Navigating Transition

Veteran student finds support, purpose at CSUMB

CSUMB student and veteran Laura Kendall | Photo by Florenz Tuazon

Laura Kendall knew she wanted to help veterans after serving five years in the Army.

“I have friends who have suffered from PTSD, so after getting out of the Army, that’s what I knew I wanted to focus on — the lack of care surrounding those who have PTSD.”

Now in her last year in the Master of Social Work program at CSUMB, she has worked with homeless veterans through an internship and is well on her way to achieving her goal of helping vets with post-traumatic stress disorder. But it wasn’t an easy path getting to where she is now.

Going to college straight out of high school wasn’t the right decision for Kendall. Without clear direction, she couldn’t concentrate, so she decided to go to a recruiting station.

“I thought maybe this will help me open doors that weren’t open before and get guidance,” she said.

She was 19. Five years later, after giving birth to her first daughter, she made the decision to leave the Army to focus on being a mom. She is now a single parent of two daughters: Emily, 9, and Sophie, 6.

“Coming out of the military, it was a shock jumping into the civilian world,” she said. “It was interesting trying to figure out who Laura was because I was always told who I was.”

Accustomed to years of strictly structured schedules, it was difficult for her to transition to the highly flexible organization of higher education. Even so, the caring community and helpful resources at CSUMB provided a smoother transition for Kendall. She found the Veterans Resource Center to be an especially welcoming and encouraging place on campus.

“I just had the best time here. I really have,” she said. “I’ve had the best mentors here, like Dr. [Amanda] Pullum and Professor [Jennifer] Lucido. The classrooms are so small, and it’s such an intimate relationship you have with your professors. It made it easy to learn. If you need help, they’re there for you.”

One of her mentors, Veteran Services Coordinator Giselle Young, supported her throughout her college experience. Young answered questions about complicated topics and laws — such as the GI Bill, which helps veterans pay for college — and had open conversations about military life. Young also introduced Kendall to the Veterans Resource and Education program, which helped her continue her education and enter a master’s program.

“I hadn’t stepped on a university campus in 10 years, so I was terrified,” Kendall said. “Giselle was able to calm me down, help me feel comfortable, and help me get set up with external resources.”

At CSUMB, Kendall felt personally supported and found the guidance she’d always been looking for, enabling her to pursue her passion. Most of all, CSUMB taught Kendall to be open to learning and critical thinking, finding her own voice, and navigating the world of higher education.

Before entering the MSW program, Kendall earned her Bachelor of Science in social and behavioral sciences at CSUMB. For her capstone project, she focused on veterans with PTSD, particularly women who have experienced sexual discrimination and harassment.

Her conclusion: “Potential barriers need to be identified and addressed, and resources and support groups need to be made accessible to women in the military.”

“I had my own experiences with those things, but it was quite eye-opening to hear other people’s stories,” Kendall said. “These women are still experiencing this. So that’s really what I want to focus on going into this field — working with these women, whether they be active duty or veteran status.”

Her goal is to be a social worker at a VA facility. During the first year of her master’s program, she worked with homeless vets at the Veterans Transition Center in Marina. For her second year, she is working at a VA in Capitola, doing group therapy with incarcerated veterans in local jails and advocating for them in the court system.

Attending CSUMB, a former military base, does not bring back memories of the Army for Kendall.

“I feel a sense of community here,” she said. “Opportunity for sure. I found a lot of who I am from being here, which is a journey that I’m still on. That journey started while I was at CSUMB. I’ve met a lot of veteran friends here, and it’s great watching them succeed.”

For veterans who are trying to transition into college life, her advice is to learn about the resources available for them.

“Be aware of what benefits you have and use them,” she said. “Most veterans don’t even know what they’re entitled to. It is easy to feel lost and abandoned after leaving the military. Push yourself to reach out.”

— Tatiana Marie Muniz