U.S. military veteran makes Montana State University a family affair

BOZEMAN - Montana State University junior James Mayfield IV is a family man, a history teaching major, a U.S. Marine and a corpsman in the Navy Reserves.

Now, as an MSU student, Mayfield is working toward the goal of graduating in 2027 and, before then, will become a father for the second time. He said the resources he has encountered at the university - including Veteran Services housed within MSU's Travis W. Atkins Veteran Support Center - are taking him, step by step, closer to graduation.

When Mayfield came to MSU in the fall of 2023, he had never set foot on campus. In fact, born and raised in Douglasville, Georgia, about 20 miles outside of Atlanta, he hadn't even been to Montana before moving to the Treasure State. It was a decision inspired by perception after caring for the health of his father.

"My father had a stroke my last year when I was in the Marine Corps," he said. "It's part of the reason I got out. So, I went home to Georgia to take care of him."

For those at MSU who know him, caring for others is emblematic of who Mayfield is.

"James is the kind of person who naturally puts others before himself," said Todd Bucher, director of MSU's Veteran Services. "Whether it's lending a hand to a fellow student, supporting his family or stepping up in his community, James consistently goes the extra mile. He's the first to arrive, the last to leave and the one quietly making sure everyone else has what they need before thinking of himself."

Eventually, the time came for Mayfield to put himself first. Montana had captured his imagination even while stationed overseas. While in Okinawa, he intuitively knew he wanted to attend MSU.

"I figured it was time to get out of Georgia, and Montana's just where I wanted to go," he said. "It seemed like a picturesque place, and it seemed like good people lived here."

Even before his arrival on campus, he found a friend and ally in Bucher.

"Todd is one of the first people I was in communication with since he handles [matters pertaining to] the GI Bill," Mayfield said. "He's just an outstanding human being; he's been great for myself and my family. My little daughter loves him."

His "little daughter" is Prue, a strong-willed toddler who "clearly has a mind of her own."

"She gets it from her mom," he said. "And maybe a little from me."

Mayfield's wife, Kalli, is a part-time elementary education major at MSU, originally from Manhattan who hopes to ultimately pursue a career in social work. The couple is expecting a son - James Mayfield V - next March.

Mayfield is also close with Joshua Meyer, director of the McNair Scholars Program at MSU. The program services the needs of nontraditional students, those whose educational path differs from the "standard" 18-to-22-year-old undergraduate timeline. Mayfield is 25.

"[Meyer], too, is an outstanding human being," Mayfield said. "It's nice to have another person to talk to about life matters [beyond school]."

The goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to increase post-baccalaureate degree attainment of students who have not traditionally participated in higher education, according to its website.

With the support of many MSU resources, Mayfield is well on his way to that degree.

"James is a remarkable guy who's already led a fascinating life," said Tim LeCain, chair of the Department of History and Philosophy in MSU's College of Letters and Science. "His military service has put him on the front lines of a lot of recent events that historians will be discussing for years to come. He was in for advising recently, and we ended up talking for almost an hour about all sorts of things. The history faculty is honored to have him in our program."

Mayfield said he currently plans to attend graduate school after he graduates from MSU.