Here at the University of Illinois, there are many incredibly talented students, especially within the military-connected community. Whether they are veterans, ROTC, or military dependents, they are all bringing diverse perspectives that enhance the University of Illinois’ academic and social environment. Moreover, their leadership, motivation, and integrity are vital for contributing to the University and beyond.
My name is Baileigh Hannah, and I am a senior studying English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. I’m also a military dependent and my dad is currently serving in the Navy Reserves. I’ve been using my writing skills to write blogs about the Chez Veterans Center and the amazing things military-connected students have contributed to our community.
With that being said, I have interviewed a UIUC senior, Emily Redeker, who is an Airforce Veteran that has made significant contributions during their service and since transitioning to civilian life.
Firstly, I asked them to share their background in the military service and what motivated them to pursue a college education. Emily said,
“I enlisted in the United States Airforce, and served as a military justice and disability paralegal in the Airforce JAG Corps. After serving for six years, I decided to follow other interests and knew I wanted to attend college to pursue a degree in Psychology. I was interested in psych because when I worked as a paralegal, psychology experts would come to court and testify during trials. My favorite part of trial prep was when it was just me, the attorney, and the psych expert because I could ask them psych-based questions, like “Why do we do what we do?”
Next, I asked how they have connected with other students, both Veterans and non-veterans, on campus, and they said,
“I am a part of the Veterans RSO and am very active in that. I’m lucky enough to have found such an amazing community at Chez that is very accepting and has been there for me throughout my adjustment. It’s the reason I’m so confident, and can go out and meet other people in community. Also, I’m part of a Psych Language and Acquisition Lab, which has helped me connect more with friends in my major as well as Ph.D. students more my age. Their advice has given me reassurance that its not too late to continue education. I’m also on the Student Advisory Board, and we’re still planning projects to work on, but the one I proposed regards first year student experiences. My hope is to research how we can improve experiences for first year undergrads and transfers. I especially want to improve transfer experience because it can be very challenging, and this motivation comes from my experience. I’m also a member of the queer community here, and I am immensely grateful for the amazing people in it that have given me the confidence to be more comfortable with myself outside military and showcase my personal identity.”
I also asked Emily what their academic and career goals are post-graduation, and their response was,
“I’m currently applying Ph.D. programs to study psychology of religion; specifically, how younger children apply religion to morality and other life situations.”
I concluded with the question, how do you hope to use your education and experiences to contribute to your community or the military-connected population?
“I hope that my research can help prevent some forms of religious trauma or negative religious experiences by understanding it more at an early age. People becoming more aware of these things and why we behave way we do is important for everyone and filling the research gaps to benefit everyone would be my ultimate goal.”
All in all, Emily Redeker’s experiences in the military and as a student reflect the integrity found within the military-connected community at the University of Illinois. Through their active involvement in various organizations and their focus on improving the fellow student experiences, Emily demonstrates the fellowship that makes our campus so special.
Article written by: Baileigh Hannah