Recognizing the service, contributions, and sacrifices of our veteran and military service men and women, the Beshar Scholars Military Service Award—established by generous donors Peter and Sarah Beshar—supports the educational pursuits and aspirations of John Jay veteran and military students. We sat down with recipients of the scholarship to learn more about how their military service has shaped their lives and how this scholarship will impact their continued path to success.

Graduate student Michael H. Isom ’22, Ed.D., a retired Major in the U.S. Army National Guard, spends his workday flying in a six-seater plane to rural communities in Alaska to provide counseling services to the Native Alaskan population. “I work at the Bering Strait School as an itinerant school counselor. My job scope, in practice, is educational counseling, but these communities are very limited in mental health providers,” he says. “I just happen to be a licensed professional counselor in the state of Alaska.” Coming from a family that upholds the value of education, Isom has earned degrees in education, psychology, and counseling, and his newest pursuit is a Forensic Psychology master’s degree from John Jay. “Forensic Psychology is my tract. When I was thinking of going back to school, I understood that I needed to find a way to get to a point where I can do assessments and provide court reports. John Jay had the right prerequisites for me to grow,” he says. Isom shared with us what it means to him to receive the Beshar Scholars Military Service Award and discussed the influence 20 years of service in the U.S. Army National Guard has had on him.

What drew you to join the military?
When I was a teenager, I was kicked out of our local high school and sent to a school for kids who were struggling and having difficulties. I remember my mother telling me that I needed to go into the military. Two years later, I joined the National Guard as a clerk, an enlisted man. I came back from my training and worked at a recruiting station full time. One of the recruiters took me under his wing and within a month or two, I became a full-time National Guard for an aviation detachment.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in the military? How have you overcome those challenges?
During my first rotation of Officer Candidate School (OCS), I got kicked out with three other African-American guys. Later, the state of Alaska came back to me to say there was an IG (Inspector General) complaint. They said, ‘There was a person who did things to you that was not supposed to happen.’ He was racist and put us through a bunch of stuff, but we were so oblivious that we just thought it was part of the training. All three of us were afforded the opportunity to return during the next training cycle. I went back and completed the OCS program through the state of Alaska. We had an option to elect our commission after graduation or wait. I waited two years before I decided to accept my commission as an engineer officer. At the time, Alaska had a very small engineering detachment. It wasn’t big enough for me so I transferred to Washington state and then I started forging my path through the Washington National Guard.

Were there any pivotal moments for you while you were in the Army National Guard?
When I was the commander of OCS, I went back to train soldiers to become officers and I remember distinctly that a candidate came up to me after graduation and said to me, ‘You were hard but I have learned the most from you. I appreciate you.’ That’s when the light bulb came on. I knew that I had an impact. I don’t think all people go into the military with a pure altruistic mentality that you’re going in to serve your country. There’s something that brings you to the military, whether it’s a vehicle to get out of your situation, to gain more experience, or gain access to resources that you don’t have. Those are some of the reasons, but I think for those who stay in the military for any length of time, your purpose becomes more altruistic and you start to understand that you are serving a greater cause.

Why was John Jay a good fit for your educational and career aspirations?
I scoured the United States looking for a Forensic Psychology program. John Jay consistently stuck out because they have the right prerequisites for me to grow as far as having an internship program and well-suited faculty. By attending and going to internships and practicums, those hours will apply to my license to become a psychologist. What also really drew me to John Jay is the dual JD/Forensic Psychology program. John Jay has one of the most notable law degree programs around. I came into this program with a lot of experience, but with every class that I go to, the brilliance and the intellect of my peers has been mind-boggling and phenomenal.

How will the Beshar Scholars Military Service Award change your life? What path has it opened? What obstacle has it removed?
I was filling out the application for the Beshar Scholarship and something stopped me in the process. I thought, I’m working. I’m fortunate and blessed to have an excellent job. Maybe there are more deserving people just starting out in their careers that should get this scholarship. Richard Pusateri, the Military and Veteran Services Manager at John Jay, messaged me and asked why I hadn’t sent in my scholarship application. He said he thought that I would be a good candidate, being a non-traditional student who wanted to further his career with a graduate degree. I have a 34-year-old son, a 32-year-old daughter, and a 22-year-old daughter. My son is a fireman apprentice. My eldest daughter is working toward being a nurse, and my youngest daughter is in school. I am helping all of my kids with their school in some way, and I still have this looming debt above my head from my own education. The Beshar Scholarship has made it possible for me to continue to pay down my debt and to make sure that my youngest daughter isn’t faced with the same financial complications that I was faced with.

Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years? What do you hope to be doing?
I’d like to work with the Alaska Native populations and provide forensic support to their tribal organizations who face great injustices within the judicial system. After I retired from the military I worked for the Office of Children’s Services, and I was able to see the downside of removing children from homes without providing adequate resources. Oftentimes, there isn’t a full understanding of whether or not placing children in foster homes is the right thing to do. The strife of the Alaskan Native community parallels that of the African-American plight. The children are placed in families where they are stripped of their culture, lifestyle, and connection to family. This perpetuates a cycle of abuse and depression. What these communities need is resources to defend their positions within the court system. I want to provide that help. My hope is to be able to work with tribal organizations, and using my experience in psychology, help figure out what support is needed to place the children back in their homes.