For School of Science and Engineering alum Larry Tyler (2003), lessons learned at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center magnet helped him carve out a career in the mortgage industry. Today, despite his many career milestones, it’s the little people in his life who are his biggest accomplishment by far.
AlumNow, a Hub feature that checks in with district alumni to see where they are now, recently caught up with Tyler for an update and for some sound advice for students.
What are you doing now?
I’m Vice President of Servicing for Nationstar Mortgage. My departments help customers keep their accounts in good standing, handle account maintenance and offer work-out options for customers who need assistance.
Briefly list a few of your career and/or personal highlights.
I’ve had a pretty fun career so far. Some personal and career highlights include:
- Becoming a father of two beautiful daughters. They are the source of my motivation;
- Being awarded employee of the month and quarter on numerous occasions;
- Helping Nationstar Mortgage assist over 50,000 families in 2012 (goal for that year);
- Having the amazing opportunity to promote/hire over 100 people into management roles;
- Having the ability to reach back and assist my college chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha.
What was your favorite subject or activity/involvement in high school?
English IV, senior year. This course was very challenging, quite possibly one of my hardest subjects while attending Townview. The instructor was tough. We essentially had one semester-long assignment, and she would mark your report card with an incomplete until you completed your milestones. This class taught me how toxic procrastination can be. It also taught me the importance of research and patience, and it helped build confidence. I’m proud to say I passed with flying colors.
Who was your favorite teacher?
My favorite teacher was Ms. Freeman. She was my Spanish teacher who was extremely knowledgeable in regards to her craft. Any question you had, she was always able to answer. In addition to her superior teaching ability, she was extremely caring. She took interest in your aspirations. I run into her from time to time, and it is always a pleasant encounter.
What lesson did you learn in high school or beyond that has served you well through the years?
I believe the single most important thing I’ve learned is that “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Natural ability is a blessing, but when you do not work at your craft, those blessings can diminish. Things rarely just fall into your lap. If you have a goal or a dream, you need to outline a plan and work hard to achieve those milestones.
What advice, if any, would you offer to high school students today?
Work hard. Be confident. You never know who you will work for, with or who will work for you, so always maintain the highest form of integrity. ALWAYS treat people nice/fair. Last but not least, contrary to what you think…those math classes will come in extremely handy…I promise.
College/University and degree earned:
B.A., in business administration, Texas A&M University—Commerce, 2007.
If you are a Dallas ISD alum and would like to be considered for an AlumNow spotlight, please complete the questionnaire and submit along with a recent high-resolution headshot. We look forward to catching up with you and sharing your accomplishments.
