Military and Veterans Services helped Marine Corps veteran T.J. Beach navigate the transition to college and build the confidence that led to becoming a 2026 Tillman Scholar
Thomas "T.J." Beach, an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and doctoral student at The Ohio State University, has been named a 2026 Pat Tillman Scholar.
Beach is one of 48 service members, veterans and military spouses selected nationwide — and the 12th Ohio State student to receive the distinction. The Pat Tillman Foundation's scholarship program supports military-connected leaders through education, leadership development and a lifelong network of peers and mentors committed to making an impact in their communities.
For Beach, the honor represents a journey that began when he left the Marine Corps after eight years of service and arrived at Ohio State unsure how he would adjust to college life.
"At the beginning, I thought, 'I don't need any help. I'll be fine,'" Beach said. "I had served for eight years and had been overseas, but I had not learned math or used academic technology for eight years. I felt 18 or 19 years old again, even though I was 27."
Instead, Beach found himself navigating unfamiliar academic expectations after nearly a decade away from the classroom. Through Ohio State's Military and Veterans Services (MVS), he connected with tutoring, math support and other campus resources that helped him regain his academic confidence while learning to navigate college as a veteran student.
"Once I connected with Military and Veterans Services and used the resources available to me, that made a huge difference," he said.
Beach enlisted in the Marine Corps immediately after high school and served from 2011 to 2019. After completing his military service, he earned a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Ohio State and a master's degree in advanced athletic training from the University of South Carolina before returning to Ohio State to pursue a PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
His adviser, Dr. Jaclyn Caccese, encouraged him to apply for the Tillman Scholarship. Initially, Beach questioned whether his accomplishments measured up to those of previous scholars.
"At first, I said, 'No way,'" Beach said. "I did not think I had done enough or was established enough."
As he considered the opportunity, Beach attended an MVS presentation about the Tillman Foundation and the scholarship application process. His military adviser and other Ohio State resources reviewed his essays, offered feedback and helped strengthen his application throughout the five-month selection process.
"I spent hours writing and rewriting my application," Beach said. "Over time, I came to believe in my story and that the impact and goal I described were needed and worthwhile."
The application process also gave Beach an opportunity to reflect on how the different chapters of his life had been leading him toward the same purpose.
The story of the scholarship's namesake resonated deeply with him. Pat Tillman was an extremely successful college and NFL football player before leaving his professional career to serve in the U.S. Army.
Beach similarly understands both athletic and military environments. He grew up playing football, soccer and wrestling before serving in the Marine Corps, where he saw firsthand how head injuries could affect service members. Both experiences exposed him to cultures where people often feel pressure to "shake it off" and keep going.
After watching a fellow Marine experience the effects of a brain injury, Beach began asking how he could better understand concussions and support others. That question eventually shaped the direction of his academic career.
Now entering his second year of Ohio State's doctoral program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Beach is studying concussions among law enforcement officers and working to improve concussion recognition, treatment and return-to-duty protocols for first responders.
As a Tillman Scholar, he will join a lifelong community of veterans, service members and military spouses working across a wide range of professions. Beach hopes the network will help him build relationships, exchange ideas with fellow researchers and expand the reach of his work.
The recognition is meaningful not only for Beach's professional future but also for his family.
Neither of his parents had the opportunity to attend college, and both spent much of their lives doing manual labor. Although his father encouraged him to pursue higher education, Beach said his family had little experience navigating the college process. Before enlisting, he assumed he would enter the workforce or learn a skilled trade.
"Now, as the father of a daughter, education is very important to me," Beach said. "My wife supports me, cares for our child and gives me the time to pursue my education. That has been life-changing."
Having once arrived at Ohio State without a clear roadmap of his own, Beach now hopes his daughter will have access to every opportunity and resource available as she discovers her own path — whether that ultimately leads to college or a skilled trade. He also hopes to pass along the values that have shaped his journey: discipline, kindness, collaboration and a commitment to serving others.
For Beach, becoming Ohio State's newest Tillman Scholar represents more than national recognition. It reflects a journey that began with accepting help, grew through a commitment to serving others and continues today through research aimed at improving the lives of first responders.