LLCC 2020 Honored Alumnus

Tyson first came to Lincoln Land Community College in 2004. A 2000 graduate of Jacksonville High School, Tyson enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps infantry. During his time as a Marine, he deployed overseas twice; first in 2001 to Asia, then a second deployment in early 2003 in the U.S. ground invasion of Iraq. For his actions he was awarded a citation from President George W. Bush for “extraordinary heroism.”

When he came to LLCC in 2004, Tyson struggled with undiagnosed PTSD and memories of war, so after two semesters he took a break, moved to Florida, and ventured into the motorcycle world, earning his certification as a Harley-Davidson technician. Work took him to Texas, but only 11 months after his move Tyson nearly lost his life when he and a friend were brutally attacked in a random chance encounter. Tyson miraculously survived. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he told us.

When he recovered, Tyson returned to Illinois with a new lease on life, and again enrolled at Lincoln Land. This time was different. He was more determined than ever to achieve his goals and build upon his education. In 2009, Tyson graduated from LLCC with an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts. Tyson graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 2011 from the University of Illinois Springfield. In 2014 he graduated from Western Michigan Law School with a Juris Doctor.

Tyson returned home to Illinois to start practicing law, and began teaching Business Law at LLCC. He remained an adjunct professor at LLCC for four years until the Spring of 2018, when he was hired as the director of a national veterans service organization.

In his six years as an attorney, Tyson has established a reputation as an outspoken public advocate against government corruption, for fearlessly challenging the status quo, and as a staunch veterans’ advocate. Tyson helped advocate for a Congressional bill in Washington, DC to help disabled veterans in need. The bill, called the Fairness for Veterans Act, was eventually signed into law.

Currently, Tyson continues to practice law in central Illinois and advocate for veterans in Washington, DC. In the last few months, he has published articles with major media outlets and was one of six veterans selected to appear in the PBS documentary, “Going to War,” which chronicled the experiences of combat veterans from different military conflicts. He will soon publish his first law book, called “VA Handbook,” written to help veterans and advocates understand the VA system.