Veteran, Global Campus Alum, Uses Degree to Do What He Loves
When we last heard from Travis Finborg, he was an active-duty Air Force explosive ordnance disposal technician and Global Campus student, telling his story in Cougs who serve: WSU’s active duty online students. Since that article was published in 2020, Travis’s life has changed dramatically. He has finished his degree at WSU Global Campus and made the transition from the military to civilian life. Here’s how his journey has unfolded.
“I grew up in Spokane, Washington, and I had always wanted to go to WSU,” said Travis Finborg. As an active-duty member of the Air Force at the time, Travis found that attending college in-person just wasn’t an option.
“When I started thinking about getting my degree, I was excited to learn that WSU had an online option in my area of interest, history,” he said. “I also saw they had a veterans support office. I was very happy to be accepted.”
Global Campus offered the flexibility Travis needed. Having the ability to study anywhere and work around his busy schedule was an important factor in his decision.
“Global Campus was a great option for me. It provided me the flexibility to get my degree at my own pace,” he said. “I usually took one or two classes a semester. It also allowed me to do the work on my own time.”
In the Air Force, Travis worked as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team Leader, an intensive job that often required long hours, rigorous training, and the possibility of deployment overseas.
“I was working 40 hours a week, and I also deployed while enrolled. I appreciated the support I received from the professors, my advisor, and the Veterans Office,” he said. “All in all, without having Global Campus as an option I would never have been able to become a WSU graduate.”
After graduating with a degree in history and with more than 20 years in the military, Travis was looking forward to the next chapter of his life.
“I retired from military service the same year I graduated from WSU,” he said. “It was quite a busy year.”
When deciding what to do next, Travis began seeking a new career that fit his interests, education, and skill set—and was a little less hazardous than defusing explosive devices.
“In 2022, I became a Park Ranger with Washington State Parks at Riverside State Park in Spokane,” he said. “It’s an excellent place to work, and I enjoy it very much.”
“I’m really happy that everything I’ve done up to this point, including WSU and the military, has led me to this place in my life.”
Travis believes that what he learned as a Global Campus history student has been invaluable in his new career.
“As a park ranger, we often give interpretive tours and talks,” he said. “My history degree has been very handy in preparing material and connecting our local history to visitors’ lives. I feel that the knowledge and skills I garnered in my degree have been very applicable to my current career.”
Travis recommends WSU Global Campus to veterans and military-affiliated students who need a flexible, high-quality option. “WSU has great online degree options. They have many quality professors and robust support for veterans,” he said “They were very helpful with processing my benefits like the GI Bill and tuition assistance. I think it’s a very good option for anyone in the military to consider going to WSU Global Campus.”
Visit the WSU Global Campus Veterans and Military-Affiliated Student (VMAS) website to learn more about the support Global Campus offers to VMAS Cougs.
About the Author
Jeff Willadsen is the Digital Content and Communication Coordinator for WSU Global Campus. Before being hired at WSU in 2018, he worked as a photojournalist and public affairs specialist in the US Navy. He earned his Master’s in Strategic Communication online through WSU Global Campus while still active duty in the Navy, illustrating its value as an effective and flexible higher education option for working adults.