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James Tarby Jr. ’27 took notice in 2021 when Syracuse University began partnering with his unit, the 174th Attack Wing of the Air National Guard. The new program offered guard members tuition assistance that brought the University’s cost down to no more than the SUNY tuition rate. A year later, the University on his base.

Tarby watched as a few of his fellow airmen enrolled to pursue their degrees. By 2022, he decided it was his turn to finish a bachelor’s with the College of Professional Studies, which he had attempted to complete elsewhere previously.

This time, it stuck, and Tarby’s persistence has paid off as he has worked toward his bachelor of science in cybersecurity administration, with a minor in knowledge management. He is this year’s recipient of the Dr. Frank E. Funk Military Student Excellence Award from the .

The award honors Funk, who served as a navigator with the 463rd Bomb Group of the 15th Air Corps during World War II. He was shot down over Czechoslovakia and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war, later attending Syracuse on the G.I. Bill. The award recognizes Syracuse students who are current members of the military as they pursue their undergraduate degree with the College of Professional Studies, acknowledging those who exemplify the “highest standards of dedication, leadership and perseverance” as they balance the demands of their job and school.

Receiving the award is not something Tarby, who has served in the military for the last 26 years, takes lightly.

“That means a lot,” Tarby says. “My grandfathers were both military. One was World War II, one was in Korea, both in the Army. And for Dr. Frank Funk to have lived through what he lived through in World War II and persevering—it means a lot.”

Achieving What Felt Out of Reach

Tarby says it feels somewhat ironic to be recognized for his academic achievements now.

“I really was not a student who enjoyed school through high school,” he says. “I always was the kid that did the bare minimum, just to be able to play sports.”

After high school, he started out at SUNY Morrisville, but found it wasn’t right for him. He joined the Marines in 2000. He tried college again in the spring of 2005, after returning from a deployment to Africa, attending Columbia College of Missouri, which was on the base of the 174th Attack Wing.

In 2007, after his enlistment with the Marines ended, he joined the 174th Attack Wing, and attempted college again in 2017 through Southern New Hampshire University, but a deployment to Afghanistan interrupted his studies.

“To be here is just phenomenal,” Tarby says.

Tarby may not have considered himself a natural student, but Jonah Fugo, Tarby’s academic advisor, says his mentee “consistently stands out as a top student who approaches every class with dedication, balance and maturity.”

He always looked forward to meeting with Tarby, who he describes as “kind, flexible and responsive.”

“James is a model student in every sense,” Fugo says. “He embodies the qualities we hope to see in all of our learners, and it has been a privilege to support him in his academic journey.”

Tarby says settling on cybersecurity for a major was easy, given the work he does with the 174th Communication Squadron. He only recently learned he was just two classes short of having his minor in knowledge management, so he is pursuing those credits past this spring.

Tarby says he’s had an incredible experience with his advisors and instructors at Syracuse. Learning from teachers across the world with real-world knowledge who “genuinely care” has been a highlight, he says. One professor, he recalled, was in South Africa and was up at 3 a.m. to teach the class at 6 p.m. on the East Coast.

“It shows you how much they actually care to be doing it,” Tarby says. “There’s several other instructors that have provided information on getting certifications and pushing you into the real world, and they live the actual real world experience of the career field. So all around, it’s just been great.”

Setting An Example

Once he’s done with schoolwork, Tarby says he’s looking forward to being able to focus again on his family, bowling and coaching.  Tarby is an amateur bowler, playing in a national tournament yearly, and he also is the head coach for the Chittenango High School trap team.

“It’ll be nice to just relax a little bit and not have to worry about the rush to make sure I’m getting stuff done on time,” he says.

Tarby says the best advice he has for those considering returning to school while working and balancing other life responsibilities is to be persistent.

“Don’t give up,” he says. “Look to the people around you. My wife has several degrees and she’s pushed me quite a bit, so look to the people around you for support. That’s the biggest thing you’ll find, that even if you have kids, the kids will push you hard, too.”

Showing his own kids that he could return and finish his degree was a significant motivator, he says.

“I wanted them to be able to see that it can be done, even as I consider myself the old guy, being able to have it done,” Tarby says. “My daughter graduates from high school in ’28 so for me, it was a push to be like, ‘Alright, gotta get it done before she graduates high school.’ It’s just that push, that’s what the drive has been.”