Salute to Service - Paul Sorenson Perseveres

Salute to Service - Paul Sorenson Perseveres

Possessing an indomitable spirit and a drive to solve any and all problems before him, Paul Sorenson will be taking a victory lap when he graduates from Sam Houston State University. His path to crossing Johnson Coliseum started long before he considered attending college with a broken-down vehicle.   

At 17, Sorenson had earned his GED and was working in construction in South Florida when his vehicle stopped working directly in front of a military recruiting office. 

“I figured there couldn’t be a much clearer sign than that,” Sorenson said. 

After speaking with recruiters, Sorenson found that the Navy best matched what he was looking for. Four days later, he was at boot camp. 

“I told the Navy I was ready to get to the next stage of my life, and they literally got me there before Christmas,” he said. 

Years later, Sorenson would again find himself searching for the next stage; this time under circumstances he never anticipated. While stationed at The Navy Talent Acquisition Group Miami (formerly Recruiting District Miami), Sorenson was injured during a training exercise. The injury caused permanent damage to his spine, required multiple surgeries and eventually resulted in his medical retirement from the Navy. His recovery took years, progressing from a wheelchair to a walker and eventually a cane. 

“I think realizing that I had been permanently changed was only half of the transition,” he said. “The other half was figuring out what I could build with the person I was now.” 

Sorenson tried returning to physically demanding work, including becoming a Texas State Certified Jailer and exploring opportunities with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but his physical limitations made those paths impractical. 

“They gave me information,” he said. “They helped me figure out what the next mission couldn’t be, which got me a little closer to figuring out what it could be.” 

Education became part of that answer. Through a Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, Sorenson sought retraining for a new career. After his family relocated to Trinity, he began looking for a university that fit his academic and professional goals and found that fit at Sam Houston State University. Sorenson had excelled in military training, but he soon discovered that succeeding in a university classroom required a different approach. 

“Knowing the material wasn’t always enough,” he said. “I had to learn how to study for traditional exams, how to write academically and how professors expected me to demonstrate that I understood something.” 

Early academic struggles forced Sorenson to adjust how he approached learning, drawing on the adaptability he developed during his military career. 

“The Navy taught me that the problem in front of you doesn’t care whether the circumstances are ideal,” Sorenson said. “You understand the objective, learn the system, use the people and resources you have and find the next workable solution.” 

At SHSU, the Veterans & Military Connected Center has played an important role in helping Sorenson navigate higher education. He credits Fernando Chavez and the center with helping veterans and their families connect with resources and work through unfamiliar challenges. 

“Returning veterans aren’t just traditional students who happen to be a little older,” Sorenson said. “We can show up with years of professional experience and still have absolutely no idea how to navigate some seemingly ordinary part of civilian higher education.” 

That support has also encouraged Sorenson to help other veterans. When he finds a solution to a problem, he shares what he learned so another student may have an easier path. 

“Someone helps me through a problem. I learn something from it. I pass that information along. Maybe somebody else has an easier time because of it,” he said.“I don’t need to be wearing a uniform for that to be service.” 

As he approaches completion of his undergraduate education, Sorenson is considering graduate school, employment or a combination of the two. Whatever path comes next, he wants to continue doing something familiar: solving difficult problems. 

“What I missed wasn’t simply being in the Navy,” Sorenson said. “I missed having difficult problems in front of me and being part of figuring them out.” 

Finishing his degree also represents something larger for Sorenson and his family. His military career ended before he was ready, and the years since have required rebuilding his health, stability, education and vision for the future. He no longer sees that process as an attempt to return to exactly who he was before. 

“Rebuilding doesn’t mean becoming exactly who you were before,” Sorenson said. “You take what you still have, learn what you need, accept help when it’s available, take care of the people depending on you and build something worthwhile from there.”