UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For student veterans like former U.S. Marine Sgt. Chioma Okoroafor, Penn State’s Student Veteran Center was a “life saver” as she transitioned from being a Marine to a Penn State student and civilian in 2020.  

Okoroafor is one of about 400 student veterans currently enrolled at University Park and more than 5,000 at Penn State’s campuses and World Campus who have access to the center’s services. 

Opened in 2019, the Student Veteran Center is a one-stop resource for support, community and services for student veterans across the University. Home to the Office of Veterans Programs and Office of Veterans Affairs and Services, the center features a student veteran lounge, study rooms, classroom and multi-use spaces for student veteran organizations, support groups and special programming. Students also can access assistance with GI Bill and tuition benefits, transition-to-college programs, peer-to-peer mentoring, disability support and counseling all in one place.  

Okoroafor — who is pursuing dual majors in psychology and biology and is the winner of Penn State’s 2021 Outstanding Adult Student Award — shared her experiences serving in the Marines Corps, working as a student outreach member at the center and preparing for medical school.  

What was your job in the military?

Okoroafor: I served five years in the Marines right out of high school until 2020. During that time, I was a ground communications technician and I fixed radios and communications equipment. While my job field in the military didn’t really correlate to what I want to do in the civilian sector, skills like dedication and perseverance were definitely instilled in me. 

Where did your military career take you?

Okoroafor: I was stationed in North Carolina and overseas in Okinawa, Japan. I was very lucky to be able to travel in Japan and Korea and do meaningful work with my unit to help bridge communication between countries. I think that every veteran looks at their military service differently, but the military made me who I am today. The beginning years of my adulthood were formed by the Marine Corps. Every experience made me into the strong woman I am now — and I am able to seek an education and help others because of it. 

How did you decide to attend college?

Okoroafor: Growing up I knew I wanted to be in the military and eventually go to medical school, which is my plan now. I was a psychology major through Penn State World Campus while I was serving in Japan, but there wasn’t a clear path to study medicine in the Marines. I made the decision to continue my education on campus and pursue a degree in biology, too.  

How was your transition to civilian life?

Okoroafor: I’m 24 years old now, but I was 17 when I enlisted so my entire adult life to that point was the military. I left the Marine Corps and started the semester here three days later — I had never even paid rent before. Transitioning to civilian life and to a big university is a difficult leap, especially when you don’t have the same kind of structure and support system as in the military.  

How are you continuing to serve your community today?

Okoroafor: I feel like if you’re in a position where you can help others, you should. Today, I volunteer as an EMT with Centre Life Link and as a crisis counselor at Centre Safe to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. I also am a grader for calculus and a student outreach member at the Student Veteran Center.  

What is your role at the Student Veteran Center?

Okoroafor: I’m an intermediary between student veterans and everything that’s happening at Penn State. If you need help getting a foot in the door, we’re there to do the groundwork and figure out how we can best help you to succeed. I understand their troubles and can sit down and figure out how we can best make this experience at Penn State work for you. It’s really fulfilling to be able to help people who are going through some of the same experiences I faced a couple years ago.  

How did the center help you during your transition to civilian life?

Okoroafor: The vet center was a life saver for me. When I first got to campus, people at the center helped connect me with tuition support, a place to live and a job at the center. I even met my best friend here. The center is a place where we all “get it” — we don't have to talk about our military experiences, but if you want to, there’s someone there who's going to understand what you went through. 

What’s your favorite part of the center?

Okoroafor: Beyond the certifying officials who helped me with my education benefits, definitely the lounge. When I moved here, I didn’t know anyone, and having that space to go to has truly helped me build relationships. Similar to what I had with my unit, I now have that support here because there's a place for us to go and be around like-minded individuals. That’s also the nice thing about Penn State in general — there are these little niche places everywhere to find your community. 

What do you want other veterans to know about the center?

Okoroafor: I've seen a lot of veterans who did their service and leave the military and now just want to be a person, but I want student veterans to know that if you need help, there are resources available to you at the center, even beyond assistance with tuition and GI Bill benefits. We have cultivated a wealth of knowledge at this office — whether it’s finding low-cost housing or helping you find a new career. The people who work here are kind, amazing people and care so much about each individual person. They’re service members and dependents themselves, so they understand our experiences on a personal level. Whatever your path, they want to see you on the finish line of that path.  

Are student veterans at Penn State campuses and World Campus welcome too?

Okoroafor: Absolutely! The Student Veteran Center is for all Penn State student veterans. Along with the services the University offers to all student veterans, campus students can attend virtual events at the center such as sessions with companies like Boeing, which recently came to talk to veterans about career choices. 

How is Penn State supportive of student veterans?

Okoroafor: Penn State is a very veteran-friendly. Beyond creating this space solely for us, for example, I’ve seen firsthand that staff go out of their way to provide support and make any accommodations you need — whether you have a traumatic brain injury and may need more time for testing or if you have a physical disability and need more time between classes — they really want us to flourish here. 

What’s been your proudest moment?

Okoroafor: I am proud to have served my country. Being able to play a part — whether in the military or through serving your community — impacts change. I think everyone who was willing and made the sacrifice to serve their country is an incredibly strong and courageous individual.  

What’s next for you?

Okoroafor: It’s been a long journey. I am studying to take the MCAT and hopefully will be going to medical school after I graduate next fall. I have two very different options I’m considering. I’m currently an EMT and I love emergency medicine, but for a long time I’ve also wanted to be an OBGYN. In medicine, women are underserved in general — and women who look like me are underserved even more. I’m biracial and my father is Nigerian and I’ve actually never met a female doctor who looks like me. I’d like to create change and be that doctor for someone else. 

To learn more about service and resources for current and prospective veteran students at Penn State, visit veterans.psu.edu.