Jessica Nelson — From the Marine Corps to Smith College!
This is one part in a series of veteran profiles spotlighting Service to School (S2S) and our VetLink program, which connects veterans with highly selective colleges and universities.
Hometown: Seabrook, Texas
Fun Fact About Yourself: I used to play roller derby before the Marine Corps.
Intended Major: Psychology with a concentration in Community Engagement and Social Change
What did you do in the military? 0261, Geospatial Analyst
How did you hear about S2S? I heard about Service to School during a Google search while on deployment after I decided to transition out of the military.
What was the best part of S2S for you? The best part of S2S for me was the essay help, and talking through my choices of where to apply.
Why did you decide to pursue college? During my time in the Marine Corps, I started volunteering a lot and realized that in order to continue helping people the way that I want, I need to continue my education.
How has the transition been from the military to civilian life? It has been really eye opening. I do miss things from the Marine Corps — I miss the life of living on a base and having a lot your friends within a small bubble. I keep in touch with my Marines and it helps to be able to talk to another military person or vet who understands what the transition is like.
What’s your favorite part about Smith? I knew about the school from my research and speaking to current students. When I went to visit the school, the experience was great! I met with academic faculty, staff, current students, and other future students. The weekend was packed with informational activities to introduce us to the College and answer any questions that we may have. As a veteran, I had some unique questions, and I never ran into someone who was not willing to help. Smith seems like a school that truly wants their students to succeed and is willing to get them to where they want to go if they are willing to put in the effort.
What advice would you give to future applicants? Reach out to your networks, your support systems, seek help and advice, and find out what you truly want to do in life and find out a way to get there. Don’t ever doubt yourself, and work as hard as possible to set yourself up for success. Also, do not forget those currently around you — help them to succeed and continue giving back to the veteran community.
What are you goals post-graduation? My goals post-graduation are to go to law school or graduate school. From there I would like to eventually open a nonprofit for youth in Jackson, Mississippi and perhaps one day expand it to other low-income areas.
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Smith College is a private, independent women’s liberal arts college with coed graduate and certificate programs located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked one of the best colleges in the world. For more information, please visit www.smith.edu.
Service to School is a 501(3) non-profit committed to helping our nation’s veterans earn admission to highly selective colleges and universities. Our mission is to help every transitioning military veteran win admission to the best college or graduate school possible.
In 2015, Service to School launched VetLink, an initiative within our larger mentoring program, which partners our organization with some of the best colleges and universities in the U.S. including Amherst College, Cornell University, Emory University, Harvard College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Notre Dame, Pomona College, Princeton University, Smith College, Stanford University, Williams College, and Yale University.
Are you a transitioning veteran thinking about applying to college to earn your undergraduate or bachelor’s degree? Sign up for help from Service to School.
