’s strong commitment to support its veterans. Since arriving last spring, I have been nothing short of amazed at the amount of help and support offered by the various veteran services staff on campus.”

Nikki Altmann and Tyson Williams
Nikki Altmann and Tyson Williams

Altmann is from Smithville and is a surviving military spouse who served troops as a flight attendant on military flights. After her husband Joseph, a staff sergeant in the Army, was killed in Afghanistan Christmas Day in 2011, she enrolled at Texas A&M and is currently studying human resource development to better prepare military families for reintegration to civilian life.

“I chose Texas A&M not just because this is where I have always wanted to be, but because it’s a place that makes differences,” Altmann says. “They support many foundations, organizations, research and most importantly, our military. There is camaraderie and a sense of belonging you feel when you step on campus. Why go anywhere else when I can be here.”

Founded in 2004, the Pat Tillman Foundation invests in military veterans and their spouses through educational scholarships – building a diverse community of leaders committed to service to others. In 2008 the foundation established the Tillman Military Scholars program to support educational opportunities for service members and military families by bridging the financial gaps left by the post-9/11 G.I. Bill.

The scholars chosen show extraordinary academic and leadership potential, a true sense of vocation, and a deep commitment to create positive change through their work in the fields of medicine, law, business, education and the arts, note foundation officials.

Each institution conducts outreach to its veteran and military spouse student population and actively participates in the Tillman Military Scholar selection process, officials explain. Upon selection of Tillman Military Scholars on campus, each then supports the building of community among these students, strengthening their academic and personal experience.

Tillman Military Scholars receive financial support to not only cover traditional study-related expenses such as tuition and books, but also other needs, including but not limited to: housing, transportation and childcare. In providing this support, the Pat Tillman Foundation aims to remove any and all obstacles that would otherwise prohibit academic success.
Over the past six years, the Pat Tillman Foundation has awarded more than $6 million in scholarship funds to 347 Tillman Military Scholars pursuing education at every level from freshmen undergraduates to Ph. D. candidates. Overall, Tillman Military Scholars represent 98 different institutions across the U.S.

Pat Tillman and brother
Pat Tillman and brother

About the Pat Tillman Foundation

Family and friends Pat Tillman established the Pat Tillman Foundation following his death in 2004 while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. Created to honor his legacy and pay tribute to his commitment to leadership and service, the Pat Tillman Foundation is a national leader in providing educational support and resources to veterans, active service members and their spouses. Inspired by Pat’s attributes of leadership, passion for education and spirit of service, the foundation annually awards educational scholarships through Tillman Military Scholars program.

Media contact: Tura King, Texas A&M Division of Marketing and Communications.

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