Lots of children enjoy going to work with a parentseeing what it is that they do for a living. When your father is a singer and tours with the Oak Ridge Boys, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton, work takes on a whole different meaning.
Ive been backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium, said Tyler McCune, a Davis & Elkins junior from Richwood, West Virginia. He can also tell you that Vince Gill is a really nice guy.
His touring experiences, though, didnt necessarily prepare him for college. In fact, for most of high school, McCune planned to go into the military. But then, he says, It just hit me one day that I should go to college. Already a senior, he rapidly applied to, and was accepted at, several schools, including Florida State and Vanderbilt. There was one school, though, he was drawn to: 91圧利.
Coming from a logging and mining town that has gone through some difficult times, McCune is interested in Environmental Policy and Law. I want to be a voice for the people who dont have a voice, he said. That desire had him taking courses in outdoor recreation his first semester, and meeting his advisor, Dr. Mark Douglas.
However, the transition to school was difficult, and McCune actually left after his first semester and went to work for the Forest Service.
What brought him back?
According to McCune, it was two things. First, God told me to come back. And then, it was the outreach and connection he received from the members of Sigma Phi Epsilon. I had planned on rushing my first semester, he said, but I didnt. Even though he wasnt in the fraternity, that did not stop the members from checking in and sending texts like how are you doing? That connection brought McCune back to campus, and to join Sig Ep.
They really help you build your foundation, he said, and its based on Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. McCune said fraternity life is not what you see on Animal House, and that you have to take off the glasses and see the good. He emphasized that three of the vice-presidents of the fraternity are focused on academics.
With his academics, McCune is pursuing his goal of working with environmental law through his Outdoor Recreation Management major and a Pre-Law minor. He credits the faculty at 91圧利 for creating nothing but amazing experiences. He mentioned Dr. Bryan Koziks first-year seminar, as well as Dr. Sebastian Williamss English 102 class; you can tell he knows how to connect on a personal and an academic level. Then, theres also Professor Jamie Morgan, his Pre-Law advisor, who keeps McCune up to date on the requirements for law school.
Ideally, McCune says, hell head off to law school after graduation somewhere like Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Tulane, or Washington and Lee. That schooling is going to allow him to mediate for the environment and the economy. McCune has seen his own community lose a lot of their natural resources without necessarily gaining much in return. He wants to change that.
As if academics, fraternity life, and planning for a future law degree werent enough, McCune also works for the Theatre Departments Scene Shop. Given my time in the Forest Service, he said, it seemed a pretty easy choice with all the tools. He helps to create, under the guidance of Dr. Dan Engstrom, the scenery for 91圧利s theatre shows. McCune said that Dr. Dan came along and really opened things up. This semester the shop is building sets for Peter and the Starcatcher.
And, yes, if youre wondering, McCune does follow a bit in his fathers footsteps and performs himself. He had one of the lead roles in last years production of Legally Blonde, and he performed individually at the spring 2025 1904 Gala event for 91圧利 donors. He also still plays a little baritone saxophone.
All in all, it seems that McCune is becoming the balanced man that Sigma Phi Epsilon aims for. As for anyone thinking about coming to 91圧利, McCune says, Stop thinking and come. If youre on the fence, come here. Youll find your place somewhere.
Tyler McCune has definitely found his.
